Top 10 Interior Design Mistakes

Interior design is key for anyone trying to make the most of the small or limited spaces they have. Especially trying to fit two kids into a single bedroom or running a home office without a separate room for an office can make life hectic and clutter your interior. Here are 10 personal experiences I had to deal with over the years - and ways to solve the problem.

10) A place for everything and everything in it's place.
If you find you have piles of paper, bags, kids' toys, and maybe even trash you really need to get organized. One way is to get a bunch of those stacking organizer trays. Use a small label to write what goes on that tray and when you have time to file it away it's easy to separate. This keeps all the "clutter" of papers and such in one location where you can easily find it but off the dining room table.

9) Dark = drab.
Dark colors close a room in and make it seem smaller than it really is. This is enhanced by dark color fabrics on beds and furniture. Brighten the room up with white pillows, or "sponge" or dry paint over the darker color with a complimentary light color. I used dark teal (my favorite color) and sponged over it with bright blue/white. It felt like I was in a forest - and feeling I later enhanced with a wall paper border.

8) Small changes avoid depression.
If you spend many hours indoors make sure to shake up your living space a bit. If your bedroom is all white pick a wall and make it another color or use wall paper just on that one wall (preferably without a window so it goes quick and easy. This keeps your mind occupied so you don't become depressed - a common occurrence over the winter months when people are locked indoors for many hours at a time.

7) Pictures != taste.
Some people think when you have bare walls and cannot paint (like a rental or sharing space) you should add as many pictures to your space as possible to make it look homey. I guess this depends on your definition of homey - do you want to feel like thousands of eyes are watching you? This was fashionable in the Victorian era, but now-days you may want a few photos or personal wall hangings. Keep it simple and pick a single theme to stick to. Nothing looks worse than a lighthouse in the middle of a Kansas Prarie!

6) My parent's had one.
So what? Just because your parents had one doesn't mean it will fit with your lifestyle or personality. I have a dining table but I find I use it more for crafts and meetings than I do for dining. We often have dinner where I read a book to my children while I am feeding my son, then after they are full and done I get to eat. Keeps me from overeating and they aren't glued to the television during dinner. Make sure it fits your lifestyle before you spend hundreds just because your parent's have one.

5) Storage spaces are cheap.
Wrong, before you visit that garage sale and pick up more stuff you have no room for check your storage situation. Storage lockers are $25-$150 per month - that's $300-$1800 per year wasted just because you don't have room for it. Unless the item is a "must have" and you have somewhere to put it, it's not really a bargain just because it is cheap.

4) Lamps are fashion, not function.
Wrong again. If you look at those "wonderful" lights on your ceiling and the size bulb you are using you will probably find that a cheap lamp from a thrift store can cut your lighting bill in half, or more. A ceiling lamp is designed to light a large area, but if you just need it for reading at your chair you can find many fashionable lamps to fit the area and use a lot less electricity. And, yes, those energy saving bulbs really are worthwhile to reduce your electric bill even further.

3) Pick a theme and only what fits that theme goes in the room.
This is a truth and a false. When it comes to décor and what gets put on your walls and fills other decorative spaces you do want to pick a theme to stick to. However, many people then find it hard to fit their necessities - like the rustic den where you have to have your computer. Make the theme fit what you want, and don't be bothered by the occasional eccentricity - If the desk fits the décor then the computer fits the function and your space is feng shui.

2) Feng Shui.
Yes, there is a place for Feng Shui in every household. Most of the time I recommend this for the rooms where you are going to spend more than 3 hours a day - living, bed, and den or office. But, much of the time if you just put what feels right where it feels right - and don't be afraid to change what doesn't - you will find your room more comfortable than anything you could feng shui.

1) Your space is your own, treat it that way.
Strange as it may sound, you should not look at another person's home and try to copy it exactly. Yes, that spread in Better Homes and Gardens was beautiful, but is it really you? If you like something see if it fits into your decorative ideas, but that spread is someone else's idea of comfortable and beautiful living. Try ideas and don't be afraid to experiment to find the perfect comfort and homey feel for you.