I’ve made a few decorating mistakes.

The thing about decorating mistakes, is they can cost a lot of money to repair and they definitely add a lot of extra time to your project.

So to help you shortcut your results, I’m excited to launch this new series, “What I wish I had known” by Amitha Verma.

Once a quarter we’ll be sharing mistakes and wins we’ve experienced in our design projects.

The wins are amazing and what I usually share but I want to be sure you learn from my mistakes too.

Many of us are working on Spring spruce up projects around our homes right now. So while you’re in the spruce up mode, here are a few pitfalls to avoid when adding decor into your home.

1. Not adding decor into your home.

I’ll never forget my first home. This was before I started my design career.

Hubby and I had saved all of our money to buy new furniture for our dining room and living room.

We were so excited on delivery day and already planning our first party!

Imagine our surprise when the rooms looked even worse.

Yes! It felt like the clearance section of a furniture store or a museum even with no personality, warmth or welcoming feelings.

Amitha’s Design Lesson → Whenever you start a design project, always include accessories and home decor to finish off your project.

It’s those objects that tie it all in, add the warmth, coziness, personality story and heart in your home.

So be sure to add a little into the budget and start thinking about decor!

2. Not enough

I had just come back from Round Top and was super excited about a few creamware pots I found on my treasure hunt.

Hubby unpacked them for me, and I was getting ready to add them into my shelves.

And guess what happened? I needed just one more!

We see this almost daily at Village Antiques.

People ask us, “Can I separate these?”

Don’t separate them, you need both or all three.

We tend to underestimate. We underestimate how much time it will take, how much it cost and what we need to finish the project. All of us do this.

So my advice, stick to the rule of 3 when buying accessories.

Look for 3 pieces to arrange together. If it’s a set, don’t break it up. (Here are some examples.)

Available at Village Antiques

Available at Village Antiques

Available at Village Antiques

Amitha’s Design Lesson → When you’re looking for decor pieces get 3. And if not 3, get at least one more than you think you need.

3. Size Matters

The biggest mistake we often see when people try to accessorize is going too small.

I often see little clusters of glass, crystal, limoge, mini frames, boxes and so forth scattered around to make up the decor.

Don’t get me wrong, I love small collections too – but instead of scattering them, arrange all of them on a tray and then place that tray on your coffee table or dresser or buffet top.

Available at Village Antiques

Go bigger.

Rarely do I see “too big” when someone is working on decor.

Amitha’s Design Lesson → Gather smaller collections into an area of similar things and go bigger in your selections.

4. Floor Decor

I often see this big mistake happen on the floor. When people are selecting an area rug, they tend to go too small.

Not sure how big to go?

All of the furniture should be touching the rug. That BIG.

Available at Village Antique

Remember, people will cozy up with blankets, pillows and ottomans on top of the rug but not on the wood or tile flooring underneath.

So it may be a little extra in cost but it will add a lot of additional seating.

Amitha’s Design Lesson → When trying to decide how big of a rug to buy, ALL of the furniture should be touching the rug. That BIG.

5. Bright Lights

Almost anyone I talk to tells me their house does not have enough lighting or it has too much lighting.

I’ve yet to meet anyone who tells me their lighting is absolutely perfect.

The fixaround?

Lamps. Yes, lamps.

Available at Village Antiques

They are traditional and you may think it’s something we’ve moved past but lamps provide the perfect amount of lighting you need – especially if you are reading, typing, sewing or doing any type of work.

And they add a lot of design and personality into your space.

Sometimes I get analysis paralysis selecting lamps, wondering “What do these lamps say about me?” Ha!

They are a great way to add warmth and style back into your decor.

So what do you think? Were you on the right track or far off?

What decor piece are you going to add into your home this week?

Be sure to leave a comment and let us know. And if you have a favorite decor trick you like to use, leave a comment and let us know that too.

We don’t always get the time to respond but we read every single one of your comments.

All of these great decor pieces are available at Village Antiques, so head over this week – we’d love to help you with your project.

In friendship,

Amitha