We all want our homes to look their best – so we have a list of the Do’s and Don’ts of Interior Decorating

Don’t: Use White Decor If You Have Kids or Pets

If you have pets or children, white rugs and upholstery are just not in the cards. People love the way they look but never realize that you have to hermetically seal your household to keep them clean.

 

Do: Find Inspiration in Your Travels

 

Don’t: Forget About Seating

Today everyone likes rooms sparse, but for a living room, you need the sorts of chairs people can pull up together, so that they want to come into the room and sit down and chat. Think about pieces that can do double duty (especially for smaller spaces) like drum stools, cubes, ottomans – they can act as seating when needs or surface space, plus this is a great way to add colour and texture to the space.

Do: Use Dramatic Color in a Small Space

Color is best used in small spaces that you pass through. A dramatic color in a room where you’re going to be spending a lot of time might feel too heavy or dark, but if you use it in a foyer or pantry, it makes the whole house feel colorful. It also makes the house feel bigger, because it turns a space you might not notice into one that catches your attention. Plus if you are toying with the idea of bold colours in your home, a small room is a great place to start to see if you like it and can live with it…

Don’t: Be Afraid to Splurge on Great Pieces

Invest in one great-quality piece. It sometimes hurts in the beginning, but you end up having that piece forever, and it can really carry a room, or even an entire house.

Do: Test Paint Colors in a Big Way

When you test paint colors in a room, make big patches so that you can really see if you need to go darker or lighter, or if it is the right colour for that room depending on light and the other elements in the room like the flooring.  Paint in the store can look completely different in your home and can look completely different room to room.  Also take a look at the paint at different times of the day.

Don’t: Ignore Architectural Details

Respect the architecture of a space. That’s not to say you can’t be surprising — I might use period furniture in a modern room, but I’ll make sure the lines and silhouettes are appropriate. The whole room has to hang together.

Do: Trust Your Instincts

‘Be true to yourself, and trust your instincts.’ We all have different points of view — that’s what makes each of us special — and our rooms should be a reflection of that. But if something looks off, it probably is.  We all have a natural inclination towards symmetry and balance

Don’t: Make a Room Too Formulaic

Start a room with a classic furniture layout that’s functional, then add in funky pieces to loosen it up, relax it, and keep it from feeling too formulaic. With the trend continuing toward open concept living in small spaces but with functional floor plans, it is important to have a cohesive look but add unexpected elements to make it fun and not formal.

Do: Draw the Eye With an Interesting Piece

A photographer I worked with taught me the importance of the axial view. When you’re looking down a corridor, you want a wonderful object at the end of it to draw you forward — a sculpture, a chandelier, anything to define the space and pull you in.

But what is always a do…DO incorporate the pieces you love and DON’T worry if they are ‘in style’ or ‘trending’ …always DO follow your decorating instinct!