Home Décor 101: Four Common Mistakes People Make When They Decorate Their Home



Proper home décor isn't something you can learn overnight.  Some people have a natural flare for arranging furniture and figuring out which shades of colors go well together, but others have more of a difficult time decorating their homes.  Home décor isn't simple, and sometimes it can take a series of trial and error to figure out what works best for your home.  Everybody has their own unique home décor tastes, but there are some mistakes people tend to make when they're trying to redecorate their home.

Mistake #1: Letting one décor item dominate the entire décor scheme

Nearly every interior designer will tell you that you should have a main décor piece in your room to tie together your theme, but it is possible to have a main décor piece that distracts attention away from everything else.  If you want to avoid having once décor item dominate the entire décor theme, try to purchase items that go with the general color scheme in a room.  You can also avoid getting a décor piece that's very large, something medium sized like a painting or a few throw rugs can be enough.

Mistake #2: Making everything match

If you're going for a theme there are bound to be some things that will be the same color or have the same pattern, but if you make everything match you won't have the new décor look you were hoping for.  Rooms that are decorating with a single color don't look appealing and can give the room too much of a sterile look.  Try to find at least a few décor items that don't have the same look as everything else in the room.  A bold colored vase or a patterned throw rug can be all you need to keep your room from looking monochromatic.

Mistake #3: Awkward furniture arrangement

Furniture placement doesn't just change the look and feel of your home, it also helps direct foot traffic and helps your room flow.  Placing your couch at an angle may give your room a new look, but it could also block a walking path or make your room look a little awkward.  Before you move furniture into a room, consider how you can maximize the space in a room and create an open feeling. 

Mistake #4: Following décor fads

In the 1970s home owners across the country raced to put down shag carpeting and paint their walls brown and orange; and in the 1980s those same home owners put a lot of time and money into interior decorating projects.  Instead of looking for what's popular in home décor now, go for classic elements instead of new ones.  There's nothing wrong with wanting to try out a popular new paint color or getting a new carpet style, but if you transform your entire home to look like a hot new style you could regret it in a few years.