First-Home Décor Mistakes You’re Probably Guilty Of

First-Home Décor Mistakes You’re Probably Guilty Of

Charmaine Kon by Charmaine Kon on Aug 12, 2017
Why you should care

Designing your first home can be tricky as it’s as easy to spend too little money on it as it is to spend too much. Fortunately, many others have paved the way and made the mistakes so that the rest of us can learn from them. Take a look at all the common mistakes most homeowners make, and see how you can avoid them.

Practice makes perfect, and that’s why most first homes fall a little short.

If a design, colour, or piece of furniture in your nest is bothering you, it might just be one of these.

Everything is Same Same

You’re not the first person to fall in love with an Ikea showroom then think it harmless to buy everything and paste it into your home, only to realise that…your home looks like an Ikea showroom.

Ikea living area

SOURCE: Ikea.com

When everything looks too similar, the home will lack personality and as a result, can feel a little clinical. Take your time to shop and fill your home; you don’t have to furnish the whole house at one go. Slowly add items to the home, especially unique pieces that you find while travelling or that you receive as gifts.

eclectic living room

SOURCE: designsponge.com

All Safe Choices

The first time I went furniture shopping, I could hardly believe that a couch could cost RM5,000, and as couches go, isn’t counted expensive. As a result, it’s tempting to buy many budget-friendly pieces instead of investing in fewer expensive pieces. This misconception is a double whammy, as you’ll likely end up buying most of your furniture from the same budget-friendly store.

The same goes for bold choices like paint colours and large furniture pieces. You’re afraid that the room won’t come together, so you keep your walls, furniture, and décor neutral. This results in a neat home that probably doesn’t match your personality.

Contemporary dining room

SOURCE: interiorsbystudiom.com

Instead, take the leap! Invest in one or two sturdy, expensive features (e.g. rug, wallpaper, headboard) and decorate the room around it. Likewise, include a bold feature (e.g. yellow wall, quirky chandelier) and leave the rest of the room neutral.

chandelier bedroom

SOURCE: mydomaine.com

Wrong Furniture Size

You’ve just purchased a swanky new condominium, and your parents, bless their hearts, want to help you out with a hand-me-down sofa. The problem is that it’s way too chunky for your living room. As a result, your coffee and TV table have to be tiny, resulting in a really awkward furniture-to-furniture and furniture-to-room scale.

Small living room

SOURCE: blog.havenly.com

Always measure your space and consider all your furniture together. A chunky piece will overshadow a slim and sleek piece, so make sure to keep the size of the items balanced. Smaller furniture for small rooms; bigger furniture for big rooms. It’s simple, yet often neglected advice!

Not Lit Enough

Most homes rely too much in single direction lighting source which are mostly downlights. You’d be surprised how multiple source lighting can really influence the ambience of a room and highlight focal points.

Bedside light

SOURCE: biancaswohnlust.blogspot.cz

For the living room, add floor lamps, TV cabinet lights, or picture lights. For bedrooms, add table lamps or bed reading lights. There’s no point in decorating the home down to the finest details if you can’t see them!

Prioritising Paint

You’ve had this amazing blue pinned in your ‘Dream Home’ board for the longest time. Now that you have your new home, you immediately paint your bedroom in that same shade. Once you’ve populated it with furniture and lighting though, you realise that the wall is too light/dark/bright/blue.

décor home

SOURCE: kellymartininteriors.com

Instead of choosing your paint colour first, ask for paint samples to paint a swatch and test it with your lighting. If samples are not available, then hold off on purchasing the paint. Instead, look around for furniture or décor pieces while you bookmark a few paint choices. You might just fall in love with colourful decor that might clash with that blue wall.

Want to renovate your first home? Click on the ‘Request Quote’ button on the images to receive free quotations from Malaysian interior designers.
You can also check out other local interior design portfolios.

Cover image from ikea-us.com.

Why you should care

Designing your first home can be tricky as it’s as easy to spend too little money on it as it is to spend too much. Fortunately, many others have paved the way and made the mistakes so that the rest of us can learn from them. Take a look at all the common mistakes most homeowners make, and see how you can avoid them.

More Tips
Live Chat