If you have just moved house or are looking to redecorate your home, you may be looking for some tips on how to do so. Can it really be that difficult when you can just go to a furniture store or showroom and pick out something that pleases your eye? The answer is: yes! Interior design is not as simple as picking out what you like – if it does not fit with the color, size, lighting and scale of your room, it can end up interfering with the look you are going for. In this article, we explain the common interior design mistakes people make and how to avoid them.
Neglecting to Consider Scale
Chances are, you aren’t a professional interior designer. That doesn’t mean you can’t do any redecorating of your own, however it does mean you have to be extra conscientious of scale when shopping. “Scale” in interior design simply means that everything in a room should be of varying heights and sizes, including furniture, windows and art placements. If you put too many small things in a room, it can end up looking cluttered and if there are too many bulky things, your space ends up looking smaller than it really is! Before making a new purchase, consider if it adds to the scale of your space.
Ensure Each Room has a Focal Point
Something so obvious we don’t even notice it in daily life, focal points assign each room with a function and gives the eye somewhere to land on. Take the most obvious example: in a living room, the focal point is the TV and the wall or table it is mounted on, will all other furnishings positioned to fit around it. Couches and armchairs, coffee tables, shelves – everything is arranged to center around the TV.
With other rooms, it can take a little work to discern a suitable focal point. In the dining room, this is usually the dining table and chairs, whereas in more versatile spaces like a basement game room, it would depend on what furnishings are installed in there. The focal point can be a pool table or fireplace, for instance.
Purchase Textiles and Fabrics Before Painting
A common mistake people make is to paint their walls before purchasing or even deciding on the textile or fabric that goes in the room! You may envision the perfect textile or fabric in your mind, but when it comes to shopping, the reality is not that simple. It is much easier to first pick out a textile you love then decide on a paint color to match, than painting the walls and hoping to find the textile of your dreams that just happens to match your walls!
If you have already know what material you would like to use for your surfaces or would like a recommendation, please do not hesitate to contact us at Materials Inc. As a leading provider of a wide range of materials for wall surfaces, veneers and flooring, no project is too big or small for us. We have handled numerous corporate and residential interior design projects with great success, and we strive to deliver the best possible customer experience for you.