Designing your interior should be fun. But when you hear statements like: never combine gold and silver; don't stuff your room with too many wacky lamps; I really like this piece but it doesn't match my brass coffee table; I'd love to buy this sofa but then I would have to repaint the walls… all these rules of decorating can take away all the fun and excitement from the very beginning. You'll agree that a lot of these rules are bogus and perhaps only invented by this or that furniture company to boost their sales. It was high time we started ignoring some of these décor “rules”.
It's a (colour) match
Who came up with this rule anyway? We're guessing the dainty ladies from the 50s' TV shows. Clutch and shoes colour mismatch? No way. True, symmetry and smart colour-calibration can be appealing to the eye, but they can also be very boring. This is one of the rules of decorating which certainly doesn't draw its inspiration from nature. If you look around your small balcony oasis and further down the nearby park, you'll notice all the shades of green, red, pink and yellow. This also goes for combining different patterns. If you love your quirky wallpapered accent wall and you can never get enough of printed throw pillows, it should never be a question of either/or. One way you can disentangle this dilemma is by following one common thread. For example, all the printed patterns in your room should be geometric and linear. This will give your space a clean contemporary chic vibe, and you can reduce the sterile feel by throwing in unexpected colours like orange and cobalt blue, or shake up things a little with the exotic lines of African patterns. Also, you can add some cool/warm colours contrast. Another rule to break: don't use dark colours. It's such a pity to ignore all the lovely teals and greys. Spin that colour wheel! Push the envelope of the rules of decorating.
Even lighting
This rule urges you to stay consistent with your lighting design. So, no wrought-iron chandeliers mixed with madly-colour-splashed lampshades, and no antique kitchen pendants next to design-statement strip lights above the bar. Nonsense. The only rule you should be following is the one that will satisfy the needs of the room. Functionality always comes first. If the room is smaller, go for brighter lights to make it seem bigger. Have multiple light sources which don't have to be of the same style and tone. For example, in the kitchen you'll need to create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere with mood and ambient lights. But you should also add some task lights and pendant fixtures to illuminate the work and dining area. To achieve this, it's best to opt for brighter and durable LED lights of all styles and functional designs, like those offered by Superlight. LED lighting solutions can also fit perfectly into your garden. Linear lights along the patio or in the terrace corners, together with gossamer lanterns, will add a real “Welcome!” tag to your home.
Stick to one style
A lot of us have raided thrift shops and online stores trying to find a matching piece of furniture. Colour, fabric, style, texture, finish, scale… However, quests like these are usually doomed from the very start. Another one of the rules of decorating you should start ignoring right now is trying to match your home's interior decoration with its architecture . There are so many great brands and styles, that it is difficult and unfair to choose only one. If your home is one of those charming older buildings, it certainly doesn't mean that you cannot install some industrial and eye-catching contemporary furnishings. This goes for the inside of the apartment as well. That rustic wooden table can be matched with geometric and eccentric pieces of furniture, like a yellow ceramic barrel stool, or gleaming chrome seating. You'll agree that interior decorations that look good on a glossy magazine page can, in reality, feel sterile and unwelcoming. So, combine styles as you please, but make sure that you balance them well. Too much of anything can also be a bad thing. The goal is to achieve a homey, organic atmosphere.
Bo Kauffmann is a residential real estate agent with over 18 yrs experience in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals. Inducted into the REMAX Hall of Fame in 2010 and receiving the REMAX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Bo has sold over 500 houses and condos in the Greater Winnipeg market. He is an accredited buyer representative (A.B.R.) and a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.
Bo provides exceptional service to First-Time Home-Buyers, Seniors looking to downsize and Home Sellers of all ages.
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Designing your interior should be fun. But when you hear statements like: never combine gold and silver; don't stuff your room with too many wacky lamps; I really like this piece but it doesn't match my brass coffee table; I'd love to buy this sofa but then I would have to repaint the walls… all these rules of decorating can take away all the fun and excitement from the very beginning. You'll agree that a lot of these rules are bogus and perhaps only invented by this or that furniture company to boost their sales. It was high time we started ignoring some of these décor “rules”.
It's a (colour) match
It's a (colour) match
Stick to one style
