5 Common Home Interior Design Mistakes to Avoid

The thought of designing and building your house from the ground up or giving your current home a complete facelift can be exciting. You can choose colors and styles that align with your preferences and take ownership of every decision. However, it might not be long until you realize interior design can be complex, with many elements needing to work together in harmony. By being aware of the most common mistakes to avoid, you might be better placed to create a home you adore every inch of.

 

Not Hiring Interior Design Experts

You might think that home interior design is something you can manage on your own when building a new home because you know what colors you like. However, there can be much more to the process than colors alone.

While home interior design experts can assist with materials and colors that work in harmony, they can also manage all interior aesthetics of your home project while considering building code compliance and ensuring the safe and appropriate use of particular materials. The form and function of your interior space are their priority, and these might not be things you consider when trying to manage it yourself.

 

 

Not Making Lighting Your Priority

You might choose the most beautiful colors and materials for your living room or kitchen, but that doesn’t mean you’ve selected the most appropriate lighting for the space. There’s a fine line between too bright and too dim, and there’s always a risk of lighting being too harsh. Warmer lighting often works better with earthy colors, while whiter lights pair beautifully with metallic and bold materials.

Avoiding Color

Minimalism is one of the top decorating ideas for any contemporary home, but it’s important not to forget the value color can hold in any space. While you can undoubtedly make white, beige, and other neutral hues predominant throughout your house, consider including splashes of color through feature walls, artwork, and soft furnishings. You might be surprised at how much warmth a small amount of color can inject into any space.

Not Researching Art Placement

When you know that artwork can add much-needed warmth to a neutral space, you might be eager to install beautiful art pieces throughout your home. There’s certainly value in doing this, but make sure you’ve considered placement.

As a rule, your eye height should be aligned with the top third of your art. Consideration should also be given to its proximity to furniture. For example, if you’re hanging a painting above a sofa, start placement at 8 to 10 inches above the back to avoid bumping it when you sit down. There should also be an even amount of space from top to bottom.

 

 

Not Testing Paint Colors

Testing paint colors might seem unnecessary when you’ve picked a color you adore from a swatch. However, liking a color doesn’t mean it will suit your home. Purchase sample pots of colors you like and paint squares on the walls of different rooms. View the paint at various times of the day and night to ensure it suits the space no matter the lighting conditions. You might be surprised at how dramatically different a color can look on a wall compared to a color swatch.

As confident as you might be in your abilities to style your home exactly how you want it, that doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes. Consider these points above, and you might be well on your way to designing the home of your dreams.