Here are the top ten decorating mistakes I see all the time. These mistakes are all pretty easy to fix, so don’t fret!
1. Hanging artwork too high
If art is just floating on the wall with nothing beneath it, art should be hung so the middle of the piece is 60″ from the floor. I can always tell if someone super tall hangs the art – it ends up a foot away from the ceiling!
![British inspired living room with custom drapery Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Lindsey-Final-low-res-031-1-1024x683.jpg)
![Blue and white dining room with bar cart and custom drapery Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/16-Putzier-Dining-Room-1024x683.jpg)
If you hang art above a table, bed, or sofa, the art should be between 4″ to 8″ above the top of the furniture. I know this is exactly NOT what non-design-y people want to hear, but the exact perfect height is often just eyeballed. Anything between 4-8″ will work for you, though.
![Girls Room Teal Pink Purple Bulldog Art Lindsey Putzier Design Studio Hudson](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Lindsey-Final-low-res-106-1024x683.jpg)
![Colorful Contemporary Dining Room Hudson, OH Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mcqueen-eclectic-interiors-01-web-1024x683.jpg)
2. Matchy-matchy furniture
Your furniture should not all match. This means your sofa, loveseat, chairs, and ottoman should NOT all be the same fabric. In fact, I strongly recommend that your pieces not even be from the same product line. Timeless homes have a collected feel. There’s nothing less anti-collected that “I bought all of this matching furniture from one place on the same date.”
Side note: It’s completely fine if you have a matching sofa and loveseat. That’s no different than having one large sectional. What kills the design is if you ALSO have matching chairs and/or an ottoman. Mix it up!
![British inspired Living Room Ohio Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Lindsey-Final-low-res-014-1024x683.jpg)
![Bright living room with custom upholstery Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/24-1024x682.png)
![Nostalgic Mid-Century Modern Living Room with custom window treatments Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/8-cropped.jpg)
![Colorful Contemporary Living Room with lots of blues Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mcqueen-eclectic-interiors-14-web-1024x683.jpg)
![Edgy Urban Home with grey and orange accents Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Nish-eclectic-interiors-09-web-1024x683.jpg)
![Bright Family Room with fireplace and custom window seat Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Putzier-ECLECTIC-INTERIORS-FINAL-DEC-5-2019-024-1024x683.jpg)
3. Decorating around a paint color
As I’ve said here, select your paint last. Let me repeat: Paint. Your. House. After. You. Pick. Everything. Else.
Why? Because it’s easy to select a color right from your fabric palette. It’s very difficult and time consuming to have to try to weed through thousands of fabrics to find the one option that might go with the specific shade of seafoam green you fell in love with and painted all through your home.
![Swatches of fabric Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/LXJH2370-768x1024.jpg)
![Colorful Contemporary Home with many accent colors Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mcqueen-eclectic-interiors-16-web-1024x683.jpg)
4. Side tables that aren’t the right scale
Ideally, side tables should be no more than 2″ shorter or taller than the arms of your chair (or sofa, etc.).
The side table’s visual weight should also correspond with the furniture itself. What the heck does that mean? That means if the table is beside chairs that look “light,” such as the bottom right Louis chairs below, then the table should also be “lighter.” In the example below, the table has legs, instead of a solid base, making it lighter. If the chair or sofa is heavier, such as with the leather chairs in the top left image below, the table itself can have a heavier feel. The table in the top left is made of solid reclaimed wood with thicker legs. This weight balances the heavier feel of the chairs.
![Brown side table between brown leather chairs Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Nish-eclectic-interiors-13-web-1024x683.jpg)
![Blue end tables on each end of a sofa with custom pillows Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/17-1024x682.png)
![Round drink table between two red chairs Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/20.jpg)
![Wooden end table between custom chairs with red welting Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Horizontal-15-1024x682.png)
![Round side table between two leather, British inspired chairs Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/14-Putzier-Living-Room-1024x683.jpg)
![Side table between two arm chairs Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mertes-ECLECTIC-INTERIORS-FINAL-DEC-5-2019-018-1024x683.jpg)
5. Bright white trim in a house full of warm neutrals
It is tempting to paint everything the absolute brightest white possible. Sure, it looks very clean and bright. However, bright white doesn’t play very nicely with a lot of more muted tones, such as in the taupe rooms below. Instead of using something like Sherwin-Williams SW 7006 Extra White, try an off-white that looks good with both bright and muted tones, such as Sherwin-Williams SW 7005 Pure White, Sherwin-Williams SW 7008 Alabaster, or Benjamin Moore’s OC-17 White Dove.
![British Inspired Home Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Lindsey-Final-low-res-035-1-1024x683.jpg)
![Kitchen in teal cabinets next to dinette with golden chandelier Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/56-1024x684.jpg)
6. Hanging drapes too low and close together
Oh man. I have seen so many bad drapes. Most people with 8-foot ceilings hang 84″ drapery panels, which puts the rod right at the top of the window’s trim. If your goal is to make your windows feel as short as possible, then congratulations – that’ll do it.
People also tend to hang their rods just to the widow’s left and right edges. When they go to open the panels, the panels cover half of the window. If your goal is to have as little natural light in the room a possible, the congratulations – you’re a drapery master!
![Before image with drapes hung too low and close together Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_2568-1024x768.jpg)
If you’d rather your windows not feel squatty and block most of your natural light, then hang your draperies above the top of the window frame and wider than the window. When the drapes are open, they should not block any of the window’s glass.
How high above the window frame should you hang your drapes? That’s more of a personal preference, as well as a “What looks best with the style of your home?” question. For more traditional homes, I tend to hang the drapes halfway between the window and the ceiling molding. For a more contemporary feel, I go with drapes hung right to the ceiling (or the ceiling molding).
![Custom window treatments Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Lindsey-Final-low-res-009-1024x683.jpg)
![Red and cream geometric patterned custom window treatments Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/3.jpg)
7. Putting a small rug in a big room
All of your main furniture needs to have at least its front legs on top of your rug. A postage-stamp sized rug is going to chop up the visual lines of the room. In an average sized living room, the smallest your rug should possibly be is 8′ x 10′. In a larger room, you’ll need at least a 9′ x 12′, if not a 10′ x 14′. In really large rooms, you may need two different rugs, or one large custom-sized rug.
![Before image of Living Room with too small of a rug Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/image21-rotated.jpeg)
![After image of Colorful Contemporary Living Room with larger rug Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mcqueen-eclectic-interiors-14-web-1-1024x683.jpg)
![Family Room with custom valances, custom upholstery, and large rug Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/82.jpg)
8. Too many tiny accessories everywhere
When it comes to accessories, less is more. Every surface doesn’t need to be covered with knickknacks and tchotchkes. As a general rule, opt for fewer large accessories, rather than more tiny accessories.
![Blue Backsplash tiled kitchen with large, open windows Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/HaymarketHome-42-1024x683.jpg)
Bookshelves should also have breathing room. Bookshelves are the perfect place to display collections (and books, of course). However, make sure there is space between your items. Let the eye rest every once in a while.
![White built in cabinets filled with a colorful variety of decor accessories Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/12-1-683x1024.png)
![White built in cabinets filled with a colorful variety of decor accessories Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mertes-ECLECTIC-INTERIORS-FINAL-DEC-5-2019-022-683x1024.jpg)
![Blue office built in cabinets filled with a colorful variety of decor accessories Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Lindsey-Final-low-res-040-683x1024.jpg)
9. Lining furniture against the walls
Your furniture does not have to live like Wyatt Earp, with its back constantly against a wall in fear of a surprise attack. Float your furniture away from the walls to create a more inviting and practical conversation area!
![Before Image of Family Room with furniture lined against the walls Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_3008-1024x768.jpg)
![After Image of Family Room with furniture placed strategically throughout the room Before Image of Family Room with furniture lined against the walls Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mertes-ECLECTIC-INTERIORS-FINAL-DEC-5-2019-009-1024x683.jpg)
![Family Room with custom valances and custom upholstery Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/85.jpg)
10. Playing it too safe with color
This one should in no way surprise you. My love of color is well documented. Don’t fear color! It won’t bite. If you are super color-phobic, start small. Pillows. Accessories. Artwork. Pick a color and go for it. After you get used to a little color, your confidence will increase, and you can upgrade to adding colors to your rugs, window treatments, and maybe even furniture! Check out the difference a little color made to the rooms below.
![Before Image of Living Room with few colors Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Family-1-1024x768.jpg)
![After Image of Living Room with sofa covered in colorful pillows Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/8-1024x682.png)
![Before Image of Dark Blue drapery in Dining Room space Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Charlotte-DR-1-1024x768.jpg)
![After Image of colorful 3 tiered drapery with teal, green, and dark blue Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/48-a.jpg)
![Before Image of Loft Area Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/image1-rotated.jpeg)
![After Image of Loft Area with light blue paint, and brightened pops of color Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/38-1024x684.jpg)
![Before Image of white Dining Room built-in shelves Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_3026-1024x768.jpg)
![After Image of white with blue backdrop Dining Room built-in shelves Lindsey Putzier Design Studio](https://www.eclecticinteriors.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Mertes-ECLECTIC-INTERIORS-FINAL-DEC-5-2019-014-1024x681.jpg)
That’s a wrap! Are you guilty of any of these design mistakes? Don’t beat yourself up – they’re all easy to fix! If you need help, let’s chat!