Create a space you won\u2019t regret by avoiding the 10 most common design mistakes made by homeowners:<\/span><\/p>\n While trendy items can be a fun way to spruce up your space, the key is to only buy into those that fit your personal style. Neil Jonsohn, Principal Designer at Toronto-based interior design firm Union 31<\/a>, said to use discretion with trends, especially if you\u2019re looking for something timeless that you\u2019ll love for longer than a few months.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf it’s the type of place you’re going to live in for three years and then you’re basically just going to throw everything out or hopefully donate it to people who need it, then go ahead and buy the most trendy piece of furniture. But if it\u2019s something that you intend to live with, then make sure it\u2019s something that you\u2019ll be able to live within five years or ten years,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n First and foremost, Jonsohn said, the pieces in your space should reflect your own unique style.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI always think it\u2019s fantastic when you walk into a space and you know the person and they wear the space that they\u2019re living in. I think it\u2019s a mistake to just follow a trend because it\u2019s trendy if it doesn\u2019t suit you,\u201d Jonsohn said.<\/span><\/p>\n Jonsohn also cautioned against using too much of the same color, pattern or texture. He said that layering fabrics and materials can help create a multidimensional, interesting look.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I see a lot of people do is they\u2019ll buy everything in, let\u2019s say, leather. But you need to mix things, you can’t just do everything in black and white leather, it just doesn’t read right. You need to mix different textures and what not,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Not only is it important to mix textures and fabrics, but Jonsohn said that buying pieces and accessories from a variety of different stores and brands can infuse the space with more life and movement. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI remember when I was younger having friends whose entire place was IKEA and you knew it. You walked in and it was the IKEA sofa and the IKEA coffee table and I suppose it\u2019s easy, but I much prefer spaces where it expresses who they are and their personalities,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n All too often, homeowners will design their space based on norms and societal expectations, when they should be letting their lifestyle dictate how they use the space. Before diving into the decorating process, Jonsohn suggested taking a step back and thinking about what you need from your home.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think people need to think about how they live. A lot of times they have the dining room because everyone has a dining room, but if you never have people over for dinner and you usually eat on the sofa, why don\u2019t you just use the whole living space as your living room?\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think you often need to edit ideas. You may have six great ideas for your space but maybe the space isn\u2019t big enough for six ideas, maybe it\u2019s only big enough for two of them. You kind of want a narrative that runs through the entire space,\u201d Jonsohn said.<\/span><\/p>\n While trying out new ideas in your space can be exciting, it\u2019s important to take into account the size, shape and overall feel of your home. Jonsohn warns that not everything you admire in a magazine or a friend\u2019s home will work in your own space, and trying to force things will only lead to disaster.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s an amazing idea to draw inspiration from visual imagery whether it\u2019s Houzz or Pinterest or a magazine, but it has to be a similar space to yours. You may love that oversized Italian sofa in the magazine, but it\u2019s not going to work in your space because it\u2019s too big. So maybe hold onto that idea for your next home. Sometimes you have to let go of ideas,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Jonsohn emphasized the idea of personalization and individuality in design. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s really about making the space your own. It\u2019s your house, it doesn\u2019t matter what your friend thinks. You need to live in it and you need to enjoy it and it needs to function for your lifestyle,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the most common mistakes people make when they\u2019re designing their homes is buying furniture pieces that don\u2019t fit the space. A couch that\u2019s too large for the room can give it a stuffy, crowded atmosphere, while one that\u2019s too small can make it feel bare and cold.<\/span><\/p>\n Jonsohn cautioned against leaving your measuring tape at home when furniture shopping.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPeople buy furniture without measuring and they buy pieces that are too big for their homes. You really do need to measure out the space beforehand and try to draw something that\u2019s relatively to scale and make sure that the furniture fits,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Jane Lockhart, the founder of Toronto-based boutique interior design firm Jane Lockhart Interior Design<\/a>, said that people tend to overestimate their ability to visualize the size and scale of a space.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s only about 15 per cent of people that have the ability to visualize anything within a space without being in the space. So it\u2019s a very low chance you\u2019re going to get it right,\u201d she warned.<\/span><\/p>\n Surprisingly, Lockhart also said that one of the worst things a new homeowner can do when decorating their space is nothing at all. She said that when people become too hesitant to make a move, they end up with a bare, empty room, which certainly isn\u2019t a good look at all.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPeople paralyze themselves — analysis paralysis — so they analyze it to death and they do nothing. So the number one problem is having no plans, no goals, no time limits on what it is you want to get done,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Lockhart suggested motivating yourself early on to tackle a new aspect of the home every so often so that even if it\u2019s a slow process, the house is still gradually becoming more of a home with every new project you take on.<\/span><\/p>\n When decorating children\u2019s rooms, it can be tempting to go all out with bright colors, fun prints and expensive novelty items. But the reality is that kids tend to grow up before you can say \u201cbut I thought you loved your Elmo bedding!\u201d Lockhart said that it\u2019s best to choose bright, childlike items that can be easily changed or removed on a dime.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPeople tend to buy expensive drapery for the kids thinking that they\u2019re going to love it forever and they\u2019re always going to love those colors. I would do what you want with kids\u2019 rooms, but think about how to make it inexpensive to change in the future,\u201d Lockhart said.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, foundation pieces like sinks, flooring and doors should not be done on the cheap. Lockhart said that there are a few things in every home that should never be done quickly and inexpensively because it will only lead to problems in the future. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe thing I would say is that if you\u2019re going to invest, invest in things that last. Things where it matters like your toilet, don\u2019t cheap out on your toilet because it only causes a hassle later. The one other area would be your closet. Spend the money. Make that part of your budget,\u201d she urged.<\/span><\/p>\n She said that it\u2019s crucial for new homeowners to rip off the Band-Aid and splurge on the things they use every day. There are simply no benefits to procrastinating or taking shortcuts when it comes to everyday items that aren\u2019t easily changed or removed.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cArt work can come, drapery can come, but you need to do the bare necessities in order to live. Unfortunately, they\u2019re expensive bare necessities, but they\u2019re things that we don\u2019t have time to worry about today,\u201d Lockhart said.<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, Lockhart said that one of the most unanticipated mistakes people make in their homes is buying a carpet that\u2019s not to scale. According to Lockhart, this is especially tricky in the dining room.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCarpet size is a really tough one. Most people have no idea how big the carpet should be so they buy the carpet before the furniture, but they don\u2019t know how much space the furniture takes up and so they end up with a carpet that\u2019s too small. It often makes the room look disjointed and definitely not complete looking,\u201d Lockhart said.<\/span><\/p>\n Luckily, she has a simple formula she uses with her clients to ensure that they don\u2019t end up with a carpet that\u2019s not the right size.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo the simple math on a dining room carpet is the width of the table, plus two feet, plus two feet, plus traffic path, which at a minimum is two to three feet. Knowing those dimensions can really help,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Your home\u2019s decor can either help or hurt you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":133110,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11269],"tags":[],"coauthors":[10332],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nFollowing trends that aren\u2019t your style<\/h2>\n
![\"Wallpaper\"](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Wallpaper.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo: Pinterest<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\nForgoing variety<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Mary Clark\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nLetting your space dictate your lifestyle, not the other way around<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo:\u00a0Kendyl Young\/Flickr<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\nTrying to accomplish too many things at once<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Sharona Gott\/Flickr<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/em>
\nAnother mistake people tend to make when decorating is trying to incorporate too many themes, colors, textures and ideas all at once. While variety is important, too much clutter and noise in a room can make it feel overwhelming and busy. <\/span><\/p>\nSuccumbing to copycat disorder<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Ray_from_LA\/Flickr<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\nBuying furniture too big or too small<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Juhan Sonin\/Flickr<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\nDoing absolutely nothing<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Daniel Rothamel\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nGoing overboard with the kids\u2019 rooms<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Pinterest<\/a><\/em>
\n<\/b><\/p>\nCheaping out on important things<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Phil Nelson\/Flickr<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\nBuying carpets that are too small for your furniture<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Photo: Wonderlane\/Flickr<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n