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<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto:\u00a0Justin Clements\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Have you ever fallen down an Instagram rabbit hole, fawning over some blogger from Indiana\u2019s perfectly put together living room, wondering why yours just doesn\u2019t compare? You may be bending or breaking a few design rules, resulting in a space that looks unpolished and uninspiring. We asked four interior designers to identify the decorating mistakes that cheapen the look of your home \u2014 and some of their answers will surprise you. If you\u2019ve fallen victim to any of these design gaffes, fear not, our talented panel also shares tips on how to correct them.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Doug Waldron\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf you don’t feel like you have an eye, you should always Google the paint color to see how other people have used it,\u201d says Lucie Ayres, principal at <\/span>22 Interiors<\/span><\/a>. \u201cThere are so many websites and resources with designer-favorite blues, greens, taupes, etc. Go with what’s tried and true and do a bit of research before putting it on the wall.\u201d Designer Amy Elbaum of AE DESIGN<\/a> also notes the importance of testing paint swatches the right way \u2014 \u201con the walls in the actual space they will be used in.\u201d The type of light the room receives can drastically alter the appearance of your paint choice. \u201cA white paint can look blue in certain spaces or yellow in others,\u201d explains Elbaum.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Nancy Hugo, CKD\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis one’s controversial,\u201d admits designer Rebecca Hay, principal of <\/span>Rebecca Hay Designs<\/span><\/a>. \u201cI know it was really trendy for a while, but nowadays the trend is all or nothing.\u201d Instead of playing it safe with an accent wall, Hay recommends committing to color. \u201cShow everyone that you are confident in your choices!\u201d Designer Lucie Ayres agrees with Hay\u2019s hot take: \u201cNever, ever do an accent wall unless you want it to feel like 1992. The idea of accenting a wall in most spaces is just bizarre \u2014 why does that wall deserve more attention than any other wall?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Design Folly\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Listen, we love shopping at HomeGoods as much as the next person, but the next time you\u2019re browsing the aisles you may want to avoid the art section all together. \u201cDon’t buy your art at a mass retailer!\u201d says Ayres. \u201cThe typography pieces especially \u2014\u00a0it should be a note on your refrigerator, not a canvas in your living room.\u201d Skip the Live, Laugh, Love prints in favor of original artwork. \u201c<\/span>Saatchi Art<\/span><\/a> is such a great resource,\u201d says Ayres. The site offers a huge selection of paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography, priced from just $125. \u201cYou’re supporting real artists and you’ve got something unique.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Kyle Murphy\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLarge rugs can be costly and quite a scary commitment,\u201d says Jaclyn Harper of <\/span>Harper Designs<\/span><\/a>. \u201cI think that\u2019s why people stick to smaller rugs that are much more cost effective and \u2018safe,\u2019 if you will.\u201d Consider this your new design mantra: never buy a rug for your space without first whipping out the measuring tape. \u201cA good rule of thumb is to buy rugs that are large enough to fit at least two of each of your furniture legs on it and\/or all of the furniture legs,\u201d says Harper.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Matt Rasmussen\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve acquired an original <\/span>objet d’art<\/span><\/i>, it\u2019s time to hang it with care, and Harper has a few suggestions on how to do just that. \u201cWhen you hang a piece of art too high above a piece of furniture the two tend to look very disconnected,\u201d she explains. For example, if you\u2019re hanging a painting above the sofa, Harper recommends placing it six- to eight-inches above the piece of furniture to create a more unified look. She also notes that the art should cover two-thirds of the width of your sofa. \u201cMy biggest tip for hanging art is to just look at where your vantage points are. If it\u2019s in a dining room, you\u2019ll more than likely be sitting down to enjoy the artwork. In this case, you\u2019ll want to hang the art lower. In a front foyer, you\u2019ll likely be standing to see the artwork so it may need to be hung at eye level.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n1.\u00a0Choosing\u00a0<\/b>white paint that ends up looking blue\u2026or yellow<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n2. Painting an accent wall<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n3. Buying mass produced art<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n4.\u00a0Buying a rug that\u2019s too small for the space<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n5. Hanging artwork too high or too low<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n6. Mounting curtain rods inside a window frame<\/b><\/h2>\n