8 Decorative Mistakes You Should Always Avoid

There are some decorative mistakes that are repeated over and over again. Find out which ones they are and put our advice into practice to have the house you've always dreamed of.
8 Decorative Mistakes You Should Always Avoid

Last update: 02 July, 2021

When decorating, you may have a lot of doubts. To help you on the arduous path of creating the home you’ve always dreamed of, here are eight decorative mistakes you should always avoid.

At the end of the day, everything’s based on following the formulas that work for practically everyone, regardless of your style and your tastes. If you follow these tips, you’ll see that you’ll fall in love with your home. You’ll find it more welcoming and much more practical.

The decorative mistakes you should always avoid

There are combinations that don’t work, distributions of furniture that subtract meters, and materials that make it difficult for light to pass through. Get critical and avoid these eight decor mistakes that’ll make your home uncomfortable. 

1. Decorative mistakes you should always avoid: lighting the bathroom mirror from above

8 decorative mistakes you can avoid

When it comes to lighting the mirrored area, especially in the bathroom, the more frontal the light, the better. Otherwise, it’ll create undesirable shadows on your face.

You can place two wall lights on the sides, or opt for perimeter lighting that comes from behind the mirror. In this way, the whole face is illuminated.

2. Saturate small bathrooms

If your bathroom is small, you should consider its layout well. On the one hand, the use of a bidet is especially discouraged, since it’ll subtract about 70-80 centimeters of space, plus another 20 centimeters that you must leave on each side.

The same goes for the bathtub. Ok, they’re wonderful, but if your bathroom is small, it’s better that you install a more practical, functional shower tray that adds a visual lightness to your space.

3. Don’t take advantage of the passageways

If you have a wide enough passage area (at least 130 centimeters), you have a treasure. It’s not about filling it with junk and furniture, rather it’s about taking advantage of it with a cupboard or custom-made cabinets to facilitate order at home.

4. Decorative mistakes that you should always avoid: not thinking about the day-to-day

What was the interior decoration like in medieval palaces?

Surely you’ve been in one of those houses decorated only for guests. Those huge and spotless dining rooms where it’s more than evident that no one has sat down in years, right? Well, that’s a mistake.

Furnish and decorate your home according to the tastes and needs of those who inhabit it. A dining room with a couple of extra chairs is fine, as well as a comfortable living room for family time and a kitchen that invites you to create delicious recipes.

5. Aesthetics over functionality

Neither one nor the other: you must find the perfect balance. A house has to be comfortable, cozy, and vivid; while it must also remain clean and tidy.

Look for furniture that’s beautiful and decorative, but easy to clean and maintain. The same with the floors and walls. For example, do you know about vinyl flooring? It’s an ideal way to give your kitchen a touch of design and it’s easy to clean.

6. Not planning the lighting in your house

Spotlights and light bars for the kitchen.

Lighting your spaces well is important. Therefore, it’s essential to anticipate the furniture distribution, the curtain material, and, of course, the type of activities that you’ll perform in each area.

If you opt for lighting that you can regulate with intensity controllers, it’ll make things much easier for you. Don’t forget to combine the different types of light: general, ambient, and specific.

7. Decorative mistakes you should always avoid: not taking proportions into account

Depending on the spaces you have, these will be the pieces you decorate with. For example, if you have high ceilings, you need to fill the room with large furniture, maxi mirrors, and vertical elements that add harmony.

If instead, you have a small space, the key is to add a few elements so that your space isn’t saturated and feels even smaller.

8. Not giving the sofa the importance it deserves

There’s nothing that detracts from a living room more than having a sofa that’s too big or too small. Take out the tape measure so as not to make mistakes when choosing your sofa.

Consider a corner piece if your space is small; you’ll see how you can take advantage of the meters in the corner. Afterward, don’t forget to decorate the back wall of the sofa.

These are just some of the decorative mistakes you can avoid. Make a note so you can remedy it before it’s too late. With a little common sense and by following these tips, you’ll have that cozy, bright house full of personal elements with which you’ll always feel comfortable.