Home Decorating Mistakes to Avoid

The way we decorate our homes, much like the way we look at art, is entirely subjective. What we find aesthetically pleasing may not be necessarily so for others. And while decorating rules are not set in stone, there are certain guidelines that when followed, can improve the look and feel of our personal spaces.

Here are some home decorating issues to steer clear of the next time you pursue a home makeover:

1. Bad lighting

Apart from walls, floors, and ceilings, lighting is one of the most important elements in a space. When decorating your home, you should always take lighting into consideration—how much natural lighting goes into a room, and what you can do to supplement it if it’s insufficient.

2. Matching everything

This is easily one of the easiest design pitfalls to fall into. Remember that not every element in your room has to match! Play around with textures, patterns, and colors from similar items. This helps a room gain dimension and depth. For example, you don’t have to get two couches in the exact same color. Instead, have two coordinating patterns—one couch in a solid color, and the other in a pattern of the same color.

3. Not testing out colors before painting

Paints, even if they are accurately labelled, can look very different when they’re already up on your walls. As natural lighting constantly changes, paint color can vary from one room to another. It’s recommended that you get trial sizes in similar hues—a shade darker and a shade lighter—and paint it on a large spot in a room you selected. This extra step sounds tedious, but it’s definitely worth the effort and can save you time and money in the long run.

4. Thinking that cheap and inexpensive are the same thing

There’s nothing wrong with looking for good deals and bargains, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on quality. One of the biggest mistakes anyone can make is buying the cheaper item just because it’s cheaper. Think long term. The money you think you’re saving now won’t make a difference when you have to replace the item because of inferior quality. As much as possible, buy the best that you can afford.

5. Putting everything in one place

Sometimes you’re compelled to showcase all your stuff in one room—don’t! This will only make your room look cluttered and crowded. Instead of displaying entire collections, place them throughout the rooms in the house, and group them however you like. That way, you can still display your collections without crowding the space.