Top Ten Decorating Mistakes
II. Lack of Cohesion
I've seen many rooms that just don't feel pulled together. Usually the culprit is a number of things:
• Competing styles: you may own a Victorian chair and have it paired with southwest style artwork. While it's not always wrong to mix styles, you must have some unifying element.
• Competing colors: the color on the wall may not do anything for the furnishings in the room or may even clash.
• Mismatched Accessories: The accessories may not match the overall feel of the room. An overall mish mash of furnishings, artwork and accessories. If your space looks more like a resale shop or thrift store than a model home, some changes may be in order. I'm betting you already know that.
• Complacency & Familiarity: If you know the space is just not quite right, but can't tell what is out of place. Invite a friend with a good eye for things over and have them be honest about what they see is out of place. Sometimes we just get so used to looking at things that we tend to overlook them.
• Ignoring the Architectural Style: If you live in a victorian bungalow, you may want to be careful about forcing furnishings that aren't a good style fit such as mid-century modern.
How to pull it all together:
Color Schemes & Style: Also tying together color schemes and overriding style and removing items that don't work with either is a great place to start.
Pairs: of chairs, lamps, etc - is the fastest way to give any room a pulled together look.
Repetition: Repeating design elements will bring a space together and add interest. Many times you won't notice immediately, but most designers will repeat some element of design over and over again to bring fluidity. (ie. Shapes, finishes, colors, style elements)
Furniture Styles: Competing furniture styles will cause visual distraction. Some styles can be blended well, but be careful not to use styles that fight with each other.
Beware of Too Much Matching: Remember that you don't have to be "matchy, matchy" to have a pulled together, cohesive look. You may have 2 chairs that are similar in size and feel, but aren't identical. They can be upholstered in the same or coordinating fabrics to tie them together visually. "They don't have to match, they just have to go."
II. Lack of Cohesion
I've seen many rooms that just don't feel pulled together. Usually the culprit is a number of things:
• Competing styles: you may own a Victorian chair and have it paired with southwest style artwork. While it's not always wrong to mix styles, you must have some unifying element.
• Competing colors: the color on the wall may not do anything for the furnishings in the room or may even clash.
• Mismatched Accessories: The accessories may not match the overall feel of the room. An overall mish mash of furnishings, artwork and accessories. If your space looks more like a resale shop or thrift store than a model home, some changes may be in order. I'm betting you already know that.
• Complacency & Familiarity: If you know the space is just not quite right, but can't tell what is out of place. Invite a friend with a good eye for things over and have them be honest about what they see is out of place. Sometimes we just get so used to looking at things that we tend to overlook them.
• Ignoring the Architectural Style: If you live in a victorian bungalow, you may want to be careful about forcing furnishings that aren't a good style fit such as mid-century modern.
How to pull it all together:
Color Schemes & Style: Also tying together color schemes and overriding style and removing items that don't work with either is a great place to start.
Pairs: of chairs, lamps, etc - is the fastest way to give any room a pulled together look.
Repetition: Repeating design elements will bring a space together and add interest. Many times you won't notice immediately, but most designers will repeat some element of design over and over again to bring fluidity. (ie. Shapes, finishes, colors, style elements)
Furniture Styles: Competing furniture styles will cause visual distraction. Some styles can be blended well, but be careful not to use styles that fight with each other.
Beware of Too Much Matching: Remember that you don't have to be "matchy, matchy" to have a pulled together, cohesive look. You may have 2 chairs that are similar in size and feel, but aren't identical. They can be upholstered in the same or coordinating fabrics to tie them together visually. "They don't have to match, they just have to go."
