Designers Share the 5 Mistakes They Wish You’d Stop Making in 2019
For many of us, 2018 was a doozy, but we here at Brit + Co are ready to hit refresh in 2019! Follow our Hit Refresh series through January and February for new ideas, hacks, and skills that will help you achieve (and maintain!) those New Year’s resolutions.
Every so often, we look back on old decor decisions we made and feel a wave of regret and repulsion. (Original Trading Spaces era-faux flower walls?!) But this year is different. In 2019, we’re starting things off on the right foot by getting expert intel on the soon-to-be-disasterous trends we need to discard. Whether it’s conventional wisdom that suddenly sounds not-so-smart, or just a particular look that’s on its way to being very dated, these are the decor mistakes that designers from online design platform Homepolish *really* wish you’d stop making.
1. Being Color Shy: “Color often adds warmth, a cohesive finish to a design, and uniqueness,” says Homepolish Designer Nicole Fisher. “Many clients are scared of making a color commitment, but one of the biggest mistakes designers can make is not pushing their clients out of their comfort zone.”
2. Painting Small Trim in an Accent Color: Homepolish Designer Nina Jizhar‘s rule of thumb: “If your trim is 3½ inches or smaller, paint it the same color as the wall so it blends in. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a stripe effect around the room. You don’t have to always highlight baseboards and trim by painting them white.”
3. Buying Rugs Without Seeing Them IRL: “[In spite of] the amount of online resources available to us today and the convenience of sourcing online, the color and texture of a rug is not always what you expected,” cautions Jizhar. “Always order a swatch if one is available. If not, consider perhaps purchasing a 2’x3’ or a small runner. It makes a huge difference in nailing down the overall scheme and design plan of a space.”
4. Busy Wallpaper: “So many clients go with a small textured wallpaper thinking it will enhance the space, but once it goes up, it ends up making the room look so small,” Homepolish Designer Kevin Clark notes. “I always recommend a bold or subtle paint to transform a space, and then anchoring the space with great fabrics.”
5. Using the Wrong Fabrics for Your Family: “One of the most important things to consider when designing a family home is making it just as practical as it is beautiful,” Fisher tells us. “With all the fabric technology that is out there now, sacrificing style is not something we need to do when using performance fabrics. And if you have a special, delicate fabric you simply must use, get it treated prior to upholstering, or Scotchgard it after to add extra protection.”
Making room for designer-approved changes at home? Tag @BritandCo in a snap of your pad!
(Images via Claire Esparros and Vivian Johnson for Homepolish)