Five interior design faux pas to avoid

For many of us, our furniture and decor consist of a hotchpotch of inherited, found or rashly purchased sale items that neither go well together nor reflect the vision we have for our finished home. So how do you decide what to do and what not to do when decorating?

First, a couple of dos. Look at the house as a whole; the space will dictate a lot. Next, think of one word to describe the feeling you want to evoke in each room (for example, bedroom: relaxation, kitchen: energy, study: creativity) and concentrate your decorating efforts on achieving those feelings. Then, to stay on track, avoid the following five decorating missteps.

1. Matchy-matchy

Try to avoid buying furniture or decor that is all one colour or pattern. Instead, use contrasting shades and tones to help break up space especially in accessories such as cushions and artwork.

 2. The impersonal catalogue house

We’ve all done it — fallen in love with a page from a magazine and decided it perfectly represents the home of our dreams. The problem is, what looks good on paper doesn’t always translate well, or practically, to real life. There’s nothing wrong with taking a few key ideas or pieces directly from the page of a catalogue or magazine, but remember this is your home — not a showroom.

3. Clutter

If you just have to display your collection of tchotchkes, then cull them and keep them contained — a glass-topped coffee table is one way to show off precious pieces, as are picture boxes and glass-fronted cabinets.

4. Expensive on-trend pieces

They may be passé before you know it. Instead, invest in more classic pieces. Anything mid-century–modern always carries some cachet, and it melds well with more up-to-the-minute trends and pieces. Victorian-era furniture or faux French provincial styles, however, don’t necessarily play as well with others. By all means, buy them if you love them, but when you’re looking at investment pieces or potential heirlooms, your money may be better spent elsewhere.

5. Expert opinions

Yes, it’s great to get some gentle guidance if you’re at sea with interior design, but don’t let someone else’s vision for your home shut out your identity and tastes. If you do use a professional, make sure you’re clear about what you want from your space and have a good idea about colours or items you definitely want (or don’t want).

When designing your home, what it all comes down to is this: don’t be afraid to be yourself.