Interior Design Blunders That Drive Me Crazy!

Photo courtesy of www.juiceit.wordpress.com

In my day to day travels and interactions, I see a ton of interior design blunders that drive me crazy.  I’m way too polite to speak about it at the time but not so polite that I won’t write about it now.  Here are five interior design blunders that I encounter quite often. 

1. Hanging Wall Décor Too High or Too Low.  The top of any wall art or mirror should be hung anywhere from 66” to 72” above the finish floor.  The idea is that the center of the art or mirror should be at eye level.  For a taller person, the center may be a bit below eye level and for a shorter person, a bit above.  Hanging too high or too low is just awkward and makes me wonder if the owner really intended for anyone to look at or in the hung object. 

2.  Buying without measuring.  Unless you are an actual experienced design professional, thinking you can ogle whether something will fit in your space is a huge mistake.  The story of Goldilocks is alive and well.  Many homeowners buy furniture that is either too big or too small for the room where it will live.  The best advice I will ever give to someone looking to become a DIYer is to measure.  I can never say it enough.  (Related:  Measuring all doorways the furniture will have to travel through to arrive in the designated space, is never a bad idea, either.)

3.  Not considering how you use your space.  Furniture should be arranged such that it does not impede the flow of traffic.  The color of paint and home furnishings should all be selected after considering the natural and artificial lighting in the space.  If you live with small children or pets, select fabric and furniture treatments and colors that will wear well over time.  Climbing over or around furniture to enter/exit is dangerous and realizing the paint looks completely different from the swatch once you put it up in your space is disappointing. 

4.  Too little or bad lighting.  After you’ve taken the time to select a paint color and arrange your furniture, nothing discredits your efforts more than bad lighting.  Bad lighting can make or break a space.  In dim or low lighting, paint, fabric, and furnishings may look different than they did when you purchased them.  I’ve heard the protest many times, “But I like dim lighting…,” which is all fine and dandy but it’s important to also have options.  Your guests shouldn’t feel like they are visiting a candlelit cave.  Layering your lighting will allow you to create the right atmosphere for all of your entertaining needs.

5.  Bad paint jobs.  I always appreciate when someone has stepped out on a limb and chosen a wild paint color; lime green, orange, turquoise, fuchsia, etc.  What I don’t appreciate is when they’ve taken the risk and then done a terrible paint job.  Paint on the ceiling, rough wall patches, cracks, splotches, etc. I’ve seen it all. Nothing makes a wild paint color look cheaper than an awful paint job.  It’s what I call terrible follow through. 

The above five blunders are very common but they don’t have to be.  Consider, measure, consult, hire. Repeat as necessary.

5 Items That Will Make Your Home Appear As If It Was Designed By A Pro

  Solar Shades by Teresa M. Morgan
Photo Credit:  www.Houzz.com

Drapery and Cellulose Shades
Photo Credit:  www.blindalley.com

Window Treatments.  Window treatments are to a room what cologne is to a man.  It’s the final touch that adds to a well put together package.  There are many types of window treatments, from shades to curtains and drapery and on to films and blinds.  Choosing which style best fits your space depends on your overall tastes as well as the design of the room.  If your space is more contemporary with clean lines and minimal accessories, you may want to consider cellular or fabric shades or possibly even, window films.  For a more traditional ornate space, curtains or drapery will allow you to flex more of your design muscles by giving consideration to such factors as style, color, hardware, material, etc.  

Natural fiber area rug.  Design by Barry Dixon.
Photo Credit:  House Beautiful via www.apartmenttherapy.com

Area Rugs.  I always recommend area rugs, even in spaces that are carpeted.  Area rugs ground the space.  They add a feeling of coziness to a room not created by any other element in interior design. Area rugs help pull all the individual, unique pieces of a space together to form a cohesive well-appointed room.  They can be layered, using more than one rug within the same space.  Area rugs can be used to divide an open floor plan and designate differences in usage.  They are also helpful in protecting wood, stone or carpeted floors from every day wear and tear. 

Lighting.  Chandelier and Bedside Lamps by Horchow.
Photo Credit:  www.thesuitelifedesigns.wordpress.com

Lighting.  Lighting is one of my favorite design elements.  I consider it the jewelry of a room.  The proper amount of lighting can give any room a magical sparkle or the perfect romantic haze. I typically like to layer it within my design projects by specifying multiple light sources.  For general overhead lighting, I recommend recessed lights.  They aren’t as obstructive as some surface mounted structures and when done right, can give the ceiling a clean, uncluttered feel.  However, too many recessed lights can look like a game of whac-a-mole gone wrong.  If you’re interested in making more of a statement, chandeliers are wonderful options and are guaranteed to give any space an extra bit of glamour.  Table side and floor lamps are another subtle way to incorporate visual interest into a space by selecting those fabricated in unique shapes, colors, and/or materials.  

Photo Credit: www.apartmenttherapy.com

Photo Credit: www.marieburgosdesign.com

Mirror.  Mirrors are a wonderful and not so secret tool that interior designers have used for years to create beauty and interest within both public and private spaces.  Mirrors open up a room by reflecting that which is put in front of them.  It gives a smaller space a larger appearance and a darker space, a brighter one.  When put in front of a working space, i.e. dining room table, a mirror can serve as a dynamic (living) work of art by moving and breathing as you and your guests move and breathe.  

Interior Design by Tobi Fairley.
Photo courtesy of www.houzz.com

Art.  Art, whether sculptural or painted, is an amazingly simple way to give your home a facelift.  Art inspires, encourages and asks us to examine the world around us a little closer.  Hanging a triptych over your fireplace or a series of portraits ascending along a flight of stairs tells a story about the homeowner’s interests and personality.   Art can give insight into how a person views the world, if they have a sense of humor or if they see things in a more brooding and dark light.  There are many different art forms, from “do it yourself” to other types which have been sculpted or stroked by someone who has studied and practiced for years, and as such, art can range widely in price.  There is no right or wrong in deciding which art to use in your home, only that it strike something within you.