5 Worst Décor Mistakes to Avoid in the Living Room

If there is one room in your home that should present absolute perfection, it is the living room. That’s where we usually receive guests, relax and spend quality time with our family. Unfortunately, that’s also where we make the gravest decor mistakes that can spoil “Zen” and thus, the friendly atmosphere. See what common “design sins” we have spotted that may disrupt stylish balance in the busiest space of your house.

Picking the Wrong Rug Size

Rugs can completely change the face of any décor and create a point of interest. That fact is indisputable. Sadly, many of us don’t have a clue how to properly match a rug with an interior. The most common mistake? The rug is too small. According to a home style expert Emily Henderson:

” A living room rug should really ground the whole seating around it. It tells everyone that this is where the conversation is. A small rug makes it feel disjointed and reallyens everything.”

 

What is the solution, then? A living room almost always needs a rug that is at least 8 feet by 10, if not 9 by 12 feet. As a rule of thumb, Henderson says a rug should be big enough to fit two chairs or sofa legs on it. We will not argue with a specialist!

Being All “Matchy-Matchy”

Interiors in which each element comes from the same style look simply… boring. Out of all décor mistakes, matching everything with everything is the one that happens quite too often. A bit of eclecticism gives a lot of character making the whole more irresistible and original.

If you like modern arrangements, add a surprising touch to it, for example a carpet, a feather pillow or an antique piece of furniture. A fresh way to quickly give personality to a room is art – a beautiful, large picture on the wall can transform any space into a private gallery.

Making It Too Precious To Live In

A white sofa, a bright carpet, cushions that cannot be washed – all these items can look beautiful but are very impractical. A living room where you cannot rest comfortably because you are afraid that you will damage something is definitely the worst of décor mistakes.

Why buy a table with a lustrous top if you cannot touch it for the fear of leaving fingerprints? Remember that snugness, relaxation and mental relief are the feelings you actually seek in the living room. It is extremely hard to feel happy and peaceful when you are figuratively dying of fear for the well-being of your furniture. Be smart. Material things are just means to achieve the goal, not the goal in itself.

Leveling Everything

Hanging pictures just above the cabinet, the lamp that ends evenly with the sofa – matching furniture of the same height makes everything look flat. London-based interior designer Abigail Ahearn says that scale and proportion are the Holy Grail of design.

“If everything is the same size or if everything is either too big or too small, your room will read like a hot mess.”

To help us fix the problem, she uses a handy analogy. “The easiest trick is to think of your space as a city and fill it with a combination of heights and proportions. Look at any cityscape and you’ll find this intriguing mix of scale and a unique blend of fascinating shapes – that’s what you want to nail!” Basically, the varied height of the room elements gives it three-dimensionality and chic. Use it on your behalf!

Turning Furniture Into Wallflowers

When we push all the furniture under the walls, we’ll get a place in the middle. The question is, do we need it? A living room is not a showroom, it is not worth fighting for an empty space if you may put it to good use. Besides, such an arrangement, instead of being airy usually turns up artificial.

Décor mistakes like this one will create an awkward, unwelcoming and formal vibe. Thus, something completely opposite to what you want to experience in the perfect living room. Benefit from the whole area, not only the bits that are at the walls. Trust us, no one will mind seeing the back of your sofa.

Doris Leslie Blau can help you find the right Persian carpet or oriental rug. We have a large showroom in New York City plus online catalogs and supplementary information. For help choosing a product for your needs, contact us online or call 212-586-5511.