Houzz Forum: Big Decor Mistakes To Avoid
Five acclaimed industry experts tell us about the key design faux pas to avoid while decorating our homes
This discussion series brings together the country’s top design professionals to voice their opinions and insights on all matters related to architecture & design.
Everyone wants a beautiful home. However, in the pursuit of making our spaces stand out, we often tend to create design discords. What element to showcase, what to avoid and how to bring it all together, can be a precarious task. There is so much choice out there, that there is always a chance of losing one’s vision or getting lost in trying to find out what works.
Five industry experts list out some of the most common mistakes to avoid while styling spaces. Bring out your pen and paper – you will need to take notes!
Everyone wants a beautiful home. However, in the pursuit of making our spaces stand out, we often tend to create design discords. What element to showcase, what to avoid and how to bring it all together, can be a precarious task. There is so much choice out there, that there is always a chance of losing one’s vision or getting lost in trying to find out what works.
Five industry experts list out some of the most common mistakes to avoid while styling spaces. Bring out your pen and paper – you will need to take notes!
© Iqrup+Ritz
Ritika Dhamija
Co-Founder and CEO,
Iqrup +Ritz, New Delhi
Don’t be guided purely by rules and trends as these often change over time. For example, traditionally you would never combine blue with black or pink with red but now it’s a very popular combination for both fashion and interiors.
It’s important to work with the space that you have when selecting your furniture and accessories. The size and scale of pieces in a room should feel harmonious. A typical mistake is to put oversized furniture in small rooms with low ceilings or use tiny rugs that don’t extend to below your seating. Apply the same principle to lamps and accessories as well to create a well-balanced look.
I’m not a big fan of everything being matched together as this gives what we call a “catalogue look”. It’s much better to layer pieces together in different styles and polish finishes. It’s a good tip to remove a few pieces once you are done designing. Everything in your home should have a reason for being there and this gives scope for your home to grow as you grow.
Ritika Dhamija
Co-Founder and CEO,
Iqrup +Ritz, New Delhi
Don’t be guided purely by rules and trends as these often change over time. For example, traditionally you would never combine blue with black or pink with red but now it’s a very popular combination for both fashion and interiors.
It’s important to work with the space that you have when selecting your furniture and accessories. The size and scale of pieces in a room should feel harmonious. A typical mistake is to put oversized furniture in small rooms with low ceilings or use tiny rugs that don’t extend to below your seating. Apply the same principle to lamps and accessories as well to create a well-balanced look.
I’m not a big fan of everything being matched together as this gives what we call a “catalogue look”. It’s much better to layer pieces together in different styles and polish finishes. It’s a good tip to remove a few pieces once you are done designing. Everything in your home should have a reason for being there and this gives scope for your home to grow as you grow.
© We Design Studio
Saahil Parikh
Architect and interior designer, We Design Studio, Mumbai
The most common faux pas is over-designing and an attempt at over-opulence. Working with too diverse a palette of material and fabric finishes tends to be a very common mistake. As a result, the space loses its identity. I believe that one should stick to a limited material palette with eclectic accent pieces to break the monotony.
Read how to accessorise your home right
Saahil Parikh
Architect and interior designer, We Design Studio, Mumbai
The most common faux pas is over-designing and an attempt at over-opulence. Working with too diverse a palette of material and fabric finishes tends to be a very common mistake. As a result, the space loses its identity. I believe that one should stick to a limited material palette with eclectic accent pieces to break the monotony.
Read how to accessorise your home right
© PS Design
Priyanka P. Mehra
Architect and interior designer, PS Design, Mumbai
There are a few key things that I feel are absolute design faux pas. One is neglecting a rug. Somehow, people feel that installing a great looking, expensive flooring is the ultimate thing. However, it is extremely important that the seating is tied together by an equally great looking rug.
Second, matching everything! It’s not important that all patterns and tones match with each other. Use contrasts to break the monotony and add some life.
Third, buying all furniture from a single source, which makes the home look like a showroom. It’s important to have coordinated furniture which is not necessarily matched.
And finally, hanging the curtains right above the window. The curtains should be hung as close to the ceiling as possible. It adds height and volume to the room.
Priyanka P. Mehra
Architect and interior designer, PS Design, Mumbai
There are a few key things that I feel are absolute design faux pas. One is neglecting a rug. Somehow, people feel that installing a great looking, expensive flooring is the ultimate thing. However, it is extremely important that the seating is tied together by an equally great looking rug.
Second, matching everything! It’s not important that all patterns and tones match with each other. Use contrasts to break the monotony and add some life.
Third, buying all furniture from a single source, which makes the home look like a showroom. It’s important to have coordinated furniture which is not necessarily matched.
And finally, hanging the curtains right above the window. The curtains should be hung as close to the ceiling as possible. It adds height and volume to the room.
© Purple Backyard
Kumpal Vaid
Interior designer,
Purple Backyard, Mumbai
The biggest mistake that people make while designing their homes is not thinking of the space as a whole and focusing on making each and every product or finish stand out.
Designing a space is more like a painting where the final canvas needs to look beautiful and make sense as a whole. Thus, a balanced approach is the key. So one should avoid making each selection the hero and start with a concept or design style and then build onwards.
I love decluttering – always decorate or style a space over a few months and not at one go. Start with your personal possessions or collections, then layer it with new pieces, art or greens (which can never go out of style and nature can never bore you!) which have been on your wish list. The rest can always wait and you can always shuffle and play with new and old over the years. So the key is not to rush when it comes to styling your space. Don’t overdo it; go the minimalist way.
Read more:
Houzz Forum: State of Indian Architecture Today and Tomorrow
Tell us:
Are there any interior decoration rules that you follow? Tell us about them in Comments below.
Kumpal Vaid
Interior designer,
Purple Backyard, Mumbai
The biggest mistake that people make while designing their homes is not thinking of the space as a whole and focusing on making each and every product or finish stand out.
Designing a space is more like a painting where the final canvas needs to look beautiful and make sense as a whole. Thus, a balanced approach is the key. So one should avoid making each selection the hero and start with a concept or design style and then build onwards.
I love decluttering – always decorate or style a space over a few months and not at one go. Start with your personal possessions or collections, then layer it with new pieces, art or greens (which can never go out of style and nature can never bore you!) which have been on your wish list. The rest can always wait and you can always shuffle and play with new and old over the years. So the key is not to rush when it comes to styling your space. Don’t overdo it; go the minimalist way.
Read more:
Houzz Forum: State of Indian Architecture Today and Tomorrow
Tell us:
Are there any interior decoration rules that you follow? Tell us about them in Comments below.
Roheena Nagpal
Interior Designer,
Roheena Nagpal Design, Pune
Homeowners should refrain from overdoing a space, using too many decoratives and making each element too elaborate. There needs to be a fine line between decorating and overdecorating. You can only draw that line with self control. One should ask the question – will this add to the aesthetic of the space or am I only using this because I want to? Always remind yourself to be objective.
In terms of colours, red in the bedroom should be avoided. When it comes to choosing fabrics, you should always select those that complement the space in terms of colour, texture and pattern, since all are equally important in space design. In many cases, people tend to only complement a space with colour and neglect the other two aspects.
Check out 10 ways to make minimalism work in your home