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

Effective Ceramic Stovetop Cleaner

You know, the mess thats left after cooking Christmas dinner? Clean it 1-2-3 with this great method! Using all natural houshold ingredients!

Have about 1 cup boiling water, a few tablespoons of white vinegar, and baking soda.

Sprinkle the baking soda on the mess, now add the vinegar right on top: let this sit a few minutes. It will bubble up.

Now top with the boiling water (be careful not to let it drip down the sides)

Let this sit up to 20 minutes. Wipe off with a regular scrubby sponge or a magic Eraser.  Baked on sugar mess can be scraped off with a razor blade, but most of it will be removed with some elbow grease and the sponge.

After!

Make it a Great Day!

Ann