There is no question that a home's interior design should be a matter of taste. No two people would make exactly the same choices of decorum in their home. But most people would like to have a design scheme that reflects their personality, but is still neutral enough to appeal to broad range of tastes. There is also a limit to what can be put in a home before it becomes tacky. Some design choices are simply bad ideas. This article will provide a brief overview of some dos and don'ts of interior design.
Don't: Use a Busy Paint Scheme - If you look at homes designed in the 80s and 90s, you will likely notice the tendency to use bold, dark colors, often varying the paint scheme from room to room. This trend has all but died in modern times, and for good reason. Bold walls can be overly distracting, and changing the color scheme between rooms can make for jarring transitions.
Do: Go For More Subtle Colors - A home is almost always easier on the eyes when it has a soft, comfortable color scheme. Subtle, earthy grays and beiges are very popular modern choices. Walls with subtle colors are able to fade into the background, drawing the attention to the main decorations. Unassuming, consistent colors will complement the main elements instead of taking the spotlight away from them.
Don't: Match Everything Religiously - While a good design scheme keeps a good balance of styles and colors, it does not have to stick a strict palette of materials. For example, if everything is made of fancy, finished wood, it all tends to blend together. In other words, if everything is special, nothing is. A design that is too focused can be as bad as one that is too unfocused.
Do: Use Contrast to Good Effect - Variety and consistency are two things that you have to strike a balance with. It is easy to overdo the number of styles and colors, but also, you should be willing to mix it up a little. Have a wooden bed frame? A white nightstand next to it can actually work pretty well. You can add color accents with secondary elements, such as cushions that are brighter than the rest of the couch. Just because two things are different does not necessarily mean that they are incompatible. If you find that it works, try mixing and matching furniture from different sets.
Don't: Use Carpet in the Bathroom - This is design 101. Carpet in the bathroom is widely agreed upon to be a bad idea. Anywhere there is running water, there is the chance of leaks, and that can lead to a very expensive disaster. Carpets can absorb and retain a lot of water, which can quickly lead to rot and mildew problems if you are regularly stepping on it getting out of the shower.
Do: Install Water-Resistant Bathroom Floors - There is a reason that most modern bathrooms are covered in some type of tile. Most types are naturally resistant to water, long-lasting, and simple to maintain. Each type has its advantages and drawbacks, but all of them are a better choice for a bathroom than carpet.
Don't: Use Tacky Decor - Your home should reflect your personality and history, but there comes a point where certain design trends should be left in the decade they came from. Some older items might have sentimental value, but there are some things that are just plain tacky in this day and age. I'm looking at you, lava lamp.
Do: Make it Personal - The key is balance. There is a line between tacky and personal. There may be a need for some trial and error to discover what works together and what does not. But if you have items that fall into the category of tacky that you simply cannot bear to part with, at least refrain from displaying them in a prominent position. For instance, if you have to hang that mounted trophy buck somewhere, it would be better off in your den than it would be over the dinner table.
Don't: Use a Busy Paint Scheme - If you look at homes designed in the 80s and 90s, you will likely notice the tendency to use bold, dark colors, often varying the paint scheme from room to room. This trend has all but died in modern times, and for good reason. Bold walls can be overly distracting, and changing the color scheme between rooms can make for jarring transitions.
Do: Go For More Subtle Colors - A home is almost always easier on the eyes when it has a soft, comfortable color scheme. Subtle, earthy grays and beiges are very popular modern choices. Walls with subtle colors are able to fade into the background, drawing the attention to the main decorations. Unassuming, consistent colors will complement the main elements instead of taking the spotlight away from them.
Don't: Match Everything Religiously - While a good design scheme keeps a good balance of styles and colors, it does not have to stick a strict palette of materials. For example, if everything is made of fancy, finished wood, it all tends to blend together. In other words, if everything is special, nothing is. A design that is too focused can be as bad as one that is too unfocused.
Do: Use Contrast to Good Effect - Variety and consistency are two things that you have to strike a balance with. It is easy to overdo the number of styles and colors, but also, you should be willing to mix it up a little. Have a wooden bed frame? A white nightstand next to it can actually work pretty well. You can add color accents with secondary elements, such as cushions that are brighter than the rest of the couch. Just because two things are different does not necessarily mean that they are incompatible. If you find that it works, try mixing and matching furniture from different sets.
Don't: Use Carpet in the Bathroom - This is design 101. Carpet in the bathroom is widely agreed upon to be a bad idea. Anywhere there is running water, there is the chance of leaks, and that can lead to a very expensive disaster. Carpets can absorb and retain a lot of water, which can quickly lead to rot and mildew problems if you are regularly stepping on it getting out of the shower.
Do: Install Water-Resistant Bathroom Floors - There is a reason that most modern bathrooms are covered in some type of tile. Most types are naturally resistant to water, long-lasting, and simple to maintain. Each type has its advantages and drawbacks, but all of them are a better choice for a bathroom than carpet.
Don't: Use Tacky Decor - Your home should reflect your personality and history, but there comes a point where certain design trends should be left in the decade they came from. Some older items might have sentimental value, but there are some things that are just plain tacky in this day and age. I'm looking at you, lava lamp.
Do: Make it Personal - The key is balance. There is a line between tacky and personal. There may be a need for some trial and error to discover what works together and what does not. But if you have items that fall into the category of tacky that you simply cannot bear to part with, at least refrain from displaying them in a prominent position. For instance, if you have to hang that mounted trophy buck somewhere, it would be better off in your den than it would be over the dinner table.
About the Author:
It's far simpler to design a great scheme if you have a beautiful home to begin with. And a newly-built home can be a blank slate. For new homes in Washington, be sure to stop by SeaPacHomes.com.
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