5 Interior Design Mistakes to Avoid

Decorating a room isn't easy. Everyone's walked into a room that just didn't feel right. Conversely, you've probably walked into a room and admired the décor without entirely understanding why it works so well. Room décor must have harmony. Avoid the interior designing pitfalls that lead to décor that clashes rather than complements.

Buying Wrong-Sized Furniture

As Oprah Magazine points out, it's all about scale and proportion. It's essential to buy furniture that fits the scale of your room. Too-small furniture can get lost, while oversized furniture can overpower the room. Additionally, it's important that the furniture pieces match each other in proportion. Varying height can be pleasing, but too much variance looks discordant.

Choosing Inadequate Lighting

Another common mistake is ignoring the importance of lighting. Every room should be lit in layers. It's fine to have a central light fixture, but it shouldn't be your only light source. Instead, light task areas with track or wall lighting. Additionally, consider highlighting interesting architectural features in your room. Finally, install ambient lighting. This can come in the form of lamps, recessed lights, or even electric candles.

Creating Photo Jumbles

Naturally, if you've taken the time to shoot and print photos, you want to display them. However, creating photo jumbles – clusters of pictures on tables and shelves – makes them inaccessible. Instead, create a photo gallery. Choose your best photos, and have them all printed at the same size. Matt and frame them the same way, and hang them up on a blank wall in the manner of an art gallery. You can have many photos done this way and simply switch them out periodically. It's possible to still have a few framed photos on tables or shelves, but they must be limited in quantity.

Being Careless with Theme

A common piece of advice for decorating a room is choosing a theme first. However, it's possible to overdo the theme. You don't want your room to feel like a set design. Instead, put your own stamp on the theme. For instance, if you're doing a tropical theme in a bedroom, consider using tropical prints in neutral colors to avoid overpowering your décor. Likewise, further personalize the theme with your own mementos, regardless of whether they fit in with the theme.

Playing Too Safe

On the flip side, don't be afraid to make bold choices. Go ahead and choose a bold theme such as safari and decorate to that style. Just start small. You could update a neutral room with a faux zebra skin rug and a couple African-themed décor pieces. As you feel more comfortable with your bold choices, up the ante by maybe painting a wall red or installing a large piece of artwork.