Welcome to All in the Detail... I am so
glad you are here!
I am
always being asked, “What should I do in my __________” (fill in the blank).
Well, that’s really not a fair question because there are so many option variables,
plus personal tastes and space and, and, and… (too much to list here) But, I do
have a little bit of help for “What shouldn’t I do in my _______” (fill in the
blank).
Here is a
list of my five top interior decorating mistakes you shouldn’t make:
Don’t forget about space and scale.
Don’t
shop for things you love (or saw elsewhere) without thinking of the size of
your room — and how they’ll all fit together. Some people put too many small
things in a room, thereby cluttering the room and not giving the eye a place to
land. Others put too many large, bulky items in one room, making it look
stuffed and small.
Remember,
your furniture will look different at home — where size, color, and other items
matter — than it will in a big showroom.
The
secret to proper scale is a mixture of different shapes, sizes, and heights.
One
trick: when buying your furniture, tape out the size of the pieces on your room’s
floor so you can see how the pieces fit in your room, the traffic flow, etc.
You’ll be glad you did.
Don’t paint first.
Pick
out the rooms fabrics and main textiles, such as rugs and curtains, before you
worry about paint color. After all, it’s much easier to find a paint color to
match a fabric that you love than limit your fabric choices on the front end. (Paint
stores have any actual computer program that will match any item’s color
exactly, it is awesome!)
That’s
especially important in bedrooms. Customers go into the paint store looking for
a new room color and they either haven’t picked out the bedding yet, or they don’t
take a piece of the bedding with them. Buy your bedding first, then take in a
pillow sham so you can work with a salesperson to select a paint from the
thousands of colors available.
Don’t skimp on the lighting.
Lighting
is a necessary design element for any space, yet people overlook it. How much
lighting do you want from your fixtures (overhead or task)? How about lamps (on
tables and countertops)? The answers will change the way everything else looks
and feels.
Don’t skip the paint samples.
Color
swatches are great, but sometimes they aren’t enough. I know! So, buy a sample
pint and paint part of a wall so you can actually live with the color for a
couple of days before ordering your gallonage. See how the paint looks with
your lighting, furniture, carpet, etc. Check on it throughout the day and see
how the lighting effects the shade on the wall. Don’t be one of those people
who choose not to sample their color and are disappointed when it gets on the
wall.
Don’t do it alone.
Depending
on the scope of your decorating/design project call in the professionals.
Interior designers are available to help you pick out a paint color to
overseeing your remodeling project from start to finish. We love talking about
design, and we’re always happy to help.
Looking for a little bit more guidance?
Check out these past blog posts.
Click here -ten top designers Number One Paint Color Mistake.
and
