Saturday, 30 August 2014

Interior Design Mistakes

By Joanne Jones


It is true that interior design is a matter of taste. What looks good to one person might not be appealing to another. Most people want their home to be stylish, providing a pleasant atmosphere for both the residents and visitors. Your home decor should be a reflection of your personality, but there are certain design techniques that are flat out bad choices. This article will discuss some of the techniques you should not use, as well as some more appealing alternatives.

Don't: Choose Distracting Wall Paint - In past decades, especially the 90s, homes often had very boldly-colored walls. Dark reds or blues can draw a lot of attention to a wall, often more than they deserve. In addition, many homes featured paint schemes that changed between rooms. Fortunately, these distracting, jarring tendencies has given way to more subtle schemes in modern homes.

Do: Find a Subtle Color Scheme - A more subdued palette is often much easier swallow. Soft, earthy colors have the benefit of being easy on the eyes. The walls should serve as a backdrop for the main elements of the design scheme. The more subtle tones, such as light beige or gray, are able to do just that. They will not draw more attention than they deserve. It is also a good idea to keep the paint scheme consistent across the home.

Don't: Make Everything Match Too Much - While it is important that an interior design scheme maintains a level of consistency, there is also a point where it becomes too much. If you use just one color or material, it can quickly make the room become bland. For instance, just because the coffee table is one type of wood does not mean that the shelving has to match it exactly. An overly-focused scheme can be as bad as an unfocused one.

Do: Add Color and Accent - The key is balancing variety with compatibility. While you want to keep the number of materials and colors in check, do not hesitate to accent the room with flourishes of color and personality. Try adding brighter accents with the secondary elements of the room. The couch might be one color, but you can spice it up with brighter cushions. And do not think that you have to buy the whole set of furniture. If you find that chairs from a different set work with your couch, by all means, go for it.

Don't: Use Carpet in the Bathroom - This is design 101. Carpet in the bathroom is widely agreed upon to be a bad idea. Anywhere there is running water, there is the chance of leaks, and that can lead to a very expensive disaster. Carpets can absorb and retain a lot of water, which can quickly lead to rot and mildew problems if you are regularly stepping on it getting out of the shower.

Do: Install Water-Resistant Bathroom Floors - There is a reason that most modern bathrooms are covered in some type of tile. Most types are naturally resistant to water, long-lasting, and simple to maintain. Each type has its advantages and drawbacks, but all of them are a better choice for a bathroom than carpet.

Don't: Use Tacky Decor - Your home should reflect your personality and history, but there comes a point where certain design trends should be left in the decade they came from. Some older items might have sentimental value, but there are some things that are just plain tacky in this day and age. I'm looking at you, lava lamp.

Do: Make It Your Own - While you do not want to overdo it, a design scheme that does not reflect the owner's personality will appear plain and soulless. Try to figure out the balance of items, not deviating too far from the tone of each room. If you have tacky items that you cannot part with for whatever reason, you might at least keep them out of the home's most used areas. They better serve as decorations in your personal areas, such as your home office or den. That mounted trophy buck works better there than in the dining room.




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