- Colossal couch….many people purchase a couch that is too big for their space. Use a critical eye when making this decision!
- Small area rugs….think of the purpose of the rug is to ground the furniture – so at a minimum the front legs of your furniture should all be on top of the rug. For a dining room table all 4 legs of your chairs should sit on the rug!
- Poor lighting…think in 3’s. Ambient, task and accent lighting for your room. Mood, function and harmony. Too many people use the light overhead and nothing else. Use lamps!
- Kink in the neck….so many people hang art too high! Hang your art so the mid point is at eye level. And if the people in your home are different sizes – go for the eye level of an average height. If the art is hung over a piece of furniture keep it about 8 inches above the back of the piece of furniture.
- Twins or worse, triplets! Do not buy all matching piece of a set. Perhaps two can work if they are solid in color – but bring in a pop of something else. Another color – a print on that chair! Mix and match!
- Coloring books…think about how all the colors of your room will look together. Use a foam board and pin color samples of each piece of furniture as well as the paint color – look at the board for a few days and get a feel for it with your eyes. Too many people haphazardly select furniture or paint. Take your time – connection can bring the whole room together.
- Lining the room….I thought most people stopped doing this but I saw this not long ago at a listing. The owners had a large great room and the furniture was placed back against each wall – with a huge space in the middle. This is fine for a while if you have small children and you need play space for them. But once they grow up, bring that furniture in and create conversation and warmth!
- Trendy pieces….be careful to select timeless pieces or piece that reflect your personal style. If you go trendy…well…trends come and go and you will get tired of that piece!
- Colors and contrast…back to colors. Remember how much fun coloring books were?? Play with contrasts and varying shades of the same colors.
- Lastly, collections! Small groups of collections are fine but if they take over a room – it’s simply too much.