Interior design is subjective, but there are still some rules that you should follow to make your home look its best. Here are some common interior design mistakes that you should avoid, thanks to these four interior design experts.
Jo Powell | The 3 Pea's Property Styling
Keeping Furniture To Scale
“Ensuring that furniture is in scale with the room in which it will be placed is vital to achieving a practical and aesthetically pleasing interior design. Many people choose furniture items in the store based on criteria such as colour, fabric and comfort alone, without realising or really considering how the piece will fill the space.” Find out more about The 3 Peas by following them on Facebook and Twitter.
MyDeal Pro Tip:
Don’t be afraid of an investment piece. Whether it be furniture, artwork or even upgrading your kitchen, you shouldn’t shy away from the price tag if the item is worth the money. Investing in a quality sofa lounge instead of sitting on something that feels like it’s going to break in any minute may just be worth the money. Your investment may also assist in your property’s value; such as re-doing your bathroom or kitchen. Of course, you don’t have to make every purchase an investment purchase, but you shouldn’t feel the need to go budget friendly on items that you plan on having for a while, or using every day.
John Linden | Mirror Coop
Present A Range Of Ideas
“Listen to your clients. One of the biggest issues I see with my colleagues in the interior design space is too much focus on a single design vision. Your client may not agree with your first take, so it's important to present a range of ideas. This allows you to understand your client's needs better and ultimately make the finished interior closer to what they really want.” Find out more about Mirror Coop by checking out their website.
Crystal Amesbury | Crystal Amesbury Creative
Design Your Space To Live In
“Too often I see living rooms with oversized furniture that leaves no room to actually live! If only I had a dollar for every modular sofa that was shoved into a corner with a sad coffee table hovering in front, not quite within comfortable reach. You’ll notice that most homes that make it into your favourite design magazine have a popular layout that is usually a combination of a 2.5-3 seat sofa along with individual armchairs or occasional chairs. Also, don’t forget to measure when out purchasing new furniture – there’s nothing worse than investing in an amazing piece to find you can’t fit it up the stairs, through the door or need to resort to lofting it over a balcony, never mind putting it in place and realising you have no space for anything else! As pretty as colours and materials can be, be sure that your choice answers your concerns regarding function and access, before form.” Find out more about Crystal Amesbury by following her on Facebook and Instagram.
Melissa Louis | Imperio Design
Create Fluidity
“A common mistake that I see with clients is the use of walls, represented as backbones for furniture. An impact on the environment, whether an imprint or an exclusion, lifts personality, provides concrete fulfilment, and instils a sense of effectiveness. Inner and outer harmony happen when pieces are placed in a way that reflect your identity, purpose and values.
Think about moving your furniture to create an intimate setting, that evokes comfort. By creating this setting, you start to create fluidity that allows people to move in and around the furniture. Look at it as, furniture creating small scenes together.” Find out more about Imperio Design by following them on Instagram and Facebook.
MyDeal Pro Tip:
A common mistake people often make with interior design is the size of the rug in comparison to the size of the furniture in your space. Depending where you’re placing the rug, you should make sure that the rug fits in the space. A rug that’s too small can totally throw off the proportion of the space, and a rug that’s too big can make a room look smaller than it is. Choose a rug that adds to the space, that doesn’t make it look out of place or throws the balance off. Take a leaf out of the Dude’s handbook, and find a rug that really ties the room together. Find a rug from MyDeal that the Dude would approve of.