Have you ever looked at a house in an interiors magazine and wondered why the places captured always look so well put together?
Styling has a huge part to play in why a home looks visually brilliant.
With this in mind, FEMAIL enlisted the help of Sydney-based interior design expert, Sally Bevan, to find out the five biggest mistakes you could make when styling your dream home.
FEMAIL enlisted the help of Sydney-based interior design expert, Sally Bevan, to find out the five biggest mistakes you could make when styling your dream home
Among the top mistakes are following the rules – Ms Bevan said a rug can make a great throw for a sofa for instance (pictured)
1. FOLLOWING THE RULES
While this might sound counter-intuitive, Ms Bevan explained that when you follow the rules, occasionally things don’t turn out how you might like:
‘Remember, you don’t always have to follow the recommended use of things,’ she told FEMAIL.
By way of example, Ms Bevan highlighted that often, a king-sized duvet will work better for a queen bed.
‘Coverlets and bed shams, particularly ones with beautiful embroidery, also make for great sofa covers – and they have the added benefit of being really hard working,’ she added.
The designer recommended you try bench seating ‘for a casual dining arrangement, particularly for round tables’.
She also said that when you don’t need to extra seating, they can make for ‘fantastic, easy living surfaces on which to pile books, magazines or baskets’.
Finally in this category, Ms Bevan said you should use ‘two side tables as coffee tables’:
‘They are small, take up less space – and you can drag one over to where you are sitting on the sofa, so your cup of tea or glass of wine is in reach’.
‘Remember, you don’t always have to follow the recommended use of things,’ the expert told FEMAIL – in this regard, benches can make great casual dining set-ups
‘Whatever your budget is, a rug can really set a space alight,’ Ms Bevan told FEMAIL – but you have to get the sizing and the placement exactly right (pictured)
2. NOT NAILING RUG SIZING AND PLACEMENT
For Ms Bevan, a rug makes a room.
‘Whatever your budget is, a rug can really set a space alight,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘And getting the rug sizing right is crucial – a rug that is too big for a space is impossible to fix, while one that’s too small can make a space look awkward’.
The expert explained that ‘people often make the mistake of thinking that a rug needs to be much larger than the furniture layout it sits under, when actually, it’s more about the sizing of the rug when placed right’.
‘In most cases, the right placing will be the rug set under at least two legs of edge seating,’ she said.
‘In most cases, the right placing will be the rug set under at least two legs of edge seating,’ Ms Bevan explained (stock image)
It’s also vital to strike the right balance between quality and price – you can do this by working out the ‘cost per use’ of various items
3. NOT STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN QUALITY AND PRICE
It’s the age old debate – should you go for quality or value for money?
Both, if you believe Ms Bevan, but it’s important to know when to opt for one and when to choose the other.
‘Work out which things you’ll get the most use out of, and separate that from the things you will gain the most enjoyment from,’ she said.
‘Ideally, you should try and strike a balance between the two.’
Ms Bevan recommends working out the ‘cost per use’, because it will help you to figure out whether you’re ‘really saving money by scrimping on soft furnishings that you’ll have to re-buy in six months time’.
Try making a list of items to find out what the investment buys are.
‘Work out which things you’ll get the most use out of, and separate that from the things you will gain the most enjoyment from,’ Ms Bevan said (stock image)
‘There is a tendency to overestimate the capacity of space when it comes to buying furniture,’ Ms Bevan said – try and buy things which are the right size for where you’re living
4. BUYING FURNITURE THAT IS TOO BIG FOR THE SPACE
Living in a two-bedroomed apartment in the city, but fallen in love with a giant, rustic table for your kitchen? Think twice before buying it.
‘There is a tendency to overestimate the capacity of space when it comes to buying furniture,’ Ms Bevan said.
‘Chunky pieces or pieces that are too big can instantly shrink a room and make the whole setup feel cumbersome.’
She advises opting for pieces that seem smaller ‘to reduce the feeling of bulk’ – or pieces with what she calls ‘underspace’:
‘If space is limited, consider going for a sofa with a little leg or foot, over a base that touches the floor,’ she said.
‘Also, smaller armchair varieties are more adequate than people might think – and they look great when placed correctly in a room.’
Finally, Ms Bevan said that if you’re the opposite of a design expert, and have reached a wall with making decor decisions, you shouldn’t rule out enlisting the help of the pros
5. NOT CONSIDERING PROFESSIONAL HELP
Finally, Ms Bevan said that if you’re the opposite of a design expert, and have reached a wall with making decor decisions, you shouldn’t rule out enlisting the help of the pros.
‘Rather than going it alone or simply living with unresolved spaces, why not consider working with someone whose job it is to help with these very problems,’ she said.
‘A designer can also help you to get the most bang for your budget, thanks to their deep knowledge of pieces on the market.’
The expert concluded by saying ‘your home has the potential to drain or energise your day.
‘A home to love is one investment that is more than worth making.’