It’s important that your home reflect your personality. But many times that’s easier said than done. A lot of TV programs make it look like a simple matter of buying your favourite colour paint and stumbling upon the perfect piece of vintage furniture at a yard sale. But in the real world you need to have some idea what makes interior decoration work. In this post we’re going to take a quick tour of some dos and don’ts an interior decorator is always mindful of.
Dos and Don’ts of the Professional Interior Decorator
Here is our list of 10 dos and don’ts any great interior decorator will adhere to.
The Do’s
- Do Use Furniture to Control Traffic: Traffic patterns emerge organically if no thought is given to the distribution of furniture. That is, leave an open space and people will get used to walking through it. Don’t let traffic control you. Control it instead with careful furniture placement.
- Do Employ Light Effectively: Much of the way our brains read a space is the result of how it’s lit. Table lamps tell us ‘cosy’ and ‘relaxed’, area lighting tells us ‘spacious’ and accent lights can transform an object d’art into a breathtaking focal point.
- Do recognize your own collector’s instincts: Over time many of us wind up with collections of similar objects that are spread about the home. Bring them together and present them as a “collection”. It will draw attention and launch a thousand conversations.
- Do accessorize: You’ll want to make sure your interior decoration scheme has the right finishing touches. That means things like throw rugs, vases, candles, even coffee table books. It’s these touches that deliver the warmth and liveability.
- Do keep your eyes open when you travel: Whether strolling through the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, an antique shop in San Francisco or a yard sale in Hamilton or Burlington you’ll want to keep an eye open for things that would complement to your interior decoration.
The Don’ts
- Don’t go white if you have a large family: Every interior decorator knows kids and pets are the enemies of white decor. It’s not their fault, but it’s true. White rugs look great in magazines but keeping them white can be a full time job in a busy home.
- Don’t forego comfort for minimalist appeal: You should never sacrifice the comfort of yourself and your guests just to make a decorative or design point. No one will want to pay your beautiful minimalist space a second visit if it’s cold and uncomfortable.
- Don’t glue furniture to the walls: People tend to line furniture up along the walls to create an open feel. The problem is usability suffers this way. Create furniture clusters around the space instead. You’ll retain openness while allowing for personal interaction.
- Don’t ignore the corners: An empty corner is an attention vacuum cleaner. Put it to use hosting a tall vase, a large plant or that collection of objects mentioned above. Or use it to highlight a framed work you may be particularly fond of.
- Don’t match everything: Every interior decorator knows a space comes to life when there’s a variety of patterns, colours, shapes and textures. Decor elements should complement each other rather than simply match each other. There’s a subtle but crucial difference.
Whether you live in Burlington, Hamilton or anywhere else in the GTA, when the time comes to redecorate your home call Isabelle Tremblay of Decor Isabelle. She’ll help you determine precisely which interior decoration dos and don’ts apply to your situation so you wind up with a space that’s comfortable and timeless while also expressing your personal preferences and tastes.
