Decorating your home will always be a personal matter, where individual taste and desires will undoubtedly prevail. However, interior designers, with their authoritative voices, have much to say, especially about the most common mistakes they see their clients make when decorating their homes . From https://www.elledecor.com/es/, they shared some of the most prominent ones, after consulting experts in the field. We've included five of these for the readers of El Inmobiliario :
Rugs too small
"One of the most frequent mistakes I see is rugs that are too small for the room," explains designer Gideon Mendelson.
“Rugs should frame the furniture, not just float in the middle of the room or be placed solely under the coffee table,” adds designer Meghan Jay. “Although it may sound contradictory, a large rug makes a space seem larger… and more inviting! ” Professional Gillian Segal agrees: if you’re unsure about the size, it’s best to opt for a larger one, as it helps to visually balance the space.
Light bulbs of different temperatures
Lighting is always a hot topic, especially now with the whole Generation Z debate about "ceiling lights." But it's not just about where you place the light, but also about the color temperature of the bulbs.
“It’s a small detail, but many customers have light bulbs with different color temperatures,” says Jay. “It’s quite jarring to walk into a room where one lamp emits cool light and the others warm.” His advice: choose bulbs with the same Kelvin rating (you can check it on the packaging), play with the intensity, and, if possible, install dimmer switches to control the ambiance.
A room without accessories
Yes, large pieces like sofas or beds are essential, but that doesn't mean the small details aren't important for achieving a beautiful and complete decor. Jay points out that many homes fall short due to the lack of that final layer of accessories: vases, lamps, paintings, personal items… everything that adds character.
"I understand that buying accessories—especially art—can seem unnecessary or intimidating, but they make all the difference in how a space is perceived ," she says.
Misperception of the scale
Almost all designers agree that many people don't know how to properly calculate the proportions of a room. As a result, they end up choosing furniture that is either too big or too small . "Scale is tricky," Jay acknowledges.
John Stivale (of Stivale Graffam Home) and Gideon Mendelson point out that large furniture pieces are the most susceptible to this problem. "Most people tend to overload their space with too much furniture, which makes it feel cramped and unbalanced," says Mendelson. His recommendation: combine heavier pieces with lighter ones to achieve a harmonious visual contrast .
Jerel Lake also points out that scale matters in small details, such as cabinet handles . “Instead of using the same ones on every drawer and door, play with different proportions,” she says. A small handle on a large door looks out of proportion and can make the whole thing appear flat.
Poorly applied paint
Painting walls is one of those tasks many people think they can do themselves… but should they? Dan Mazzarini of BHDM Design thinks not: “When painting, execution is just as important as the idea. If you’re not good, hire someone who is!” He adds, “ No matter how beautiful or creative your mural or accent wall is, there’s nothing worse than poorly finished edges .”
Choosing furniture sets
There's a reason people keep buying furniture sets: they eliminate the creative part of the decorating process. When you buy something you know matches, you don't have to put in the effort to coordinate it . However, Segal argues that this is one of the biggest design mistakes you can make. " Variety is the spice of life, and a room doesn't feel warm when everything looks like it came from the same catalog ," she says. Finding individual pieces that work well together—even if they're not a perfect match—is what gives a home character.
Source: https://www.elledecor.com/es/
