Common Mistakes New Homeowners Make When Decorating and Furnishing a Home: Part One.

The process of buying a home can be quite the rollercoaster. Often, after the process is over we just want to enjoy the new home and relax. But then… slowly... that overwhelming feeling starts to creep in as you realize, “ Gosh, how am I going to furnish this house?” Or, as you are unpacking your furniture in your new space you ask, “Why does my furniture look so small?” Or, “Honey, did our furniture feel this big at our last place?”🧐

So, to help you steer away from making these mistakes, we are going to look into some common mistakes, give you a few tips, and end by giving you some feedback on how our team can help you as professionals in the field. 

Today we will focus on common mistakes when it comes to sizes: 

1️⃣ Rugs - importance of the size?

2️⃣ Curtain and Rods- How high or how low? 

3️⃣ Coffee Tables and Ottomans - is it too small? 

Buying the wrong size of furniture and decor for your home.

You are walking through __________(insert your favorite home decor/furniture store) and you see the most beautiful sectional for your space; it’s the right color, and it’s the right price. You guesstimate how it will feel in your space and you GO FOR IT.  You are super excited and you patiently wait the 4-5 weeks it takes to deliver.  Then, when it arrives you are left super disappointed because that lovely piece you purchased looks way too big (or small) in your living room. 🤦🏽‍♀️

This unfortunate story, though fiction, is sadly a very real one for many friends, family and clients. It often happens with Rugs, Curtain Rods/Window Treatment, and Ottomans/Coffee Tables.

✨Rugs

When you find the one with the correct size and shape for your space, a rug can be such a 🗝 key part of decorating your room. Often, this is a very tricky one for clients, especially when you are having to juggle quality, size, design color and pattern for your space. What we have noticed is that clients usually prioritize quality and pattern/color over size. In our experience, this is a critical error. All of them are extremely important. Indeed, it’s better to err on the side of getting too big of a rug than too small.

Here is a graphic that highlights that larger rugs are ideal.

This example comes from @isabellopezquesada. Notice how Isabel utilized oversized rugs for her space. 

#Dreamyspace 🥰

✨Curtain Rods and Window Treatment

Knowing the right length and width to buy for your space is super important. Window treatments play a huge role in enhancing the beauty and warmth of a space. They can make the area feel open and big. Or, if you have a pretty large room already, they can make it feel more intimate and cozy. With this in mind, here are a few no-nos that we have seen: 

🚫 Curtains are hung just above the window frame 

🚫 There is excess fabric from the curtain that touches the floor. 

🚫 Or the opposite, Curtains are more than 1 inches above the floor. 

Here is a super helpful illustration.

Here are two stunning examples from Andrea - @lifeoncedarlane. 💕

✨Coffee Tables or Ottomans that are too small for the space.😳

This is something we see regularly in homes! Often, the proportion of the coffee table to the couch is way off making the coffee table look tiny. This throws off the balance of the room and it ends up not being a functional piece. Don't be nervous to get an oversized coffee table. You only need 14-18 inches in between the sofa and coffee table. You want to make sure it is close enough to place your drinks but far enough for you to have room to walk through. 😉

Amber from @amberinteriors beautifully demonstrated how to balance the room with the right size coffee table- We are all hearty eyes over here! 😍

Ok, so HOW can you prevent these common mistakes? 

🔅 Always Measure your space and the pieces that you are bringing in!

This is super important.  

🔅 Think about the ⅔ Rule when it comes to buying furniture or decor for your space. 

If you are buying art that will go above your couch, it should take up ⅔ of the

width of the couch. This tip will help create a more aesthetically pleasing space.

Here is a great article to help you with this! ➡️ The Golden Ratio.

 This rule honestly works well with so many aspects of your home decor. 

🔅 🔝Pin the graphics that we shared above as a reference when buying these

items. I know that having it handy will save you so much time and money in the

long run. 

How can we serve you? 

You are not alone and we are here for you. 💕

If you are still having some trouble and feel super overwhelmed by it all, please do not hesitate to reach out. This is our passion and we have accumulated great contacts and resources through the years to help you. We would love to help! And even if you bought that couch that might be too big for your space, we can combine our design brains and hopefully bring a magical solution for your space. 

What is coming up next week on the blog?

• How to arrange furniture to maximize space for your family

• How to stay within budget when decorating or furnishing your home

Until then, I hope you have a great week. Make sure you tag us if you are trying any of these tips and if you found this helpful please share with your friends and family. 

Love Always,

#inspirepartnercreate

#LoveAriaInteriors