No one is exempt from making mistakes when designing a space. You are browsing through Instagram or Pinterest and you see a lovely settee. You straightaway imagine how nice it would look in your living room.
Interior Design Mistakes
No one is exempt from making mistakes when designing a space. You are browsing through Instagram or Pinterest and you see a lovely settee. You straightaway imagine how nice it would look in your living room. Or you sight a décor piece while shopping and you excitedly purchase it, eager to set it up in your walkway. Impulse buying, no? Of course, you come home with your latest acquisition only to sullenly realize it was not such a good buy after all.
Hey…if you have ever gone down this road; believe me, you are not alone as almost everyone has when it comes to designing or styling a space. From amateurs to the DIY experts and even the professionals, we all have a story or two in our archives to recount as lessons learnt from past design mistakes made.
Designing a space is no easy task. It takes profound knowledge, particular attention to detail and a very keen sense of coordination to understand how various design elements complement each other to deliver a stunning end result. Achieving these also means certain slip-ups need to be avoided. Here is a catalogue of a few common ones and ways to duck them.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- No Plan: Not having a plan before setting out on that home décor project is akin to starting off on a wrong foot. Yes, it could be hard to resist diving right away into execution without taking some time to map out a blueprint and strategy, especially when your social media timelines are bursting with design and décor ideas that you cannot wait to implement. Resist spontaneous purchases and unpremeditated actions until you work out the “whats” and the “hows” of your space. Take note of the peculiar constraints your space has. Shop around before you make a pick so as to be sure the item you are buying fits into the overall plan. Yes, there will be times when you will see what you want and know it immediately but having a guiding plan prevents you from making many bad purchasing decisions you will later regret.
- No Measurements: Scale and proportion is very important in interior design. Know your space measurements and understand how varying sizes, heights and shapes all come together to ensure a successful design. Consider the scale of your room with furnishing. Bulky furniture would make a small space very cramped. For large spaces, plan for organized sections e.g. a reading nook, TV area, and use bigger décor elements such as artworks and potted plants.
- No Paint Samples: We all know that paints certainly bring our spaces to life. However, selecting color shades and themes could be daunting and after some time, confusing with so many options to choose from. Before settling on the ones to work with, ensure you have the paint shop show you sample coats on the walls or you get them to give you some to take home so you know first-hand, the actual shades and how they blend in your home. This is because paint shades either as seen on paper or images do not necessarily translate as imagined in reality. Shades of yellow could appear as tints of lemon in certain spaces. Working with samples first before going all out helps you to mitigate this risk.
- Form over Function: Practical spaces are everything and then some more! No matter how visually appealing a space looks, if it isn’t practical, then it’s a waste of resources expended. White themes could be very alluring in the living room for example; but could be a bad choice when it’s a high traffic area, particularly by children. L-shaped settees work great in small spaces but may not look so good in bigger rooms. As you shop that furniture or décor piece, bear in mind its functionality and ensure this is well balanced against its aesthetic purpose.
- Imitation over Inspiration: Design inspirations are all around us. Discovering beautiful home designs and décor ideas can now be achieved effortlessly, especially via online platforms. However, inspirations need to be implemented with caution. And that’s why they are so named. They are merely ideas that you can adapt to your reality and not to try to reproduce entirely. Certain design concepts will only work for certain regions, Also, design preferences may mean making adjustments to accommodate same. Where necessary, use inspirations as a guide only, whilst infusing your design style and personality for a truly remarkable and unique creation perfect for only you!
Lessons Learnt!
Mistakes happen to us all. After all, they are inevitable. A lot goes into designing a visually and aesthetically pleasing, yet functional space. And a great deal of experience comes into play here as a result of lessons learnt over time. So, when next you have a design/décor activity on your hands, be sure to put these tips into practice or better still, hire a professional to work with you and help you achieve your desire, with little or no hassles! Wasn’t that what was said about two good heads being better than one?
