No Bohemian Room is Complete Without These 6 Elements

The antiqued gold pagoda mirror frame, patterned wallpaper, and warm colors all lend themselves to Bohemian style.

The French word bohémien originally referred to migrants from Bohemia, a region in the Czech Republic. Nowadays, we might call someone who is nonconformist, artistic, and well-traveled a bohemian. Bohemian interior design style is as free-spirited and unconventional as the people who inspired it.

Those who love Bohemian (“Boho” for short) style are drawn to it because it is colorful, approachable, carefree, and cozy. This is not a style for minimalists or people who don’t like color. If you’ve always wanted to try decorating your Dallas home in a Bohemian style, make sure to include the following elements.

1. Bold Patterns and Colors

When you study Bohemian rooms, you’ll notice that they often combine a neutral base color with jewel tones, earth tones, and metallic accents. The brightest colors can be anything from emerald green to mustard yellow and royal purple. Bright colors have been becoming more popular this year, making Bohemian a very current look too.

We filled this downtown Dallas high-rise with bold colors and multicultural art, especially African and Indian art.

For a truly Bohemian look, you’ll want some patterns too, especially patterned rugs. Any patterns you choose should fit into your overall color scheme, but don’t worry about mixing different regional styles. This is your opportunity to combine ikats, suzanis, and shiboris with Moroccan, Mexican and Persian patterns. You can even try hanging a tapestry or rug on the wall instead of art.

2. Low-Seated, Comfortable Furniture

Low seating is ideal for Bohemian rooms because it promotes an air of relaxation. As you furniture shop, look for floor pillows, poufs, ottomans, low-backed sofas, and low coffee tables that invite visitors to settle down and unwind.

This north Dallas bedroom combines many different kinds of patterns in the same basic colors (blue and white).

Bohemian style is all about mismatched items that tell a story. This is definitely not the place for all-matching sets of furniture straight from the showroom! Pieces that are distressed and have history to them are ideal.

Although this guest bedroom is not colorful, the patterns on the bedding and curtains help to give it a Boho feel.

3. Touchable Textures

There is no such thing as “too much texture” in a Boho room. Unsurprisingly, organic materials, like rattan, stone, leather, and wood are especially prevalent here. Try to balance soft fabrics (like velvet) with smooth metals and rough textures (like distressed wood furniture and unglazed pottery).

Of course, not everything in your room has to look worn and casual. A touch of glamor is not unwelcome in a Bohemian space, so look into adding an ornate sunburst mirror or a beautiful chandelier.

4. Plants

Plants are another key fixture of Boho style. They can be live or faux, tall or short. Cacti, monsteras, and tropical plants are always at home in this setting, but really, almost any green plant will add some color and life to the room.

5. Ambient Lighting

Since Bohemian is a “light and bright” style, your room should be well-lit at all hours of the day. Layer a mix of different light sources, such as pendant lights, floor lamps, lanterns, and candles to create an ambient glow that is not too harsh.

6. Multicultural Art and Accessories

Boho is an eclectic, well-traveled look where a variety of items create one storied space. Multicultural art is perhaps the most important feature of this style. Don’t travel often? Visit your local antique store to find interesting pieces from around the world. An interior designer can also be a great resource for helping you find the perfect antiques and art.

If you’re designing your living room in Bohemian style, putting a tall potted plant in the corner is a good idea.

If you like Bohemian but want your own home to look more restrained, it is perfectly fine to just include a few artsy and colorful accents into an otherwise orderly space. Even if you’re going for a very exuberant Boho home, your bedroom should be more pared-down to create a sense of calm.

Here you can see a Bohemian guest bedroom from an Oak Cliff project that was decorated in a distinct African theme.

Although there are no hard and fast rules in Bohemian style, there are certain things that really capture its relaxed, free-spirited atmosphere. By breaking down Bohemian into its basic elements, I hope I’ve helped demystify this style so that you can design with a clear vision in mind.

And of course, if you could use some help sourcing antiques, art, and fabrics for your Bohemian space, working with an interior designer can save you a lot of time and trouble. To schedule a free consultation with us, call our Dallas office at 214-651-7665 or send an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Decorating with Bold Colors: Tips for the Color-Shy

• Choosing the Perfect Patterns

• Why Your Rug Might Be the Most Important Decorating Choice You Make

Design a Balcony, Patio, or Porch that You’ll Love to Use

We decorated this front porch on a Dallas home with faux bois benches by Currey & Company.

Balconies, porches, and patios are enviable design features for a home. But designing an outdoor space comes with its own challenges. You'll need to ask yourself: do you want to design around a view? Create privacy? How will you provide shelter from the elements?

Balconies, especially, are often small. Some people just put out lawn chairs and aren’t sure what else to include. If your Dallas home has an outdoor space that’s a little underutilized, here are some ideas on how to get the most out of it.

General Outdoor Space Guidelines:

A good first step to designing an outdoor space is to research outdoor-friendly furniture materials. Wrought iron, teak, and resin wicker are all common in outdoor decorating. You should also look for cushions that dry quickly and can stand up to the sun's rays.

A lantern chandelier helps to illuminate this outdoor area we designed for a University Park chateau.

Lighting is very important for these spaces, especially if you like to enjoy your balcony, patio or porch as the sun is setting or in the evenings. Look into pendants, sconces, string lights, or lanterns, and remember that bulbs with a warm color are preferable here to bright white.

An easy way to add color to outdoor spaces is to decorate with vases, potted plants, and pillows. Don’t forget to dress up the floor too. A patterned area rug adds comfort underfoot, but graphic floor tiles can introduce a lot of flair too. If privacy is a concern, you may need to add a screen lattice with climbing plants, a tall potted plant, or a shrub.

Tips for Balconies:

Space is premium on balconies, so think about how you’ll be using yours and plan accordingly. If you like to eat dinner out on the balcony, then obviously you’ll need a table; if you’re only going to be reading or enjoying an occasional cocktail, you can get away with just a comfortable chair and a small ottoman or drink table.

Take the opportunity to install built-in seating if your balcony is still under construction. This way, you won’t have to worry about furniture being knocked over by the wind.

Tips for Porches and Patios:

The brown-and-white-striped cushions seen here complement the earth tones in the stone exterior of the house.

As with balconies, consider how you’ve used your porch or patio so far. This is especially important for front porches. Is yours a living space? Or is it a transitional space into your foyer? Either way, it’s important that your outdoor furnishings blend with your interiors and also complement the paint colors on the outside of your home.

An outdoor area, such as this one we designed in Kessler Park, should have a variety of seating options that are all equally comfortable.

Most people who have porches feel like they don’t use them enough. Make sure to buy seating that is comfortable for you and your guests, or else you’ll rarely use it. Porch swings with cozy pillows, deep-seated Adirondack chairs, and rocking chairs give you a variety of options that are both relaxing and durable. Your largest piece of furniture should face outwards, while the rest of your seating in a conversation group should face towards it.

The red painted door brightens this shaded porch and makes it feel more inviting.

A small front porch is still an important opportunity to make a good first impression. If your porch is shadowy, brighten things up by painting the door a lighter color than the rest of the home, then add a new door-knocker. The door should ideally be the focal point of the porch or patio, so flank it with symmetrical plants or furniture on either side. If your door is on the right or left rather than in the center, lead a visitor’s eye to your door with a lineup of potted plants.

A ceiling fan will help the residents of this Dallas home enjoy their outdoor seating area even during hot summers.

Swapping accessories out with the seasons adds a lot of charm to your porch or patio. Include throw blankets on the outdoor furniture so you can enjoy the cooler months outside, too. A ceiling fan is also a smart investment for making your porch comfortable in hot summers.

If you have trouble getting your outdoor space to harmonize with the rest of your home, consider hiring a designer. Despite being called ‘interior designers,’ many of us consult with our clients about their outdoor areas too. A professional will know the best way to take advantage of your space and create a porch, patio or balcony you'll enjoy in all seasons. You can reach out to us by calling our Dallas office at 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• How to Decorate With Faux Bois, the Classic That’s Making a Comeback

• Essential Items for Designing the Perfect Foyer or Entryway

• Why Your Rug Might Be the Most Important Decorating Decision You Make

Essential Items for Designing the Perfect Foyer or Entryway

Lots of natural light will help a foyer feel open and airy. This north Dallas project was recently published in Luxe.

Foyers and entryways are an important area of the home that sadly often goes overlooked. They’re not just the first impression a guest has of your home; they are also a landing strip where you transition from public to private life.

The following designer tips can be applied to entryways of all shapes and sizes, in all styles of home architecture. Before you begin, take a look at your available space and identify the main goals you want to achieve with your foyer. You might not have room to incorporate all of the suggestions below, so pick the items that make the most sense for you and your family.

Furniture

Putting a console table, bench, and decorative mirror together will form a classic entryway vignette.

Most professionally-designed foyers will have at least one of the following: a console table, a chest, or a bench. Benches are helpful to have because they offer a place for people to put on or take off shoes.

Choosing a chest over a console table can be wise if you don’t have a lot of closet space and need extra storage for your seasonal clothes. To dress up the space, hang a statement mirror or painting over your table, chest, or bench.

Rugs

This Oak Cliff house we designed features both an entry staircase with a patterned runner and a bench for seating.

In some homes, the entryway is small and enclosed on most sides. In an open concept home, however, the space is less defined. Dallas homeowners with an open concept house should make sure to delineate where their foyer begins and ends using a rug as well as a few pieces of furniture, such as a bookcase, console table, or bench. You can also use a partition or decorative screen to visually divide the entryway from the rest of the first floor.

Since this is a high-traffic area, your entry rug should have good traction and be durable. Wool is easier to clean than other materials, making it a popular choice for entryways. Jute is another good option because it doesn’t show wear and tear as visibly as alternatives. Those of you with an entry staircase should also think about getting a beautiful runner to make it safer to walk on.

Storage

An antique tea caddy can be a charming addition to your console table. Click here to learn more about tea caddies.

If you don’t have a separate mudroom, and your foyer tends to get cluttered, identify what kinds of clutter accumulate there. Do you have a shoes-off policy for your home? If so, store shoes in a chest or basket under the console. Do you drop off your mail, sunglasses, and keys as soon as you get home? Place a pretty decorative box on your console table to collect these loose items.

To keep umbrellas off the floor, I recommend finding an umbrella stand made of porcelain, brass, or Lucite. As an aside, all of your storage solutions should either complement the overall space or be in neutral colors so that they fade into the background.

This foyer has two decorative light sources: a star-shaped light fixture overhead and a lamp with a faux bois stand.

Lighting

One common problem with entryways is that they can be narrow and poorly lit. You have a few options for making sure yours is bright and welcoming.

In a foyer with very little natural light, a statement chandelier is the obvious choice. A less obvious option you might not have considered would be to decorate your console table or chest with a lamp. To reflect the natural light coming in through your windows or door, include a wall mirror in your foyer. Another advantage to putting a mirror in your entryway is that you can do a hair check one last time as you head out the door.

Accents

Seen here is a coffee table from the foyer we designed in SMU’s new Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house.

Since your foyer is like a sneak peek of the rest of your home, don’t be afraid to show your personality. This area can be a great place for a few personal photos and mementos. For your table or chest, decorate it as you would a coffee table: fresh flowers, a bowl of seashells, antiques, candles, or books could help complete the look.

Designing a better foyer won’t just impress your guests. It’ll bring you cheer when you come home after a long day to find a beautiful and well-organized space awaiting you. By taking a moment to strategize and identify key items missing from your current setup, you too can have a foyer that is as stylish as it is functional.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for an interior design team that will learn about your vision and source the items for you, you’ve come to the right place. To schedule a free consultation, call 214-232-9501 to reach our Dallas office or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• 7 Tips for Designing a Stylish, Yet Comfortable Living Room

• Plan Your Home Lighting Like a Professional

• Smart Ways to Design a Small Space

7 Tips for Designing a Stylish, Yet Comfortable Living Room

This living room is from a home we recently designed in Bent Tree (north Dallas).

Living rooms can be challenging to design because they need to be so many things: inviting, comfortable, stylish, and functional all at once. Pristine living rooms that are only for entertaining guests are now a thing of the past. These days, it’s more common to have the living room be both a family space and an entertaining space.

As a designer, I’m also starting to see living rooms be combined into other spaces, including music rooms, studies, and libraries. A good-size room can even be all of these things. Whether you’re updating your home or moving into a newly built one, it’s helpful to think seriously about all the different ways you plan to use your living room.

A bright pink velvet sofa is the star of this living room in a Park Cities English cottage.

Tip 1: Start With the Sofa

The best place to start is with the sofa. Sofas can make or break a room, so if your existing sofa is not the right style for the room you want, or not the right size for your space, unfortunately you’ll probably have to replace it. Take the time to plan your layout first, as buying the wrong sofa is an expensive mistake. Sofas available through designers tend to be built to last longer than those available from mainstream retailers. Another thing to keep in mind is that simple sofas are easier to style than ones with ornate details.

Tip 2: Use the Rule of Thirds

An easy way to make sure the major elements of your living room are balanced against each other is to follow the rule of thirds. For example, your sofa should generally be two-thirds the width of your area rug, and your coffee table should be two-thirds the width of your sofa. While your major furnishings should be timeless in style, you can safely follow trends for smaller pieces like throw pillows, as these probably won’t be a long-term investment.

This zebra rug adds an element of surprise to the living room for this Dallas ranch home we designed.

Tip 3: Choose the Right Rug Size

Most living room rugs will need to be 9-by-12-foot, 10-by-14-foot, or 12-by-15-foot for a large room. If you have a small room and are having trouble finding a rug that’s just the right fit, try a rug with an unusual shape, such as a zebra rug. These kinds of “amorphous” rugs can fit into a variety of spaces.

Tip 4: Contrast Light Against Dark

The walls of this Plano home are all painted grey. We used black and white accents to create more drama in each room.

A living room that’s all-white can seem too formal and cold. Meanwhile, an all-dark living room tends to feel cave-like, which is an ambiance you might want for your bedroom but not for entertaining guests. The safest color scheme is in the middle: a living room with both light and dark elements.

Tip 5: Shop for Durable Fabrics

If you have young children or pets, you’ll definitely want to choose durable fabrics, such as outdoor fabric lines or Crypton. You should also steer clear of white fabrics that show stains. It’s easy to wipe away spills on leather, but leather also scratches easily, which is something to consider if you have pets.

Tip 6: Mix Old and New

To give your living room some character, try mixing both new and old items. I personally always incorporate antiques into my designs. Including antiques or vintage items is a surefire way to avoid the “showroom” look. Also, mixing different kinds of seating not only makes your living room more interesting, but also gives guests different seating options for their comfort. Make sure to plan your seating around creating conversation groups, rather than have all of the seating facing the TV. Ottomans are one of my go-to’s for extra seating.

Tip 7: Blend Your TV Into The Room

TV’s are a reality of modern life (and sometimes even the focal point in living rooms), so you’ll need to plan around yours. A TV stand is a common solution, but some alternatives you may not have considered include: projecting onto a blank wall, placing a flatscreen TV on a wall and surrounding it with artwork in black frames, or concealing the TV in a large cabinet.

We mixed modern furnishings (art deco chairs) and antiques (incense burners and foo dog statues) in this living room.

If there’s one room in your home that you really need to get right, it’s the living room. Not only does it shape the way guests see your home, but it’s a room you’ll want to enjoy for yourself, too. Regardless of whether you want your living room to be formal or casual, it’s worth your time to plan a space that’s welcoming for family and friends alike.

Of course, not everyone has the time to plan their living room design in detail. Hiring an interior design firm is the best way to ensure your home has that professionally designed touch. Schedule a free consultation with Chambers Interiors by emailing us at info@chambersinteriors.com or calling our Dallas office at 214-651-7665.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Step-by-Step Guides for Designing Feminine and Masculine Spaces

• Why Your Rug Might Be the Most Important Decorating Choice You Make

• How to Mix Different Wood Tones and Finishes

Smart Ways to Design a Small Space

This small guest bedroom is from a 1960s Dallas ranch we designed for a couple who were downsizing.

Just because you live in a small apartment or condo doesn’t mean that you can’t go big on style. Designing a small space can present some unique challenges. However, living in a small space also encourages you to be thoughtful and economical about what you bring into it. If you’re looking to get the most out of your apartment or condo, these tips may be helpful.

Identify Your Top Priorities for the Space

To start with, take time to really think about your needs and your routine. For example, if you don’t use your dining table often, you may want to replace it with a table that folds up when not in use. Walk through the apartment and note any blank walls or corners that aren’t serving a purpose. Whenever possible, take advantage of vertical wall space to add additional storage. Tall, narrow bookcases and shelving units are perfect for this.

Daybeds, such as the one seen here, are multi-purpose. They can function as beds as well as seating or lounging areas.

Buy Multi-Purpose Furniture

If you’ve read other small space decorating guides, you probably know that buying multi-purpose furniture is a must. Some examples of multi-purpose furniture include beds with built-in storage, bookcases with built-in desks, hollow ottomans and sofa beds. When you’re decorating your small apartment from scratch, it’s crucial to make sure you’re purchasing the correct scale furniture. A major advantage to hiring an interior designer is that they will carefully measure your space and find pieces that are just the right proportion—or have them custom-made, if need be.

The glass and acrylic game table next to this mirror fades into the background. It also doubles as an extra dining spot.

If you have low ceilings, use short-legged furniture to help your ceilings feel taller. On the other hand, if your ceilings are just the right height, you should consider furniture with longer legs. A large sofa that sits low to the floor can feel extra bulky in a small room. By bringing up your furniture off the floor instead, you’re making it appear as if you have more floor space.

Make Your Walls Feel Bigger With the Right Accessories

One of the tricks designers use for decorating apartments and condos is to buy clear furniture made of acrylic or glass. A clear coffee table fades into its surroundings, making the room feel more expansive. Mirrors are another common solution for small spaces. They add more dimension to an otherwise flat wall, and reflect light into the room. Believe it or not, it’s a mistake to only decorate your walls with small artwork. With artwork, it can actually look better to go bold with a big statement piece.

Use Rugs and Furniture to Create Visual ‘Zones’

Rugs also do a lot of good for a small apartment. They can cover up unsightly carpets and tile, delineate “zones,” or visually expand the space. Speaking of zones, make sure to divide shared spaces with your furniture. An open concept floor plan is not as beneficial to apartments as you might think. It’s better to give the eye places to rest and create cohesive groupings. For example, if your dining area and living room are connected, you can use the back of your sofa to separate the two.

Floor-to-ceiling shelves add plenty of storage space to this small library from a home we designed in Kessler Park.

Most small spaces are square or rectangular. Adding curved furniture can contrast against the angles of your space in an appealing way, instantly giving your apartment some flair. Don’t forget to complement any curved furniture with one or two curved accessories in the same room, such as an oval mirror or rounded lampshade.

Choose Your Paint Color

When it comes to paint color, different designers approach small spaces in different ways. Some say you should paint the walls white to help the apartment feel more open. Others say that a dark paint color gives your apartment a cozy, jewel-box feel. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong answer: instead, you should decide what kind of feel you want your apartment to have, and go from there.

We used a light, green-and-beige color scheme to help this guest bedroom feel more open and airy.

Whether you’re starting with a blank state, or you simply want to rearrange the furniture you already have, this guide should help you make your small space your own. When a small space is thoughtfully designed, visitors won’t notice its size: instead, they’ll admire your great taste!

If you’re still stumped on how to get the most potential out of your small space, consider hiring an interior designer. To schedule a free consultation with Chambers Interiors, call our office in Dallas at 214-651-7665 or send us an email at info@chambersinteriors.com.

Related Articles:

• All About Downsizing: What to Let Go, What to Bring, and What to Buy

• Why Your Rug Might Be the Most Important Decorating Choice You Make

• Designing a Luxury Guest Bedroom

Why Your Rug Might Be the Most Important Decorating Choice You Make

A large area rug in a neutral gray helps to ground the space in this living room from a home we designed in Kessler Park, Dallas.

While some people treat rugs as an afterthought, for interior designers, rugs are the foundation of a room. Rugs have a major influence on a room’s color scheme and overall mood, despite being below eye-level. In fact, many designers start their designs by picking the rug first and finding furniture that complements it second.

That said, if your rugs are the only element of your home that needs updating, they’re easy to swap out, too. Following are some things to keep in mind next time you’re rug shopping.

• Choosing the Right Size

When it comes to rugs, the most common pitfall is choosing one that’s too small. A rug should be large enough to extend under, at the very least, the front legs of every piece of furniture in a seating area. On the other hand, a rug that leaves almost no floor showing tends to look like wall-to-wall carpeting. In most cases, you should leave twelve inches to eighteen inches of space between the rug and the wall.

In the dining room, the rug should be low-pile and about twenty-four to thirty inches wider than the dining table. This way, your chairs won’t slide off of the rug and tip whenever someone pulls one out. If you put a rug under your bed, make it large enough so that your feet will land on it when you get out of bed in the morning.

We ordered a custom-designed rug to fit the small dining room. It is hand-tufted wool and silk. Because the rug is a perfect square, the round table fits perfectly on top, and the rug can be rotated in any direction for even wear.

Rugs play an important role in adding personality to hallways, which can otherwise feel like “dead” spaces. Your hallway runner should be wide enough that you can keep both feet on it as you walk through.

• Choosing the Right Material

Another thing to consider is what material you want your rug to be. Wool is the most popular choice because it is both durable and beautiful: it’s perfect for families with children.

Silk can handle more foot traffic than you might think, but the cleaning process is slightly more involved and expensive than with wool. Natural fiber rugs such as sisal and jute are very affordable but cannot be cleaned if you spill something on them (unless you use a fiber protection method as soon as you get them). If you decide to buy delicate rugs, place them in low-traffic rooms where they won’t risk getting wet.

• Choosing the Right Color, Pattern, and Style

Renters who love color, but can’t paint their walls, should bring in a colorful rug instead. Bold rugs are also a smart idea if you’re attracted to vibrant colors and patterns, but don’t want to commit to a bold wallpaper or color scheme. For rooms with dark walls, try finding a light, neutral rug with a distinctive texture. This solves two common problems with dark rooms: the color of the rug will keep the mood from being too heavy, and the added texture will create more interest in an environment where fewer shadows are being formed.

Bold colors and patterns abound in this study we designed for a downtown Dallas high-rise.

Rugs with large-scale patterns draw a lot of attention to themselves. This can be a great thing when your room feels too subdued and needs something to liven it up. If you’d rather visitors notice your furnishings and accessories first, rather than the rug, choose a pattern with a smaller, “quieter” print.

Contemporary rugs, which often have large-scale designs, do best in contemporary spaces. Oriental rugs are versatile enough to fit in both traditional and contemporary homes. Tribal rugs can go with many different styles but work especially well in Southwest style homes. Transitional rugs will contain both modern and traditional design elements, such as an ornate pattern in a modern, neutral color scheme. Rugs with a “weathered” look are ideal in beach-themed, transitional, and Bohemian rooms.

Oriental rugs can add color and refinement to contemporary settings, as you can see from this eclectic master bathroom.

The earthy colors and tribal pattern on this rug made it the perfect choice for this African themed guest room we designed.

Finding the perfect rug can be the solution to many different design problems. A beautiful rug has the power to instantly add interest to a boring room or pull together one with too much going on. If you keep these designer tips for rugs in mind, you’ll be a savvier shopper.

An interior designer can be a great resource for sourcing high-end rugs or ordering custom ones. If you’re updating your rugs and want the best of the best, call us at 214-232-9501, or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com. We’d love to hear more about your project!

Related Articles:

• Choosing the Perfect Patterns

• How to Use Rhythm and Harmony to Design Great Rooms

Solutions to Common Decorating Mistakes

When you work as an interior designer, you encounter many misconceptions about home decorating. These misconceptions can lead homeowners to make unnecessary mistakes and fail to capture the true potential of their home. Thankfully, many of these problems also have quick and inexpensive solutions.

Klismos chairs, a modern chandelier, and an abstract painting give character to this breakfast nook in a 1960s Dallas ranch home. A breakfast table such as this one needs ‘breathing room,’ and should not be placed too close to walls or corners.

One of the most common decorating mistakes is pushing furniture up against the walls. People do this to make more space in the center of the room, but ironically it actually makes things feel more cramped! The solution is to bring your furniture closer together to create intimate seating areas. This also allows there to be some “breathing room” between the walls and furniture.

We used a console table to act as a buffer between the two sofas in this Kessler Park Spanish Colonial home.

As you plan your seating areas, consider how foot traffic will flow in and out of the room. You don’t want the room to be awkward to navigate. As a rule of thumb, you should make sure the back of your sofa is not facing the entrance into the room. Entering a room where the main seating area is facing away can feel subtly unwelcoming to visitors. If turning the sofa around isn’t an option, place an attractive console table at the sofa’s back with books or other accessories.

This may sound surprising coming from a designer, but comfort is just as important as style. It’s a mistake to settle for an uncomfortable chair just because you love its look. Comfort is especially crucial for dining chairs: whether you’re sitting down to a family dinner or entertaining guests, you want everyone to be able to relax.

A large room needs a large rug. The unfortunate reality is that a small rug that “floats” in the center of the floor never works! For small rooms, we like to use a rug that leaves only ten to twelve inches of floor space between the rug and the wall. Using a large rug will make a small room feel more expansive.

If you haven’t bought a rug yet, you can use painter’s tape to plan out the area you want the rug to cover. Want to get the most out of the rug you already have? Hide the edges of it under furniture legs. This tricks the eye into thinking the rug stretches farther than it actually does.

Chambers Interiors designed this study hall and dining area for SMU’s Kappa Alpha Theta house. The two separate seating areas here each have their own large area rug. Using two rugs helps to visually break up the space.

You may see an abundance of decorative pillows when you browse design magazines. I’m here to tell you that it’s actually better if you don’t put throw pillows everywhere. Not only will too many pillows look fussy, but you’ll also get tired of moving them to make room every time you sit on the couch. It’s also unnecessary to have all the pillows on a bed or sofa perfectly match.

A pair of decorative pillows add color and pattern to the sofa in this family room. Because there are only two pillows, there is plenty of space left to sit.

Another common mistake is displaying every accessory you own. Generally, the less clutter the better. Reducing clutter on counters or walls gives the eye places to rest, too. Give yourself permission to let go of any decorating items you don’t want to keep anymore, even gifts from loved ones. If you have lots of photos to display, create a gallery wall for them instead of clustering them on mantles and shelves.

Our clients for this home wanted a refreshing and high-gloss look. Lacquered furniture and glass light fixtures, such as the ones seen in this foyer, helped to cinch the look.

That said, it’s also possible to make a room feel too staged. A room without any family photos or other personal items runs the risk of feeling like a furniture store. Another common decorating mistake is ignoring your foyer. The foyer is an opportunity to make a great first impression for visitors, so don’t leave it bare.

Be careful of design fads. Don’t chase any trends that will be expensive to redo or replace later, because there’s always a possibility you’ll get tired of a certain look.  Instead, pick trendy accessories that will be easy to replace if they look dated in a few years. Or better yet, pursue classic looks that have already stood the test of time.

This list covers some of the most common decorating mistakes we see. If something doesn’t feel right with a room you’ve decorated, I hope you can now identify and solve the issue.

Have a home decorating problem that isn’t discussed here? We’d love to help you find the solution. Reach out to us by calling 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

Related Articles:

• 5 Indispensable Benefits of Hiring a Registered Interior Designer

• Plan Your Home Lighting Like a Professional

• All About Downsizing