It is common knowledge that the devil is in the details. This explains why a room can be filled with the most expensive furniture but still feel clumsy. Whether it is the layout of the furniture or the placement of the accessories, little elements can conspire to tip your space into the bad books of decorators everywhere.
The following is a list of the most frequent decorating faux pas.
1. Curtains gone bad
The two most popular misdemeanors in this area are hanging the curtains too low and hanging curtains that are too short. When curtains are hung too close to the window they can crowd the window frame making the ceilings appear lower and the room feel darker. Curtains should be hung 6 inches to 1 foot above the window frame. For added drama hang your curtains just under the molding of your ceiling. This creates a regal luxurious atmosphere. Curtains that are too short are among the most aggravating of offenses and are on par with wearing pants that flood. Your curtain should end where your floor starts and it is preferable to have a slight puddle of material brushing the floor than to have hems that don't reach the ground.
2. Karate chopped pillows
Like eighties hair spray, these stuffed pillows with there sunken middles and pointy corners probably had their era. Their time has however long since expired. Pillows never naturally take that comical shape so why punch them into this mold? Let your pillows rest naturally and they will look a lot better.
3. Overly bright lights
Unless you are landing an air craft or performing surgery at home, there is no need to have extremely bright white lights. Lighting is supposed to be functional, but if you find yourself reaching for sunglasses in the living room chances are you can stand to decrease the wattage on your bulbs. Install dimmers so you can control the amount of light in the room at any given time. Dimmers are also genius mood creators. You should also use lamps when less light is needed.
4. Magnetic furniture
Ever notice that some people have cool magnetic furniture that sticks to their walls? Some folks try to create the feeling of space by opening a big hole in the middle of their room. This only means that the room is not functional, because the point of positioning furniture is to fit lifestyles. It is hardly possible to have a conversation in a living room when one chair is a mile away from the next.
5. Teeny tiny rugs
Magnetic furniture culprits also usually have rugs that are way too small for the space. Maybe the objective is to make the floor around them look gigantic in comparison but this is makes for a clumsy looking room. Area rugs should be large enough so that either all the furniture can fit comfortably on top it or the furniture can frame its edges. Large rugs can be expensive but if you are using one that is plain or maybe even geometric you can combine two or three smaller rugs by sticking their backs together with duct tape to get the desired size.
6. Displaying all your collectables
Putting out all your collections at once is like wearing every piece of jewelry you own. It makes the room feel cluttered and gives the impression that it is a few price tags short of a variety store. Allow each collection to take center stage either by taking them out seasonally or by placing them in different rooms of the house.
7. Hanging art too high
Art is hung to be admired. It is difficult to do that when the piece is hovering way over your head. Whether it is a single large piece or a collection of smaller pieces the center should meet eye level.
8. Matchy poo
The fabric of the curtain is found in the pillows on the bed or worse the entire bed spread and also on the upholstered footstool at the base of the bed. This sends the message that coordinating is definitely not your strong point and so you end up using the same material everywhere. Pairing up florals with stripes is not everyone's forte but you can start small and instead choose a fabric with an alternate the stripe pattern.
9. Too many throw pillows
Some beds are covered with so many throw pillows it is difficult to find the color of the bed spread. This is definitely overkill. As a general rule of thumb there should be one throw pillow per person sleeping on the bed.
10. Fake flowers
This is a touchy item, but most decorators would agree that fake flowers and plants are a mistake. They don't add life to a room. Rather they collect dust and can end up looking bedraggled. If you can't afford to buy real flowers all the time, try using other dried natural elements like bamboo or throw some fruit in a bowl. Lemons are great for fragrance.
Some may argue that rules are made to be broken, but some rules like the ones listed above are backed by solid reasoning and should be heeded.