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I get a bit tired of all the "you're doing this wrong!" articles but these all sound mostly reasonable to me. I disagree about number 7, because I want to be able to comfortably watch TV which would mean that the furniture would end up being off kilter if the TV wasn't located in the center, since I don't want to watch with head having to be at an angle all the time. My reality is that I spend more time watching TV than I do entertaining guests, so yeah, the layout of the room is focused on the most efficient and comfortable use of the space for the way it gets used the most.
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1. You’re hanging your art too high.
When it comes to decorating, there’s one hard-and-fast rule: The center of any painting should be at eye-level. (That’s about 58 inches off the ground, in case you were wondering.) Learn it, live it, then get on with your life.
2. You’re pushing all your furniture against the walls.
We know it can feel weird to float a sofa in the middle of the den. But pushing everything against the wall creates an overly formal vibe… not to mention a weird space in the middle of the room. Move furniture into groupings for a cozy, lived-in feel.
3. You’re afraid of color.
We love the monochromatic white thing as much as the next Hamptons magazine enthusiast. But your home will be a sad, sad place if every room doesn’t have at least a few pops of color. Consider it an excuse to buy that cute turquoise serving tray you’ve been eyeing.
4. You’ve got too many pillows on your couch or bed.
Yes, throw pillows are a great way to add patterns and color to an otherwise neutral space. But if your guests have to remove cushions just to put their butts on the love seat, you know you’ve gone overboard.
5. You’re too trend-driven.
Copper, chevron, reclaimed wood--there’s nothing wrong with hopping on the trend bandwagon. But beware of using too much in one room, or risk a house that looks really dated in a few years’ time.
6. You’re too matchy-matchy.
Think both bedside tables need to be identical? Think all your dining room furniture should come from the same collection? Think again…then start mixing and matching patterns, materials, eras and the like.
7. You’ve made the TV the focal point of the room.
Yes, Netflix is a gift sent from heaven. No, that does not mean you need to treat your television set like the most beautiful object you own. (We promise; it’s not.) Instead of mounting it front and center in the middle of your living room, consider placing it off to the side, concealing it behind a cabinet or mixing it into a gallery wall.
8. You forgot about lighting.
“Wow, that overhead light gives off such a cozy, flattering glow,” said no one ever. Mix standing and table lamps into your design, and consider putting your ceiling fixtures on dimmers. The effect will be homey and sophisticated--and not at all like a dentist’s waiting room.
What I say is throw all of that out. It is YOUR home and you decorate it the you like and if others don't like it, then they don't have to go to your home.
I agree with you on number 7. A lot of my entertaining happens around the TV - football games, movie parties and just enjoying it myself. Having a TV set up so my guests can be comfortable while watching is essential. Concealing a large screen TV in a cabinet would be very expensive.
Item 2 - not having all your furniture up against the wall while admirable, but with a smaller living space, unless the large pieces are placed on the walls, you end up having to crawl over people whenever you get up.
I agree with you on number 7. A lot of my entertaining happens around the TV - football games, movie parties and just enjoying it myself. Having a TV set up so my guests can be comfortable while watching is essential. Concealing a large screen TV in a cabinet would be very expensive.
Item 2 - not having all your furniture up against the wall while admirable, but with a smaller living space, unless the large pieces are placed on the walls, you end up having to crawl over people whenever you get up.
Agreed with both points. That "awkward space in the center" houses the coffee table and room to get around people.
I think the floating furniture depends on the layout and style of the room. In a smaller room (more traditional style house with separate rooms), then yes, it will usually make sense to have most furniture, esp. large pieces, against a wall. But in an open floor plan with limited wall space, I've seen many people put furniture up against a wall instead of floating it, when it really makes more sense to create separate functional areas with the furniture and not rely on the walls for that.
I agree with the OP. I like all the rules, it would make for a nice looking layout. And my career dictates that I deal with Designers on a constant basis, they'd agree with this too, imho.
I think it depends on the situation with the TV. Most of us do watch a lot of TV. Some people call TV the equivalent of the campfire for primitive people--that is it is where the family gathers. So, I say position the TV where it is best viewed and enjoyed.
Many people have two living areas in their homes, anyway. The TV can easily be located in the casual area and there it can be a centerpiece.
I am one who has only one living area. I finally made peace with the big rectangular black thing by hanging a gallery wall around it. We have seating around it. In our case, DH has worked hard to get a good surround sound with four speakers and a subwoofer, which is something he really enjoys. The room is for our enjoyment; that is how we arranged it.
What I say is throw all of that out. It is YOUR home and you decorate it the you like and if others don't like it, then they don't have to go to your home.
Of course you can do whatever you want.
Those tips are for people who want their rooms to look as good as possible.
I don't "decorate" my house. To me that implies the photo shoots I see on HGTV or in the house magazines where it never looks like anyone lives in or uses anything in the house and changes yearly depending on what is "in" or out.
I buy furniture and art that I like without worrying about the art "matching" the furniture. Sure, I have a general, mostly earthtone, tan and gray color scheme that everything spins out of.
I don't buy tschotkes and knick-knacks and stuff that just has to be dusted that serves no purpose. I do have things like the carved olivewood bowl that holds car keys or the dichroic glass bowl that holds mandolin picks for the mandolin that hangs on the wall next to the cabinet (well, when the humidity is high enough that the mandolin can be out of its case). I have bookcases in every room.
The main floor of the house has an open kitchen/living/dining - no TV there (I will drag my laptop into the kitchen if I really want to watch something while cooking) but a great space for conversation or solitary reading. The TV is downstairs, but then we are not really TV people, more the occasional movie.
What I say is throw all of that out. It is YOUR home and you decorate it the you like and if others don't like it, then they don't have to go to your home.
Cat
Amen!!!!
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