Out With The Old…In With The New

“Over-decorating. It’s important to have visual pauses in rooms to create quiet moments.”
—Ann Haagenson, divisional merchandise manager at Anthropologie

“Too many different materials in the same space! I tend to be a materials minimalist. Reducing your materials palette is key to a clean, timeless look.”
—Don Stewart, designer

“One thing I always notice is that people are afraid to take risks at home. They play it too safe and feel paralyzed with too many choices, then their houses end up looking cookie-cutter with zero personality. I believe it’s important to try things out when decorating a home. Paint a wall a crazy color! Hang up a huge painting that you scored at a garage sale! If you get tired of the way something looks, change it up. I like to think of the home as a wet canvas; the process of home decor is ever-evolving. If you mess up and it looks terrible, you’ve learned something, right? The end result should match your personality.”
—Justina Blakeney, designer, artist, author

“Curtains mounted too low. Aim to mount them as close to the ceiling as possible—it will make the ceilings look higher.”
—Katie Hodges, interior designer

“People think that if they have small spaces they should use small furniture, and it’s actually the opposite. Volume will trick the eye and fill the space, making it all look more meaningful.”
—Maria Brito, interior designer, author, curator

“I do not find it interesting when an interior is either all classic or all modern. There needs to be a mix of pieces in order for a space to be interesting and engaging.”
—Sara Story, designer

“When there is no place to put your drink! It can be frustrating when extreme sparsity and prettiness have no relation to function.”
—Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe, interior designers

“The biggest mistake is buying everything from one store or one showroom or one collection. This makes for an uncreative and uninspired interior. Instead, take a little time to research antiques and more artisanal  companies to add into the mix. It may take more time and effort, but the result is so rewarding.”
—Sasha Bikoff, interior designer

“My biggest pet peeve is seeing decor with an area rug the size of a postage stamp. So many people under-scale a rug, which makes a room feel smaller and unbalanced. Dining chairs should never fall off a rug when pulled out. If we’re scaling a rug for a room, typically we measure anywhere from 6 to 12 inches off the walls or baseboard.”
—Anne Hepfer, interior designer

“Being afraid to break rules. Sometimes ‘mistakes’ turn into the best design moments. Decide what you want to feel in a space, then let the design arise out of that idea.”
—Kelly Wearstler, designer”

We especially love the third one down by Justina Blakeney!  Check it out again.

Most importantly, absolutely fill your house with love and joy.  You cannot go wrong with those two elements!