5 things we would never do as interior designers
Written by Sophie Clemson
At The Living House, we have over 30 years of experience between us, and like many other designers, there are things that we would never do when designing our own homes and our customers'. Of course, interior design shouldn’t be about strict and rigid rules, we feel our homes should reflect our lifestyle and personality. However, there are some interior decisions we stand by at The Living House that we would love to share with you.
Deciding on a paint colour, wallpaper or fabrics without getting samples first
Buying furniture before planning the layout of the room
Buying the matching furniture set
Choosing a paint colour first
A rug that's too small for the room - make sure your rug doesn’t float!
1. Deciding on a paint colour, wallpaper or fabrics without getting samples first
We always recommend ordering samples of any paints, wallpapers, and fabrics you’re considering before committing to them. It’s always best to see the colours and patterns in the natural light of the room to make sure you avoid any mistakes. For any patterned samples you’re ordering, you may want to order a couple or ask if the company has returnable samples. As these are often large, there'll be less chance of missing any of the patterns or colours within the fabric or wallpaper.
Having all of the samples you’re going to be using in the room means you can see how all the textures, colours, and prints work together, and you can create your own moodboard. Samples are also great to take with you when you’re out and about shopping for accessories to see if they are going to work with your colour scheme.
2. Buying furniture before planning the layout of the room
We start every customer's project by exploring the different layout options for the room, making sure we get the most out of the space and that it works for the whole family. If you don’t plan the layout first, this is where costly mistakes can happen. Room sizes can be deceiving and smaller than you think, you could end up overfilling the space with too much furniture. By spending time considering the best layout for the room, you will know exactly how it will work and flow. A tip that you may find helpful is to use masking tape to mark out where all the furniture is on the floor. You will then see how much space there is to move around the room between the furniture.
3. Buying the matching furniture set
When it comes to buying furniture for your room, avoid going for the matching set. For a contemporary and interesting look go for a mix with your sofas, armchairs and furniture. This will create a well designed and thoughtful space that looks considered. Mixing up your furniture and upholstery works especially well with the transitional interior design style.
4. Choosing a paint colour first
It can be very tempting to start ordering lots of paint samples to decide what colour you’re going to paint the room, especially if you’ve had a colour on your radar for a while. We urge you to avoid committing to a paint colour before you have chosen the other main pieces in the room. Instead, plan your upholstery, wallpaper, carpet, curtains, and blinds first. Once you have chosen the other pieces, decide on a paint colour. There are so many paint colours to choose from, and you can even get a special colour mixed, whereas with fabrics, you may be restricted. By the time you’ve decided on a sofa shape and style and then whittled down your fabric choices, you are much more limited. It will be tricky to make sure it works with your chosen paint colour, leading to compromise, which could completely change the look you’re wanting to achieve.
5. A rug that's too small for the room - make sure your rug doesn’t float!
If you’re an active reader of our blogs, you’ll probably have noticed that at The Living House, we love rugs and the difference a rug can make to a room. The most important thing to get right when choosing a rug is the size. You want to make sure your rug doesn't look like it's floating in the middle of the room because it's too small. In a living room, ideally, you want the rug to be large enough to fit underneath the front two feet of your sofa. A large rug will anchor the space and help bring your items together, such as your sofas and armchairs. If your room is small, still go for a large rug, as it can trick the eye and make the room feel bigger.
If you’re wanting to make changes to your home, take a look at our affordable online interior design packages to give you all the help you need. Whether you’re considering a full redesign or a refresh, we can take the stress away, and give you the confidence to move forward. We can work to any budget large or small, saving you money along the way and ensuring you get the results you want and expect!
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