Must-Know Dos and Don’ts of Home Decorating

Tired of living in the same lackluster space, but you’re not sure how to approach your interior design? Be at ease—anyone can decorate their home in a way that shows style and taste. All you need is to keep a few simple admonitions in mind about color, placement, and furniture choice. To help you get started, here are a handful of must-know dos and don’ts of home decorating.

Do Pick a Central Piece for Inspiration

Whether you’re decorating the living room, rec room, bedroom, or kitchen, it’s best to start with a nice, potentially pricy central piece and use it to inspire the look of the rest of the room. For the living room, a sofa is a good piece to start. Choose the color, style, and fabric you prefer, considering whether you’re going for a ritzy or recreational look. Then, use the couch to decide on a color scheme. Choose a paint color for the walls (a warmly colored couch might need a coolly hued paint job for a backdrop) and the style and texture of accent pieces like chairs, rugs, lamps, and so on. Purchasing a furniture set works, but don’t be afraid to mix up styles. If the furniture colors and textures complement each other, they’ll look good together. The goal should be a cohesive home aesthetic.

Don’t Overdo a Theme

Themes are fun but don’t go overboard. If you select kitchen dinette furniture with a retro look, that’s fun; however, unless you’re a historical reenactor, avoid turning the room into a 1950s Hollywood set. Likewise, draw inspiration from the arts and other places and cultures, but don’t turn your home into a museum display or exhibit. It can be a bit much or even tacky, and you will eventually tire of it. Go for subtlety when choosing kitchen sets or any other pieces and decorate accordingly.

Do Pick the Proper Sizes

Size is everything when decorating. Make sure you take proper measurements before going out and purchasing furniture. Smaller rooms look bigger and better with smaller pieces. Placing furniture slightly away from the walls can provide more visual flow and physical space, so buy furnishings that allow this. Keep this in mind with your home’s lighting as well. Tall and thin floor lamps can bring illumination while leaving floor space free. A chandelier may hang from the ceiling, but if it’s too large, it can block sightlines and leave the room looking cluttered. And speaking of clutter...

Don’t Let Clutter Take Over

When considering the must-know dos and don’ts of home decorating, always remember to keep things simple, beautiful, and neat. Crowding and clutter never look good in any part of the house. Leave room for the room to “breathe.” Consider traffic patterns and leave enough space between furniture for people to move about and even stand still without feeling contained and restrained by the pure amount of stuff present. Walls and tabletops should be kept mostly clear as well. In fact, sometimes, a good way to decorate a spot is by leaving it bare.