When it comes to embellishing your home, there are definitely some "do's and dont's". Personal style and taste are well, just that. Personal. There are however a few things I can no longer abide by. Things that were never a good idea. WARNING! You may see something on this short list that you have implemented in your own home. Instead of just frying you in the skillet, I'll make some gentle suggestions for alternatives...DON'T!
Fight the architecture. Your decorating style can be as eclectic as you like, but you can never fight the architecture. The most common offense is paint techniques. People are intrigued by them because they offer something different, but trust me on this one. The second you attach, affix, or apply something to the architecture itself, it becomes a part of it. Venetian plaster will never look right in a ranch home, and the fortune you might spend on ragging, sponging, or stippling will never transport your suburban McMansion to Tuscany. Sorry.
DO!
Experiment with paint! Take bold chances with color! Find interesting wallcoverings! And leave the truly talented artisans who specialize in paint techniques to bestow their gifts on architecture that's fitting.
DON'T!
Invest your money in cheap, trendy furnishings. A modern classic, and what's trendy now are 2 different things. That's not to say that there aren't new classics being created as I write this, but you need to use some common sense. A suite of furnishings for a ridiculously low price is bound to mean that they'll have little integrity- in either style or durability. If we stop buying "disposable" furniture then we'll stop wasting the earth's precious resources and packing the landfills.
DO!
Buy wisely! Slowly if you have to. Acquire pieces for your home that speak to you, instead of just filling it up. If buying finer furnishings new isn't in your budget, then check out estate sales and estate sale shops. Typically people who've used designers have invested in quality furnishings. Their cast-offs can be your ticket to great style at a fraction of the price!
DON'T!
Wallpaper borders. ANYWHERE, EVER. Nuff said.
DON'T!
Fill your home with plastic plants. Of ANY kind. They collect dust, their mites, and off-gas to no end. 20 years ago it may have been a cute idea for the DIY decorator to top off their kitchen cabinets and book cases with fake ivy, but it ain't anymore. I defy you to open any shelter magazine and show me a potted ivy plant, tipped on its side, spilling out of a bookcase. A fake ficus will always look like a fake ficus. I won't even get started on the pollution caused by the manufacturing of these senseless decorations. Cabintes don't need "softening", so climb the step ladder and yank that dusty crap down right now, do you hear me?!
DO!
Bring real houseplants into your environment! They will bring that necessary element of life and "green" into the mix, and extra oxygen too! So you say you have a black thumb? Me too. Talk to someone at a garden center, or do a little research on the Internet about low maintenance plants. Be it plants, trees, or flowers, the choice to have real vs. artificial makes an astounding difference in your over-all aesthetic. I believe it will do something for you psychologically as well...
I'm sure there's more if I think about it. Hmmm. Meanwhile don't let this happen to you!
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