Key Home Decorating Mistakes to Avoid for a Stylish Space

Home decor is all about transforming a ‘house’ into a home that reflects your personality and mood. When it comes to decorating homes, we tend to generally ignore crucial elements such as ergonomic layout, furniture design, and space partition. Although it's wise to follow your gut and decorate your house with items you adore, sometimes well-intentioned design choices can be at odds with taste. There are no strict rules for designing a personal space. However, poor interior decisions can make your home appear cramped and unwelcoming.

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This article will shed light on common home decorating mistakes and tips and tricks to avoid them.

8 Common Home Decor Mistakes to Avoid

Table of contents

• Mistake #1 - Neglecting scale and proportion
• Mistake #2 - Overcrowding the space
• Mistake #3 - Inadequate lighting & placement of lights
• Mistake #4 - Hanging art pieces inappropriately
• Mistake #5 - Interior Color Choices
• Mistake #6 - Wrong choice of curtains
• Mistake #7 - Overuse of patterns or themes
• Mistake #8 - Opting for bulky storage
• Top Home Decor Tips That Everybody Should Know
• 3 Must-Have Home Decor Tools

Following are some common home decorating mistakes you all might have overlooked.

Mistake #1 - Neglecting scale and proportion

Scale and proportion are the foundation of design. Most of the decor items, from the furniture to the paintings, are measured and arranged in terms of scale and proportion, which describes how those sizes relate to one another and the entire space. One among the most frequent mistakes people make when decorating their homes is buying furniture or décor that is either too big or too tiny for the space. Such choices can throw off the room's overall balance and affect its aesthetic look. In addition to being comfortable to use, these elements, be it the furniture or rugs, should also fit well and provide enough room to walk around.

Solution:

Measure your room and the furniture you wish to buy accurately with a tape measure before making any purchases for the best outcome. It is also important to ensure the proportions and sizes of furniture match with the measurements of the space.

Mistake #2 - Overcrowding the space

It's pretty natural to feel like decorating all the available space at your home with the collection of furniture and décor items you own. Designing a room without considering the flow of the space or the purpose of each area might make it look uninviting. Moreover, overcrowding your walls and flat surfaces can give the impression that your room is cluttered and packed, thus affecting the overall aesthetic appeal of the home. For example, adding too many decor items and patterns can make your bedroom appear overly convoluted.

Solution:

To solve this, keep only the most appropriate statement decor pieces that suit the room's appearance. Consider the visual appeal, functionality, and traffic flow of the room while planning to decorate the space.

Mistake #3 - Inadequate lighting & placement of lights

While decorating the rooms, most people solely rely on a single overhead light. However, this could create a dull ambiance. Besides, poor lighting can negatively impact everyone's productivity, way of life, and mood. Improper placement of lights is another common home decorating mistake that most people make. Any number of lights you install in a room won't produce the desired effect if the placement of those lights is not correct. Rather, the space will appear either overly bright from excessive lighting or too dark in areas that need more light.

Solution:

When selecting the lights for the rooms, go for varieties like wall sconces, table lamps, etc. rather than selecting a single overhead light. It is important to ensure that these lights are placed at the correct location and at an appropriate distance from each other and other elements in the room. Another method to add necessary brightness to the space is by layering the lights. A room's proportions can be enhanced by shadow play produced by lights arranged at different levels, which can also highlight the critical areas in the room.

Mistake #4 - Hanging art pieces inappropriately

People frequently hang the artworks either too high or too low, especially if it is positioned above furniture, like a sideboard or sofa. That way, it may not blend well in the setting. The ample space between the artwork and furnishings may even give the impression that it's floating. If the artwork you choose is of wrong size and doesn't fit in the space, it may also affect the overall balance of the room.

Solution:

The best way to avoid making this interior decor mistake is to hang the artwork at eye level, i.e., 57 - 60 inches off the ground. Artwork arranged according to measurements gives the room a more classy and perfectly balanced appearance. When planning for a gallery wall, consider the dimensions of the artworks that you wish to hang, their distance from one another, and general measurements.

Mistake #5 - Interior Color Choices

Another common home decorating mistake that most people unknowingly neglect is the choice of color. An interior with a visually disorienting and overwhelming combination of colors can make your home look monotonous. For example, imagine a living area where the throw pillows contrast sharply with the drapes, with entirely different color schemes, and a bright-colored sofa set. It'll be difficult to focus on one element as the eyes will move constantly in all directions.

Solution:

To help highlight the space and maintain the design aesthetics, use a range of hues or complementary colors. Try not to go too heavy when decorating your home with one striking color. Mix a cool color (blue, green, or purple) with a warm color (red, orange, or yellow) to bring a visual balance.

Mistake #6 - Wrong choice of curtains

Curtains that are too high or too low to the ground will always be an unattractive sight. No matter how small the mistake is, errors in measurement of curtains might affect the room's otherwise opulent appearance. Choosing curtains just by their look is also a blunder. For instance, some people prefer sheer curtains for their bedrooms owing to the look and the vibe that they bring. However, sheer curtains hardly block the light, which may hinder your sleep, especially when taking a nap during the daytime.

Solution:

It is recommended that the curtain rod should be positioned four to six inches above the window frame. This ensures curtains hardly touch the frame's margins and prevents important light from being blocked.

Mistake #7 - Overuse of patterns or themes

Imagine a room where the walls are adorned with printed wallpaper, a sofa set with a printed pattern, and a rug with some floral design. Every time you enter the room, you’ll feel overwhelmed with the sight of all these ‘prints’. A room with too many prints and patterns may create visual discomfort. Likewise, excessive wood decor inside the home could also make it appear hefty. Design continuity is not always about incorporating an element with the same pattern or design in one place; rather, it is more about applying bits and pieces of the same characteristic at different parts of the house.

Solution:

Combining prints that are diverse but complement each other is the best way to solve this home decorating mistake. For example, geometric prints can go well with floral patterns if arranged well. Likewise, go for a "layered" look. A layered look is nothing but adding variations of the same decor element. If someone chooses to decorate their home with wooden elements, make sure to add some variation with plush furniture or other wooden hues.

Mistake #8 - Opting for bulky storage

When designing the interior of a home, it's crucial to allocate space for enough storage. The best interior plans maximize storage by making excellent use of available space. If not planned wisely, however, excessive storage can create a cluttered look.

Solution:

To make use of all the available space and improve the storage capacity, go for multifunctional units rather than large furniture or storage shelves. With proper planning, you can also convert a storage area as a decor element, thus bringing a visual appeal to an otherwise cluttered space.

Top Home Decor Tips That Everybody Should Know

While decorating the home, even the most minor improvements can create a significant impact with a bit of imagination and attention to detail. Here are the 5 home décor ideas to help you turn your place into a chic and comfortable space.

Tip #1 - Bring a personal touch:

Home decor is not always about adding decor elements and matching furniture. It is also about transforming the space to something that reflects your tastes, and aesthetics. Hence, while planning to decorate your home, consider your preferences when it comes to choosing colors, décor, and decor elements with the help of designers.

Tip #2 - Hang in the Mirrors:

No matter how big or tiny your room is, you can always make it appear larger! All that you need to do is to add mirrors. Mirrors reflect light around a room and hence can provide the impression that a space is larger. Even a slight error in the placement can create adverse effects.

Tip #3 - Add natural elements:

Plants add a vibrant and fresh touch to your home. Not only that, it is said that greenery enhances productivity and mood in addition to being visually pleasing. Keeping fresh plants is the best choice when it comes to decorating your rooms; however, if you're someone who travels constantly, artificial plants will still have the same impact.

Tip #4 - Follow DIY trick:

DIY has been a growing trend since the last few years. If you are planning to transform your home in a cost-effective yet powerful way, then DIY could be your best option. Think about getting some power and hand tools, as well as basic woodworking ideas, to decorate your home in a budget-friendly way.

3 Must-Have Home Decor Tools

You may find many inspiring ideas online when you plan to decorate your home. Watching and reading these ideas would be interesting, but you might need some tools to implement them. Following are some tools that'll help you decorate your home like a pro.

Tool #1 - Power Tools

Power tools are very important tools for home decor projects due to their powerful functions. There are different types of power tools with cord or some of them are cordless which make home decoration more easily. Power tools include electric drills for driving screws and drilling holes, saws for cutting through various materials like wood, sanders for smoothing surfaces, and grinders for shaping and polishing. Using the correct power tools saves your time and effort compared to the traditional tools. Having these tools ensures that your DIY projects can be completed swiftly with professional results.

Tool #2 - Hand Tools

Hand tools are also the basic tools you have to prepare for home decoration. It also play a critical role in everyday home maintenance. A well-stocked Mechanic Tool Set  should contain essentials such as hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, and measuring tapes. These tools are invaluable for tasks that require fine control and are often necessary when working in tight spaces where power tools cannot fit. The more parts you have in one tool set, the more continent you can feel when you need it. 

Hand tools are safer for certain operations, reducing the risk of accidents when you have it in your hand. Keeping them handy means you can quickly solve issues like tightening loose fixtures, assembling furniture, or performing quick repairs without waiting for professional help. It is very common and most often used tools at home. 

Tool #3 - Plumbing Tools

When it comes to plumbing tasks around the house, having the right tools can prevent small issues from turning into major problems. Plumbing tools such as pipe wrenches, adjustable wrenches, basin wrenches, and pipe cutters are essential for dealing with leaks, replacing faucets, or unclogging drains.

Drain Cleaner Machine is a professional solution for harsh main drain and sewer line cleaning jobs. Compared to traditional snakes, equipped with sturdy construction, and high-quality solid cable with an auto-feed system, a drain auger is only designed to accomplish efficient and professional water line cleaning.

Sometimes, even minor errors in the décor of your home can have an adverse effect on how it looks and feels. Hence, before planning to decorate the homes, it's critical to be aware of the typical interior decorating errors that most of us make. With careful planning and attention to detail, you can achieve the dream of making your house a reflection of your style and individuality.