7 Common Decorating Challenges

We often receive phone calls from homeowners who have attempted to decorate their homes but are not happy with the results. Here are the most common decorating challenges we see that homeowners often don’t overcome.

Establishing the function of the room

This might seem simple but there are people who use a dining room for an office. Determine what activities will be occurring in each room. Select furniture that will promote the function of the room.

Avoiding the “matchy-matchy” look

If you want to create an interesting room, avoid buying the all-matching bedroom or living room set. Mix things up a bit for an unexpected look. All of the tables and chairs don’t have to be identical. Mix the metals and woods in the room, too.

Ensuring the furnishings are in the right proportion and scale to the room

This is probably the most common decorating challenge we see homeowners struggle to achieve. The scale is the size of things; the proportion is how things relate to each other and the room. Today’s homes are very open and have high ceilings which homeowners love. When decorating, it’s important to think about the overall plan. Don’t just buy things without thinking about the other furnishings that will go into the room. Just as the furniture has to fit the space so do the accessories have to be in proportion to the furniture. Putting a very tall lamp on a small table can set a room off.

Identifying the focal point of the room

A fireplace or other architectural feature, piece of artwork, or scenery can all serve as quality focal points. You ‘ll be able to improve your furniture placement once you identify the center of attention. You can place the main seating furniture piece such as a couch in front of the focal point and the chairs flanking the couch. The coffee table and end tables will be easy to situate.

Overcrowding the room with too much stuff

Don’t overcrowd a room with too many accessories or too much artwork. You don’t have to fill every wall or accessorize every table. You need a place for the eye to rest.  It’s called” negative space”. Too much stuff can make a room monotonous; your goal is to keep it interesting.

Keeping the furniture away from the walls

Try moving the furniture away from the walls or “floating” the furniture as long as you will have adequate lighting. Create a conversation area by using a large area rug to unify the furnishings. Doing this creates a better traffic flow in a room.

Selecting the right paint colors

Your overall paint color scheme should flow seamlessly throughout your home. A paint color will look different on a paint chip than on your walls. First of all, the chip is ink not paint.

Get some poster board from a craft store and paint as many coats as you are using on the walls. When the paint has dried, cut the poster board into quarters. Place one piece on each wall in the room and observe how the lighting changes the color throughout the day.

Creating a beautiful room requires attention to these most common decorating challenges. If the thought of decorating your home makes you uncomfortable, we are only a phone call away. Using your desires and our vision and talents, we can transform any room in your home into a beautiful space. 

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Interiors Revitalized is a full-service home staging, model home merchandising, and interior design firm located in Jacksonville Florida.  In addition to Jacksonville, we serve the  St. Johns, St. Augustine, Orange Park, Fleming Island, and Fernandina Beach areas. Contact us today at 904.625.2214 to discuss your home staging or interior design project.  We’ll make that first offer your best offer!

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Contact us today at 904.625.2214 to realize your dream room.