10 Timeless Pieces of Decor Advice
Pocket these tried-and-true decor rules and you'll be set up for any decor situation
Janet Dunn
21 February 2017
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid interior design enthusiast. Ex-restaurateur and caterer, with a Professional Certificate in Gastronomy, University of Adelaide.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid... More
As we work – and spend – to make the places we live in beautiful and functional, we sometimes make decor mistakes we come to regret. Unhappy choices nearly always stem from poor planning, rushed decisions, self-doubt or bad advice. Here, we show you how to take sound and sensible steps to create the home you want.
1. Find your style
Lack of confidence leads to indecision, which leads to timid choices. Don’t end up with decor so middle-of-the-road it says absolutely nothing about you. Instead, stand up and express yourself. That comfort zone you’ve been sheltering in could be stifling the real you. Step into the design ring – there’s lots happening in there.
How to be truly confident with colour
Lack of confidence leads to indecision, which leads to timid choices. Don’t end up with decor so middle-of-the-road it says absolutely nothing about you. Instead, stand up and express yourself. That comfort zone you’ve been sheltering in could be stifling the real you. Step into the design ring – there’s lots happening in there.
How to be truly confident with colour
Deciding to explore more daring design options can be daunting. Signs you should call for help are when you feel immobilised by indecision and lose trust in your instincts. A good option here is to consider an interior designer or decorator; they are trained professionals who see your home with fresh eyes. Be reassured, a good one won’t impose their taste on you, but will steer you towards some options to clarify your vision for your home.
2. Choose artwork because you love it
Never buy artwork simply because it matches your sofa or fills a wall – better a bare spot than an ill-judged picture. Art should lift your spirits, provoke thought, take you places or create a reason to pause and enjoy. Art is personal, so seek out what reflects you. Collect artworks individually, not in job lots. They needn’t be museum-worthy; there’s a world of choice when it comes to quality prints, professional or family photographs, wall hangings, kids’ art, gifts from artistic friends, plus your own efforts.
Never buy artwork simply because it matches your sofa or fills a wall – better a bare spot than an ill-judged picture. Art should lift your spirits, provoke thought, take you places or create a reason to pause and enjoy. Art is personal, so seek out what reflects you. Collect artworks individually, not in job lots. They needn’t be museum-worthy; there’s a world of choice when it comes to quality prints, professional or family photographs, wall hangings, kids’ art, gifts from artistic friends, plus your own efforts.
The accepted way to hang art is for the halfway point of the picture to be at eye level. Eye levels differ, so on average this is about 1.5 metres from the floor. This works in a space where viewers are usually standing, such as a hallway or entrance. In a room where viewers would mostly be sitting, you can lower it further.
If you hang a stunning piece of art above a surface where you’d also like to show off other items, learn the art of the vignette. A simple trick is to hang the art low enough to be a cohesive part of the display, not an unrelated extra that hovers above it.
If you hang a stunning piece of art above a surface where you’d also like to show off other items, learn the art of the vignette. A simple trick is to hang the art low enough to be a cohesive part of the display, not an unrelated extra that hovers above it.
3. Take a wide view
A striking wallpaper with a complex pattern makes a strong impact on a space, but could throw out the balance in a room. Find images on websites of rooms using the same pattern to see its dominant lines and colours, how it repeats, and how it reacts to various light strengths and directions. Get the largest sample you can – ask if you can buy a roll or half-roll and have the cost credited if you go ahead and purchase more. It’s an investment in a regret-free decision.
This Melbourne apartment gets it right with vibrant ‘Palm Leaves’ in blue/green from Cole & Sons, plain white cabinetry and a handful of mood-matching accessories.
A striking wallpaper with a complex pattern makes a strong impact on a space, but could throw out the balance in a room. Find images on websites of rooms using the same pattern to see its dominant lines and colours, how it repeats, and how it reacts to various light strengths and directions. Get the largest sample you can – ask if you can buy a roll or half-roll and have the cost credited if you go ahead and purchase more. It’s an investment in a regret-free decision.
This Melbourne apartment gets it right with vibrant ‘Palm Leaves’ in blue/green from Cole & Sons, plain white cabinetry and a handful of mood-matching accessories.
Enjoy the vitality of a big bold pattern. If you fall in love with a wallpaper, make it the touchstone for the room’s decor. This quiet room’s restrained palette, unfussy furniture and perspective bring the bold sweeps and curves of the wallpaper into focus. See more tips on using patterned wallpaper.
Tip: Get the lighting right when you’ve chosen metallic wallpaper. In a constantly low-lit room, lustrous highlights lose impact and can look dull. In a light-filled space, they may look glitzy.
Tip: Get the lighting right when you’ve chosen metallic wallpaper. In a constantly low-lit room, lustrous highlights lose impact and can look dull. In a light-filled space, they may look glitzy.
The same rules apply to distinctively patterned and graphic fabrics, especially if you plan to use them to cover large areas. Bring big swatches home and study them in situ with other colours and finishes, in all light levels.
Tip: Keep a swatch file of all the fabrics you use in your home. It’ll come in handy when you shop for other items that will sit in the same space.
Tip: Keep a swatch file of all the fabrics you use in your home. It’ll come in handy when you shop for other items that will sit in the same space.
4. Be patient with paint
Testing a paint colour sometimes takes longer than actually applying the paint. Don’t begrudge this time, patience pays. Experts advise you to always test on the intended walls in the intended room. The surface texture of a wall is different to that of a sample sheet. Apply two coats and always use a primer coat when working with strong colours, then do test patches on every wall that’s to be painted. See other useful testing techniques.
Testing a paint colour sometimes takes longer than actually applying the paint. Don’t begrudge this time, patience pays. Experts advise you to always test on the intended walls in the intended room. The surface texture of a wall is different to that of a sample sheet. Apply two coats and always use a primer coat when working with strong colours, then do test patches on every wall that’s to be painted. See other useful testing techniques.
5. Balance price and quality
Top-end furniture doesn’t automatically make a room beautiful, but keep in mind the adage that ‘something cheap is eventually expensive’. A poorly-made, low-priced item will show its true colours sooner than you’d like, leaving you with a non-returnable lemon. Always buy the best you can afford.
Tip: If you’re prevaricating, calculate the cost of an unremarkable bargain-priced item plus the replacement cost for when it gives up the ghost. Then decide if you’d rather buy one quality standout piece that you’ll adore and use for years. A modern classic such as the Bertoia Diamond chair seen here, a genuine tribal rug or a luxurious sofa is a beautiful investment that will lift a room to stylish heights.
Top-end furniture doesn’t automatically make a room beautiful, but keep in mind the adage that ‘something cheap is eventually expensive’. A poorly-made, low-priced item will show its true colours sooner than you’d like, leaving you with a non-returnable lemon. Always buy the best you can afford.
Tip: If you’re prevaricating, calculate the cost of an unremarkable bargain-priced item plus the replacement cost for when it gives up the ghost. Then decide if you’d rather buy one quality standout piece that you’ll adore and use for years. A modern classic such as the Bertoia Diamond chair seen here, a genuine tribal rug or a luxurious sofa is a beautiful investment that will lift a room to stylish heights.
6. Cross style lines
Even if you love a particular style, copying it down to the last detail leads to an unimaginative, show-home result. Designer Anne Ellard calls it ‘the catalogue look’ and says, “I prefer a natural, eclectic look that incorporates different styles and pieces from different eras.” Don’t be shy about crossing style boundaries – you want your home to look lived-in and welcoming, not dauntingly styled.
Even if you love a particular style, copying it down to the last detail leads to an unimaginative, show-home result. Designer Anne Ellard calls it ‘the catalogue look’ and says, “I prefer a natural, eclectic look that incorporates different styles and pieces from different eras.” Don’t be shy about crossing style boundaries – you want your home to look lived-in and welcoming, not dauntingly styled.
7. Size it up
‘Measure twice, cut once’ is timeless advice. An often-neglected measurement is the arm height of dining chairs: don’t buy chairs without it. Check it against your tabletop if space is tight and chairs have to tuck under when not in use. Having them protruding into a high-traffic space impedes movement around the table. In this situation, the best option may be going with armless ones. These smart striped carver chairs fit neatly below the tabletop to allow free traffic flow.
Tip: Something I learnt the hard way: check seat height if buying vintage chairs, as some are lower than modern ones and make an uncomfortable fit with a modern table.
‘Measure twice, cut once’ is timeless advice. An often-neglected measurement is the arm height of dining chairs: don’t buy chairs without it. Check it against your tabletop if space is tight and chairs have to tuck under when not in use. Having them protruding into a high-traffic space impedes movement around the table. In this situation, the best option may be going with armless ones. These smart striped carver chairs fit neatly below the tabletop to allow free traffic flow.
Tip: Something I learnt the hard way: check seat height if buying vintage chairs, as some are lower than modern ones and make an uncomfortable fit with a modern table.
Just a couple of centimetres makes the difference between a perfect fit and a disastrous overspend. If you’ve had an architect or draftsperson draw up plans for a renovation, keep the drawings for later reference as their measurements are precise. Keep a tape measure in your bag to use whenever you shop, you never know when it will come in handy for spot checking.
8. Face facts about DIY
DIY delusion is a common ailment. Be realistic about your capabilities. “If I sanded that back and painted it and changed the knobs and shortened the legs, it would be just perfect,” you might say. No it won’t. It will probably sit in the garage as you realise you don’t have the skills – or tools – for the job. Unless you are a dab hand at serious alterations, keep looking and practise patience until that ideal piece comes along.
DIY delusion is a common ailment. Be realistic about your capabilities. “If I sanded that back and painted it and changed the knobs and shortened the legs, it would be just perfect,” you might say. No it won’t. It will probably sit in the garage as you realise you don’t have the skills – or tools – for the job. Unless you are a dab hand at serious alterations, keep looking and practise patience until that ideal piece comes along.
9. Get lights right
Don’t detract from a fabulous pendant light or chandelier with an awkward hanging height. It’s easy to get wrong over a dining table: allow a minimum of 80 centimetres between the light base and the tabletop, or it will visually intrude between diners. A general rule is about 1.5 metres between the light base and the floor. To avoid errors, consult a lighting designer, as other factors like ceiling height, strength of light sources, size of shades and chain length affect calculations. This warm metallic trio ticks all boxes.
Tip: Ask to have the light illuminated in a dark room so you can see how it looks at night and check the spread of light. Some lighting stores have a cubicle for this purpose.
Don’t detract from a fabulous pendant light or chandelier with an awkward hanging height. It’s easy to get wrong over a dining table: allow a minimum of 80 centimetres between the light base and the tabletop, or it will visually intrude between diners. A general rule is about 1.5 metres between the light base and the floor. To avoid errors, consult a lighting designer, as other factors like ceiling height, strength of light sources, size of shades and chain length affect calculations. This warm metallic trio ticks all boxes.
Tip: Ask to have the light illuminated in a dark room so you can see how it looks at night and check the spread of light. Some lighting stores have a cubicle for this purpose.
10. Guarantee success
In the excitement of unwrapping and setting up a brand-new appliance or piece of furniture, we’ve all been guilty of discarding warranty details with a ‘she’ll be right’ air. Things break. It takes a few moments to fill out a card or register the warranty online. Keep a warranty file and receipts; one day, you’ll need to make a claim that will save you money and angst.
Tip: Clarify warranty details for big-ticket items. Is the construction covered but not the fabric? Are there special conditions? What’s the claim procedure? Many suppliers offer extended warranty plans for a little extra. These are worth it.
Tell us
Have you ever made a design blunder? How would you avoid it next time? Tell us in the Comments section.
More
Read more decorating stories
In the excitement of unwrapping and setting up a brand-new appliance or piece of furniture, we’ve all been guilty of discarding warranty details with a ‘she’ll be right’ air. Things break. It takes a few moments to fill out a card or register the warranty online. Keep a warranty file and receipts; one day, you’ll need to make a claim that will save you money and angst.
Tip: Clarify warranty details for big-ticket items. Is the construction covered but not the fabric? Are there special conditions? What’s the claim procedure? Many suppliers offer extended warranty plans for a little extra. These are worth it.
Tell us
Have you ever made a design blunder? How would you avoid it next time? Tell us in the Comments section.
More
Read more decorating stories
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Never let a designer talk you into or out of something you really want. We just completed a kitchen and bath remodel and had a design firm help. They were very adamant in what they liked and kept dissuading us from elements we really wanted. It grew very painful. In the end, we picked all of our own finishes with some help from specific vendors. The result was exactly what we wanted and we could not be happier with it. Our contractors all commented on how stunning it turned out. Designers need to work with you, not against you. In the end, it is your money and your house—you will spend a lot of unexpected time and money on your project no matter what so be prepared!
I can’t agree with you more on sticking to what you love👍
In #6 with the white chairs. Is there enough space to get your knees under the table?