10 Common Interior Design Mistakes to Avoid

One of the most satisfying components of designing your home is the chance to imprint your personality and character and make it yours. Interior design can be a truly exhilarating endeavour but it’s important to watch for these misery making mistakes to ensure that the process runs without a hitch. Here are 10 of the most common interior design mistakes that haunt the homes of Brits across the nation.

1.Clashing Colours

Certain colours pop, bang and fizz when they are put together. Others ensure a one way ticket to uglyville (can anyone say purple and green?) Certain colour combinations don’t prevail because they weren’t meant to. Solid colour staples are a safe bet and for those that want to push barriers, there are subtle infusions that can work well such as zesty orange with tropical green.

2.Excessive Knick Knacks

It’s tempting to adorn the home with the objects we’ve accumulated over the years but excessive paraphernalia doesn’t so much tell a story as make guests feel dizzy! Less is more is a safe approach. If you need any help with de-cluttering your home, our coach Helen Sanderson can guide you.

3.Adopt a One Size Fits All Approach

The allure of a room is that it combines varying heights, widths and shapes in a cohesive way. Many interior design newcomers instead select samey items with little differentiation. Selecting differently sized items creates a more authentic looking space.

4.Not Having a Budget

With interior design projects, it’s all too easy to get carried away or to not factor in the costs of essential staples. Planning ahead by considering what you need and how much you can afford to pay will keep you on track.

5.Not Asking For Help

Even the most esteemed interior design experts need a soundboard in order to throw about their ideas. When you obsessively delve into designing a room, the sense of tunnel vision can muddy an objective perspective. When it comes to colour, sizing, fabrics and placements a second eye is always useful.

6.Scattered Placement

Many rooms can take on a bit of a random demeanour when you place things carelessly. Whether you have a collection of vases, esteemed tomes or paintings, placing them with forethought makes a world of difference.

7. Painting Before Selecting Furniture

The danger in painting a room before you’ve got your furniture sorted is that the textures, fabrics and colours you opt for may clash with the paint job. When you paint first you are limiting your options.

8. Being Too Samey

To build a sense of character and charm, versatility is required. It’s good to mix and match pieces that are different but still work together to build a cohesive whole. When everything looks the same, your home may look fresh out of a catalogue but it will lack your own personal touch.

9. Having No Focal Point

Every room should have a focal point which draws in the eye and generates attraction. For most of us, the TV is the central focus of the room but a dining table, bookcase, desk, bed or wardrobe can do the trick. Find a focus point and from that point create your room around it.

 10. Playing It Safe

Being bold and daring, expressing your personality, interests and quirks is essential in any home. Perhaps you have a penchant for Native American artwork or enjoy collecting magnets; it’s your home – feel free to showcase yourself any way you want. Many people look at their homes as something to impress others. Really, it’s about creating a sanctuary for yourself and your family.