DO’S AND DON’TS OF DECORATING: The Common Mistakes That Ruin a Room
There are absolutely some principles that have to be implemented for a successfully designed/decorated room — a space where you instantly feel relaxed and pulled in, no matter the color palette or the style.
The room I’m sharing with you today is an example of what NOT to do.
Unfortunately, I walk into far too many spaces where the same mistakes show up again and again. I’m breaking it down here to help anyone struggling with a room that just doesn’t feel right. This isn’t about taste, style, or personal preferences. It’s about the basic principles of design: proportion, scale, contrast, and balance.
This is the room under consideration today, which is an example of what NOT to do if you want to design a space that feels alive, is inviting and a pleasing one to spend time in.
WHAT NOT TO DO
It is clearly illustrated by this rough sketch that placing curtain rods as high as you can creates the illusion of height and openness.
Don’t: Hang Curtains Too Low
You might have a room with decent proportions and good ceiling height, but as soon as the curtains are hung just above the window frame, the height of the room is cut off. This is the quickest way to make a room feel shorter and cramped.
What to do instead: Take those curtains all the way up — closer to the ceiling or right below the crown molding. This draws the eye upward and gives the illusion of height, even in smaller rooms. It's one of those small adjustments that makes a big impact.
Don’t: Hang Art Too High
Art that’s hung too high instantly makes the space feel awkward — and it’s awful for your neck.
What to do instead: The museum rule is to hang art at eye level when a piece is hung by itself — typically with the center around 57–60 inches from the floor. When placed above furniture, it should feel like the two are together, like they come as a package. Ideally, the artwork should be 6–8 inches above the furniture.
Don’t: Buy Matching Furniture Sets
A matching furniture set makes the room feel like a big box showroom and not like the people who live in that home. All the matchy matchy instantly makes the space feel sterile and stale.
What to do instead: An eclectic mix of furniture — in materials, finishes, shapes, and styles — makes a room interesting. It shows that thought and care have been put into decorating this room.
Don’t: Use a Rug That’s Too Small
An undersized rug throws off the scale of the entire room. Here, the rug feels like a floating island in the middle of the room, as none of the furniture on the perimeter is sitting on it.
What to do instead: Choose a rug large enough for at least the front legs of all major furniture pieces to sit on it. It helps ground the room and unify the layout. Ideally, the whole furniture setup would be sitting on the rug.
Don’t: Use a Tiny Coffee Table in a Large Seating Area
Because the coffee table is too small, it’s not serving its purpose. No one can use it in this setting. To be used by a group of people, it would have to be pulled to one side — but then the other side has no surface to put their glass down. A too-small coffee table leaves the space feeling out of proportion. Like the rug, the coffee table also feels like a floating island in the center of the room.
What to do instead: The distance between the sofa and the coffee table should be 15–18", so someone seated can easily reach out and put a glass down. In some situations, the room might even need two coffee tables.
Don’t: Skimp on Layered Lighting
The two lamps are insufficient for the room to have an ambiance where one wants to spend time. The flush mount creates unflattering shadows. Never depend solely on your ceiling fixture to illuminate the room.
What to do instead: Layered lighting is the key to an atmospheric environment. Several levels of light are needed to create a room that is inviting. Also — a ceiling fixture’s job is just to act as a pretty piece of jewelry, and that’s it. An attractive fixture helps pull the eye upward, creating the illusion of height. Its job is not to light up the whole room — they create the most unflattering shadows. It really is an expensive accessory, but totally worth it.
10 THINGS TO DO NOW
Now, this room could truly benefit from a full makeover — starting with a fresh coat of paint — and not just any neutral slapped on the wall, but a color chosen intentionally, not because it’s “safe” or “goes with everything.”
Trim work on the wall will add character and depth to the room. Depth is a key element in design used to add interest into any space.
But if a full makeover isn’t in the books right now — here are 10 things to do right now to give the room a serious glow-up.
1- Statement Art
This first step is the hardest, but once done correctly, everything will fall in place.
Find a piece of artwork that speaks to you and is ginormous in size and full of colors that make you feel alive! keep you rmind open and pick only what you fall in love with. Dont try to match it to anything.
This piece will go above the sofa on the left wall and should be two-thirds the width of the sofa. Hang it about 6 to 8 inches above the backrest.
If you find it challenging to find soulful art, check out my practical tips to find meaningful art for your home.
2- Window Treatment
Chances are that the existing curtains will clash with the new statement art. If that is the case, remove them, and just live with the blinds till there’s a budget for new curtains ( Cant believe I said that)
When investing in new curtains, make to hang them close to the ceiling, and that they are long enough to kiss the floor,
3- Accent Chairs
Pull a color from the new artwork and bring it in through accent chairs. Ideally, the chairs should be in a pattered fabric, because right now the room lacks pattern.
When a space feels dull or lifeless, it’s almost always missing pattern.
Yes, finding good patterned chairs at retail is tough. This is why designers often go the custom route.
A pair of chairs will instantly break the monotony of the matching sofa set. A room where everything is the same shape, color, texture, and style ends up looking flat and predictable.
When you’re not buying a matching set all at once from a big-box store — and instead curating your space over time — it’s going to take longer. And that’s okay. Taking the time to find the right pieces — and waiting for what actually fits your vision and life — is part of the process, and it’s worth it.
4- Pattern
Pick two additional colors from the painting that speak to you, and bring those into the room through pillows. Mix your pillows thoughtfully - maybe a floral paired with a geometric paired with an animal pattern or an animal on the pillow.
Buy only one pillow design in a pair — the rest should be all individual pieces.
Play with different pattern scales and sizes of pillow. Then scatter them across the sofa and chairs to spread out the color in the room and minimize the effect of the big blob of grey.
5- Lampshades
Replace the white placeholder lampshades on the existing lamps with pleated patterned shades - this instantly adds personality, color and texture.
Also consider adding more table and floor lamps to create pools of light throughout the room. Most rooms are underlit — and lighting is everything.
6- Variety in Height
Right now, everything in the room is sitting at the same level. Add some vertical interest with an ornate floor mirror on one side of the front wall. On the other side, display something personal on pedestal — maybe a sculpture or an antque vase.
7- Coffee Table
The room needs a new coffee table. There should be only 15–18 inches of space between the coffee table and the front edge of the sofa — enough to move comfortably, but still close enough to set down a drink.
Also: pull your seating a few inches away from the wall. It’s a small shift that instantly makes the room feel more thoughtful and intentional.
8- Rug
The rug should be large enough for the entire seating group to sit on it. Right now, the rug is floating. A properly scaled rug anchors the furniture and unifies the room.
9- Statement ceiling fixture.
This room desperately needs a focal point above. The existing builder grade light needs to be swapped for something with ‘presence’. A ceiling fixture is not just functional — it’s a design moment. The bigger the better!
10- Ambiance Lighting
Atmospheric spaces always have layered lighting. To add another dimension to the room, add a picture light above the statement artwork and a three-light sconce or sculptural light fixture on the right side between the window.
And finally...
The key to successful decorating is to have a vision. It’s worth pausing to really understand who you are and what makes you unique — so when you're ready to design your home, you’re not just shopping randomly. You’re selecting what speaks to your soul.
A well-decorated home isn’t one where items are simply bought to fill space. It’s a home where each piece has meaning, and reflects your personality and your family's story. A space that truly represents you will always feel more inviting than one that resembles a showroom.
If the principles of decorating feel overwhelming, it's worth getting a decorator on your team. There are professionals for a reason. A good designer will help you dig deeper and uncover your vision. They’ll also help you avoid costly mistakes — such as furnishing an entire room in one go, with no personality or purpose.
If you’ve hit a design dilemma and need help figuring it out, book a virtual design consult today.
