Last updated on September 27th, 2021
With some free time on our hands and a little bit of internet research, anything can be DIY-ed today, right from growing your own vegetable garden to decorating your home.
Which isn’t a bad thing at all, really. Except when you end up making misinformed choices, which can easily result from a not-so-thorough search. Here’s a quick guide on fixing a few common DIY décor mistakes, should you ever end up making them!
1. Buying All Your Furniture From One Place
Think about it. Why would your furniture pieces, so similar in color, texture, and style that they seem to be blending together, appear even remotely interesting to anyone with even a little bit of aesthetic sense? They wouldn’t, right? Then why buy them that way?
How about keeping your space interesting as well as aesthetically pleasant by mixing styles, textures, and proportions to create something original and unique. Something – that has a little bit of ‘you’ in it?
2. Not Being Practical
Always plan your décor based on your current lifestyle and habits and not the other way around. The operative word here is – practicality.
So, before you let yourself give in to your desire to invest in an uber-chic white couch which happens to be so much in vogue, just take a moment, and picture what the couch will have to endure in your current home scenario with two toddlers and a dog who have a weakness for dirt. How about a brown one instead?
3. Pushing The Sofa Against The Wall
Think of your living room as a space to create cozy conversation nooks. And lining your walls with your furniture pieces poses a serious problem with that. After all, you don’t want your guests having to raise their voices attempting to make small talk with each other, do you?
Make your living room an inviting space that allows for closeness and comfort. The only time when it is okay to place your couch against a wall is when you have a really tiny space to make do with. And never, otherwise!
4. Not Using Side-Tables
A large living room devoid of side tables is a very inconvenient living room! Not only are these side tables great for creating pretty little vignettes in the setting, but are also important for your guests to be able to comfortably set down a drink (or two) on. Not having them is a big mistake really, if you want to keep those drinks from spilling on your brand-new couch or carpet!
5. Using Harsh Overhead Lights
Lighting has the power to make or break the décor of a room. But more often than not, rather than treating it as an important décor element, we end up treating it as a bare necessity that needs to be taken care of. And the high-wattage overhead lights (or tube lights?) that are commonly used, are the biggest ambiance killers of all time.
It’s a good idea to layer your lighting, using a mix of different lighting solutions, like pendant lights, table lamps, and floor lamps, all in warm shades, which in themselves can act as great décor elements in the setting.
6. Choosing Paint Color First
Resist your urge to choose the paint color first!
It’s easy to decide on a paint color based on the color of the furniture and the accessories that make up a setting. But if you decide to go the other way around, and choose the paint color first, you’ll be hard-pressed to go about hunting for the right furniture, upholstery fabrics, rugs – all based on the paint color that you’ve chosen to use. Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a very good reason!
