Courtney Warren is a Texas-based interior designer whose work has been featured in Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Apartment Therapy, and Today.com. She is a frequent consultant on Fox 4 TV’s Good Day program in Dallas, was ranked in the top 3 percent of interior designers in the US by Houzz.com, and starred in the Dallas episode of TLC’sFour Houses. She delights in helping overwhelmed clients create beautiful spaces—and will never turn down a warm chocolate chip cookie or Diet Dr Pepper.
Crafting the perfect home doesn’t have to be a challenge! You can learn the five most common decorating errors, so you can design with confidence.
Decorating Mistake #1: Nostalgia furniture
The happy memories of that chair/sofa/bed/table at Grandma’s may not translate to your current home. Sometimes the furniture fits in (maybe as an accent piece), but often it doesn’t. Keep the memory and let the item go. Refresh your home with good quality, classic pieces.
Decorating Mistake #2: Overdoing trends that don’t age well.
For example, heavy baronial-style furniture (often with iron accents) had its day, along with Tuscan kitchens. If you bought into some of this look, it may be time to trade your big, brown furniture for a lighter, brighter approach. Don’t overinvest in decor fads that will soon be gone.
Decorating Mistake #3: Too color shy
Don’t do beige (or greige) just because it seems “safe”. Who wants safe? A punch of color can take a room from “meh” to “My oh my!”
Decorating Mistake #4: Forgetting your tape measure
Trust me: the “oh-that-looks-about-right” approach in the furniture store does NOT WORK. Take measurements of your room (better yet, draw out a scale model on paper or use a room design app) and buy the right scale furniture to start with. Furniture that is either too big or too small throws the whole room off.
Decorating Mistake #5: Cheaping out on lighting
Whether it’s inadequate lighting, the wrong kind of lighting (fluorescent!) or the wrong style, your lighting choices have a huge influence on how your room looks AND functions. Make sure you have good general overhead lighting as well as task lighting–then add in lovely accent lighting.
Do you have decor errors you’re trying to fix? If you live in the DFW area, here’s some good news!
I specialize in helping you love your home.