Thursday 10 December 2015

The most common home decorating mistakes revealed



For the inexperienced, decorating a home can feel like an overwhelming task. Before you begin, take note of what not do to when styling your new home.



1. Over-cluttering the bedroom
The bedroom should be a restful, uncluttered space - a sanctuary from daily life and a peaceful place to start and finish the day.
The colours and textures used in a bedroom should also reflect those moods and not be too loud and overbearing, says Natalie James, interior stylist at The Stylesmiths.



2. Choosing monotonous flooring
Many people are told that there should be a single flooring solution in a room to make the space seem cohesive and bigger.
This comes at great expense to the homeowner, and can actually work against the design intent by creating a vacuous space. It often also means that good quality flooring, such as original floorboards, are hidden under cheaper flooring options like laminate or carpet, says Rohan Little, Principal of Oxide Design.



3. Placing carpet on carpet
High up on Julia Green's list of decorating mistakes is placing thick rugs on thick carpet. It's counterproductive, a tripping hazard and looks ridiculous, says Julia Green of Greenhouse Interiors.



4. Selecting an overly dark palette
Dark, bold or strong colour schemes can often make spaces appear smaller.
My advice is keep things bright and clean and integrate those eclectic items you like in small doses; that way they can be seen and shown off, says Georgia Ezra of G.A.B.B.E Interior Design.



5. Pushing furniture against the walls
Contrary to popular practice, bringing furniture in from the walls creates intimacy and balance. Never push furniture right up against the walls, particularly in small spaces, says Bec Astrinakis of Nathan + Jac.



6. Placing carpet on carpet
High up on Julia Green's list of decorating mistakes is placing thick rugs on thick carpet. It's counterproductive, a tripping hazard and looks ridiculous, says Julia Green of Greenhouse Interiors.



7. Placing gloss on gloss
When thinking about kitchen finishes, gloss finishes should not be used on every surface but rather as highlights. Gloss on gloss on gloss tends to look a bit tacky, says Fei Chau, Associate at ClarkeHopkinsClarke.



8.Not going the extra mile
Adding a final layer of decoration gives your room personality.
The key is mixing like' items together from various sources to avoid the showroom look. Mix decor according to materialor arrange by colour or theme, says Lauren Macer of Sisalla Interior Design.



9.Not choosing a theme
Successful interior decorating and styling has a strong sense of purpose and continuity that brings a space together.
The most common decorating mistake people can make starts with not having a sense of the story or theme the decorating will follow, says Nicholas Travers, Director at Techne Architecture + Interior Design.



10.Hanging art too high
Homeowners should arrange art at eye level to attract the most attention.
The average eye level is 150 centimetres from the ground up and this is where you should be centring your artwork on your walls. You don't want to strain your neck to see your beautiful artwork, says interior stylist,Emma Blomfield.
Always hang the middle of the art at eye level. Or, for a modern take, lean your artwork instead of hanging it, says Bec Astrinakis of Nathan + Jac.



11 Going overboard on the trends
Your scheme will generally work better by choosing only a select few on trend' pieces. Think about walking off the runway in full Gucci; it looks amazing on the catwalk but not so great in real life, says Fei Chau, Associate atClarkeHopkinsClarke.



12.Pancake flat cushions
Invest in feather inserts for your scatter cushions.
Polyester-filled inserts will flatten down within moments of stuffing your new cushion covers, plus they aren't comfy to snuggle into. Feather inserts make your cushions look better and mould to your body, says interior stylist, Emma Blomfield.


13.Not being clever with colour
Rooms with strict colour schemes run the risk of looking predictable and unimaginative. Stick to a colour story but add depth and visual interest by working with a mix of lighter and darker shades in your chosen colours, says Jessica Bellef of Temple & Webster.



14. Selecting disproportionate furnishings
Achieving the right proportions to a room is vital, but can be very tricky business. You can achieve the right proportion with layers - furniture and accessories of varying heights and sizes, the placement of artwork, layering soft furnishings, throws and animal skins, says Bec Astrinakis of Nathan + Jac.



Reproduced with permission from Century 21 Life @ Homehttp://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/

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