There usually comes a time when homeowners want to make some changes to their home, especially if they have lived there for a while. Out with the old and in with the new may sound easy but there are many common design mistakes that homeowners make. Many design dreams become design disasters when the right planning is not done. Thankfully, there are ways to avoid the most common design disasters to make sure you get the change you want.
Common Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them?
1. Over-sized/under-sized furniture
it is common to overlook the size of the space available when buying furniture. Before purchasing anything makes sure you have the exact measurements so that what you buy will fit with the flow of the room. Be careful with oversized furniture because while it can look comfortable, it can be too large for a room and cause poor flow.
2. Poor lighting
You want to avoid overly dim lighting as well as harsh lighting and stick with layering the lights around the room. A beautiful overhead light provides full illumination and adding sconces and table lamps can fill in spaces and provide additional more subtle lighting. Having these secondary lights allows you to have extra light when needed without overpowering the room.
3. Paint
Another common mistake is to pick paint before picking out furniture. There are more paint colors out there than furnishing options so pick those first and match the paint afterward. It is much easier to match a paint swatch to your items than the other way around.
4. Undisguised storage
Be careful with open storage such as shelving and baskets unless they are hidden away. These are difficult to keep tidy so are better off hidden. While this look is often promoted in design magazines and advertising it is very difficult for most people to keep up because of the cleaning factor.
5. Multipurpose rooms
As more people downsize into more urban dwellings, multipurpose rooms are becoming more popular. As advantageous as these rooms are, you need to take care when designing them. You want to create a look that appears intentional and not as though you simply ran out of space. Minimize the clutter and designate specific spaces for each item and only use the designated spaces as they were intended. For example, keep gym equipment to one side and office supplies to the other.
6. Plain white walls
Stark white walls can be effective but can also look too sterile if they are not properly accented. White walls can also be problematic for families with pets and children. White walls work when you have unique décor bot for most households they are impractical.
7. Misplaced window treatments
If your home has a number of large open windows, then you may consider adding window treatments such as blonds or curtains. Take care not to place floor registers near curtains that hang to the ground. When the register is too close there will be no room for air circulation and curtains will not hang a right, changing the look of the room.
8. Exposed outlets
In the early stages of design, you should plan for extra outlets. The last thing you want is a perfectly designed room with a bunch of cords and wires showing along the walls. The more outlets you have, the easier it is to hide and disguise cords without having to put your furniture in awkward positions.
9. Too many photos
Everyone likes to display family photos but it is possible to hang too many. Shelves, mantels, and walls get overloaded with photos and it can look chaotic. Rather than busy up your rooms, opt to hang a few of your favorites in a small gallery on a single wall. This is more tasteful and still adds that family-feel to the room.
10. Don’t hide the antiques
As you create a new and improved room it is tempting to hide away the heirlooms and antiques. This is a mistake because these dated pieces can add interest to space as they always have a story that accompanies them. If the pieces can be used and re-purposed in some way then leave it out and look forward to sharing its story.
