Design Elements that are Difficult to Get Right

L ately I have been decluttering and cleaning out all my superflorous items. I am craving a much cleaner look, even though it is no where near done.

Ever sit in a room, and it just bugs you? Yea, I got that.

I am trying to understand, then correct my design mistakes.

I have been known to change and add pillows, bedspreads, chairs, add vintage tables, lamps and artwork, until my original vision is lost. I kept adding and adding to get "the look" right, and suddenly I realized: What I really needed was to Edit!

Here is my list of design elements I have found are difficult, if not impossible, to get right:

1. Tons of Pillows: more often than not, this just ends up looking messy, all the time

Right, then Wrong....

HGTV

courtesy of uglyhousephotos

2. Mixed Fabric Patterns: very difficult to end up looking cohesive without being too matchy

3. Cool color pallettes, blues, grays, purples: Most people have wood furnture, and these colors don't really play well with most wood.

4. Mix of Styles, ie. Vintage with Modern, etc: Ends up looking like a mish-mash garage sale

I actually love this Rose Cumming Zebrine bedroom, but wow that's hard to pull off in your typical suburban home, yes?

courtesy of designcrisis

5. "Glam/ Regency" look, ie. mirrored furniture, crystal, and chrome elements: this can too easily wind up cheesy rather than elegant

6. "Anthro": Ends up looking a bit too Grandma

7. Shabby Chic: Again, looks cheesy OR Grandma

8. Gallery Walls: I am a big fan, but when they aren't right, they are horrid.

uglyhouses

TIPS
If you find a room is just not doing it for you anymore maybe you have lost your way, try REMOVING things. It helps to regain your original vision for a room.

Let your large furniture elements be the feature in a room: An antique armoire, for example, or a statement sofa or chair

Take ALL you pillows off the bed/couch and start putting them back one at a time. STOP when it looks bad.

Rethink your fabrics.... I thought I was committed to my beloved Black and White fabric pillows and prints, until I removed them. Now the room looks so much more put together. Even though I still love Black and White, I realized it was not playing well with the other colors in that room. I moved them to another space for now.

I have removed this week:

Stacks of pillows from my den and living room
Candlesticks displayed on the tops of my shelving
90% of the decor items off my coffee table
Dying house plants
Dressers from bedrooms not being used (from my Kids' rooms... I am planning on installing Martha Stewart closets elements instead)
Tons of framed photos
Books I am finished reading

I'll be posting a Before & After of my efforts later this week.

Make it a Great Day!
Ann