Decorating “No No’s”, What NOT to Do

Bedroom_red_350 When it comes to searching for knowledge, some people leave no stone unturned. They are not only interested in learning what they need to do; they are equally interested in learning what they should avoid – what not to do.

The field of home interior designing and decorating is no exception; so are there specific things you need to know that you should definitely not do when renovating your home?

Interior design is a bit unique when it comes to specific “don’ts” in that a good design is one that matches your own personality and individual tastes; so one would assume that anything goes.

Generally speaking this is true, however it is difficult to imagine how one room decorated with a Victorian motif followed by another room with an ultra modern motif and yet another room with a country décor might be attractive to anyone but the homeowner! Unless you’re really adept at mixing decorating styles, it’s best to be consistent throughout your entire home.

However, there are a few things that do qualify as true decorating “No No’s.” The first is simple. Don’t follow someone else’s design plan unless you truly like it. For those who hire professional designers this is almost never a problem as it is the designer’s job to help you identity and express yourself through your decorating scheme.

But some homeowner’s get help from friends or relatives with extensive design and decorating expertise and end up with a décor that suits the friend or the relative, not them. Don’t follow other people’s choices; make your own design and decorating decisions. An exception here might be when you are decorating to get your home ready for resale. If your home is filled with bold and daring colors and you’re Real Estate Agent advises you to invest in some neutral paint, it might be a good idea to follow their advice.

The second “No No” that really does touch on something to avoid has to do with decisions about paint. First, don’t get yourself into a decorating box by selecting your paint colors first. There are an endless variety of paint colors and hues to match major decorating components, like furniture, rugs, and fabric accent pieces. It’s easier to pick up the colors from an oriental rug you’ve fallen in love with and find a complementary paint shade than it is to go off in search of an oriental to complement the color of paint you’ve already put on the walls.

As a corollary, don’t pick paint colors based solely on those little paint samples you get from your local paint store or home improvement center. These are meant to narrow down your choices but many homeowners have experienced shock when the color is actually applied to an entire wall. Convinced there has been a mistake in the mixing of the paint, they frantically hold the sample card against the now painted wall only to find they match perfectly. Paint just looks different when applied to a larger surface in different lighting conditions. Do yourself a favor and buy a quart of paint in the shade you’ve selected and apply it to the wall to see what it will actually look like in your home before you commit to that color for the entire room.