Turn your House into a Home by Avoiding Interior Design Pitfalls

We have all had the experience of visiting the house of a friend or family member that is nice but cold and austere. Within our own private spaces, we all know what we like and what we don’t like when it comes to interior décor. Unfortunately, many of us fall well short of the mark when it comes to blending form, function and warmth.

There are many reasons why a well laid out interior design plan can go wrong and result in a room or an entire house that is cold; lacking warmth and personality. If you know the potential pitfalls ahead of time, you can use your new knowledge to ensure your newly decorated home is brimming with function, personality and a place you will be proud to welcome visitors.

Color

The most common mistake that amateur decorators make that ends in a cold room is choosing the wrong color, or steering clear of color altogether. When you move into a new home, the walls are white because they are neutral which allows the potential buyer to envision themselves living in the property. White builders paint is also the cheapest option for homebuilders. It is not meant to remain in your new home long term.

You must be very careful with the ‘shades’ of white that you choose for your home (and yes, white does have shades). There are warm tones and cool tones. Warmer white tones can make a room look cozy (think shabby chic) and cool tones make a room look severe and stark. White should be used in moderation.

Warm colors are far better to increase the warmth in a room and add vibrancy and character. Which colors you choose will highly depend on your personal preferences, your furniture and accessories and the amount of light that the room receives. A space with minimal natural light is better suited for lighter shades that will absorb whatever light does fill the room and bounce it around the room. A room with lots of windows, skylights and other sources of natural light can take deeper, darker and richer colors such as eggplant, mustard, midnight blue and merlot red.

Furniture

Essentially, your furniture and accessories are the ‘bling’ for your room. These pieces set the overall tone for the room, from casual or Mediterranean to formal or Victorian. Choosing pieces that work well with your space is important. For example, Victorian or other antique pieces that are ornate and heavily upholstered can stick out like a sore thumb in a modern loft. The same can be said for trying to make Eames style furniture work in a Georgian traditional bungalow. If you want to turn your abode from house to home, choose pieces that you love and ensure they work well within the room they are being placed. Feel free to mix and match; eclectic furniture arrangements often result in a very warm and energetic setting that you, your family and guests will enjoy spending time.

Scale

The first rule to remember: everything looks smaller in a furniture store or warehouse. Once you get it home that oversized, overstuffed sofa and loveseat may dominate your room and look completely out of place. Before you begin your interior design project, get to know your home and the rooms you are redecorating. Take measurements of the entire space including width, length and ceiling height. Rooms with low ceiling height (such as a den in the basement) need lower profile furniture than a living room that may have soaring 12 foot ceilings.

If you have furniture in the space now, measure it and write everything down. Then really look at what you have now and decide if the scale (the size of the furniture compares to the size of the room) is too small, too large or perfect. This will help you tremendously when you head out to shop for new furniture.