Lifestyles by Estelia … 5 Decorating Mistakes

As a realtor I spend plenty of time in other people’s homes. I’ve witnessed a variety of styles, colors, and fabrics. I’ve seen the beautiful, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Here’s a list of five commonly made mistakes. If you’re guilty of any of these perhaps now is the time to make a few changes. Happy Decorating!

Decorating Faux Pas #1:  Fake Greenery

Some is good, too much is bad, and the style of faux greenery you are using makes a difference as well. The style of faux greenery has changed in the past few years. Large ficus and palm trees need to go, especially when they cover up windows that look out to live evergreens.  Move fake plants to lesser rooms in your home like the basement rec room or a screened in porch. Remember, there is a place for greenery, but it has to be done right.

Decorating Faux Pas #2: Visual Clutter

If there is one thing that really puts a damper on a beautiful room, it’s clutter.  It’s the stuff that should just be put away, like magazines, books, projects and shoes.  If you want these items in the room, create a storage piece for them. Visual clutter can also be just having too many accessories that bog a room down.  For instance, sometimes there is just too much going on at a coffee table.  Generally, if you can’t see the table…you have too many things on it.

Decorating Faux Pas #3: Too Many Pillows

This mistake fits in with the clutter. A good rule of thumb is to remove the pillows that MATCH the sofa or sectional because they do nothing for the look and add decorative pillows that express and support your design style. The same rule applies to bedrooms.

Decorating Faux Pas # 4: Size of your Area Rugs

Area rugs that aren’t positioned correctly can be dangerous and cause trips and falls.  The rug should either be within the limits of the sectional or seating arrangement or large enough to go passed the traffic pattern. This is a decorating and safety consideration.

Decorating Faux Pas #5: Plastic Cover on a Lamp Shade

Never, ever leave the plastic cover on a lamp shade.  First, it looks terrible. You might think it’s keeping the shade clean, but it is actually creating a fire hazard.  Think about how hot a light bulb is going to get and whether you would really want to put all that plastic that close to the light bulb.  The answer is NO.  Cut it off with scissors before you ever turn the light on.

Related Reading:

• Declutter Your Life: Reduce Stress, Increase Productivity, and Enjoy Your Clutter-Free Life, by Michelle Stewart
• Clutter Busting Your Life: Clearing Physical and Emotional Clutter to Reconnect with Yourself and Others, by Brooks Palmer