Do you ever look at your space, and just feel… underwhelmed? (Me at my plainly styled bed.) You have all the ingredients that should make a well designed home, and yet, you can’t quite put your finger on what’s missing. You’ve scoured all the home decor blogs, shopped until you dropped, and you still don’t feel like your space is complete. I find my clients falling prey to some common home decorating mistakes, that leave them dissatisfied with the results. Today, I’ve compiled a list of the 4 most common home decor mistakes to help your space go from a hell no to a hell yes!
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Neglecting a Cohesive Theme
I was listening to a design podcast recently and the guest made a great point: we are not taught how to speak about style. 🤯
I don’t think it’s about whether we have it or not, it’s more about how we interpret and communicate our likes and dislikes. When working with clients or even people in my life who claim they don’t have style or tastes (hi mom), I find my clients struggling to identify what they like or dislike about inspiration images I show them. We’ve never learned how to talk about style, fashion, or art in our general lives, and so, we can’t. We fail to express to those who ask what makes us fall in love with a piece of furniture or art, and so we end up falling prey to the current trend.
Before diving into home and decor decisions, you should take the time to define a clear aesthetic vision for your home. Whether it’s midcentury modern, European farmhouse, or cottagecore, adding consistency in your design choices will create a harmonious ambiance.
Once you define your design style, take the time to create a vision board filled with images you love of that style. It doesn’t have to only be pictures of rooms, find your inspiration from fashion, architecture, and media. You can do this on Canva, Pinterest, or even in physical form. This will be your roadmap when it’s time to shop, a source to compare your selections with to make sure it all matches the vibe.
Ignoring Scale and Proportion
Size matters. Seriously, I cannot emphasize this enough, and I’m going to call out some of my past clients but it’s a need at this point. Just because you can find a piece of furniture that looks identical to the one I’m suggesting from Wayfair, doesn’t mean they are the same! There is a reason why the piece you’re looking to purchase instead is cheaper. Yes, usually it’s a quality issue, but also, the stinking size people! Size matters here. I usually find that people will take a piece I’ve selected, find a similar version for half the price, and end up with a version of the original that is significantly smaller in size – hence the price tag.
Source: West Elm
Size: 74″H x 28″ W x 1.3″ D
Source: Wayfair
Size: 58” H X 18” W X 0.5” D
I use these two examples from Wayfair & West Elm, the WE version being the larger investment, but you also get the larger piece. The Wayfair version is hardly larger than the over the door mirror. If you are my typical reader, you are way past the point of the dorm room mirror. It’s time to upgrade, my friend.
Rushing the Process
Home decorating is a journey, not a race. Rushing through the process can lead to impulsive decisions and buyer’s remorse. Take the time to plan and research before making any significant purchases or design choices. Gather inspiration, create mood boards, and visualize how different elements will come together in your space. Patience and thoughtful consideration will ultimately help you to create a space that is aligned with your highest self.
Start Exploring Your Style
If you’re unsure where to start, click the button below to take our style quiz! Knowing your most aligned style is a great jumping off point when it’s time for you to reflect, revise, and envision your space. Once you enter your email to get your quiz results, I’ll send you my favorite inspiration, places to shop, and other tips and tricks aligned with your results directly to your inbox. 🙌