April 2010 Design Newsletter
Welcome to our April 2010 Newsletter from Wall Huggers
In this issue we will discuss; Design Mistakes To Avoid
Decorating your home is always a fun challenge and creating a unique look that excites you is the
goal. However, there are common errors people make that can turn a Design Do into a Design
Don't.
Fear of Colour
Colour, particularly when it's paint, can inexpensively add drama and excitement to a room. If you are afraid to do an
entire room in a bold colour, consider a single wall and make it the focal point. It is just as bad to be boring as it is to be
too colourful.
Inconsistent Window Coverings
Windows, like walls, are major players in the design game. Don't alter your window coverings too dramatically throughout
the house, say calico country in the kitchen and puddled velvet drapes in the living room. The effect will be jarring.
Consider a consistent look throughout the house and remember to keep any underlying covering that goes over the
window the same (sheer panels or blinds, for example) so that the windows look just as good from the outside as they do
from within.
Buying the Wrong Size Area Rug for A Room
The rug you select should have the furniture either just over the edge or just outside the edge. Otherwise it will look like a
floating island if too small, or clumsy if too large. Measure the room and your furniture, and then use a Room Planner to
get a better idea of how things will look. Don't forget to allow 'walking paths', so also plan your traffic patterns.
Too Many Accessories
Accessories should accent a room not overwhelm a room. Too many accessories equals clutter, and become dust
magnets. If you can't bear to part with any of your accessories, why not rotate them? Perhaps with the change of
seasons you can update your home with a different set of accessories. Not only is this a free way to change the look,
you'll also get a personal boost from having a fresh look on your home. Plus, you will appreciate the individual pieces
more when they are not competing so heavily for your attention.
Too Much or Too Little Furniture
Too much will make you fell claustrophobic and too little will make you feel exposed. Aim for a good balance. If you have
too much but move a lot and can't bear to part with it, put the excess in the garage or a back room. Otherwise, it's time to
unload it. If you have too little, it's time for a visit to your favourite furniture showroom.
Wrong Size Furniture
You're going out to buy new furniture. You go into a 200,000+ square foot showroom and buy. They deliver and it's too
big or too small. Do not shop without measurements. It will take 5 minutes to measure your room and save you a lot of
money and aggravation. Plan your room out on a piece of grid paper and draw your room measurements to scale. Now
write down your room measurements and take this with you to the store. Most times a store sales person can help you
choose the right size pieces for your room size.
Inadequate or Improper Lighting
To properly light a room your lighting should be placed at least on a diagonal across the room, with a triangular pattern
being the best. So you should have at least two to three portable lamps in each room. Portable lamps are table and floor
lamps. You don’t always require overhead lighting in a room as well. I feel that lamp light placed accurately in a room
makes a room more interesting and you can turn on the lamps that best suit your mood. Of course you'll want to have a
good light for reading, but the other lights in your room should be selected for specific tasks or to create a mood. Choose
your lighting to match the function of the space. For the kitchen, you might want recessed lights or a small lamp in the
corner of a counter. You'll need a good lamp over your desk and maybe track lights over your computer and work space.
For total light control, install dimmers on all your wall light switches and on lamp cords.
Art Hung Too High
No matter your height, unless you're a giant or little person, art is to be hung at eye level, which for the average height
person is about 60" from the floor to the center of the picture. It should also not be hung more than 10" over a piece of
furniture. When you hang art too high it becomes disconnect from the room and your furniture.
Buying Furniture Without Considering It's Function
Here are a couple examples that I have seen. You have a silk sofa in a family room with children and pets. It was beautiful
but after one week it was stained and the fabric was torn. You put a small desk in a home office because they liked the
look of guest chairs sitting in front. The desk was now too small to work at. You need to think about the room you're
decorating. How are you going to use the room? What do you need to make it functional? How do you live?
Fear of Making a Decorating Decision
Are you looking for the "perfect" thing and having to get everyone's opinion. There will always be something new to
choose from. And asking all your friends, family and every salespersons opinion will just get you overwhelmed.
Remember that is why we have vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream. If you are constantly looking for the perfect
fabric and needing everyone's opinion you will get discouraged and never get it done. Purchasing interior decorating
items is a financial investment, but not the end of the world. It's time to feel the fear and do it.
Using Too Many Patterns and Prints
Don't pick up just any fabric or piece of furniture you like, thinking you can work around it. Plan your colour scheme,
select a main pattern then find coordinating stripes, small prints, and plaids that enhance your choice. Follow the Rule of
3: Select one main pattern, usually a large print. Then find one small, coordinating print and one stripe or plaid. Then call
it quits. If you need another fabric, think about using a solid-coloured texture or interesting weave instead of another
pattern or print.
Pushing All the Furniture Up Against the Wall
You may think that a room will look larger if the middle of the floor is open, without furniture. But the opposite is true.
Unless you're going to have a dancing party in the middle of your room, move the furniture into groupings in the center.
Arrange a sofa with a table behind it, away from the wall with a walking space behind. Show off the back of the sofa and
arrange decorative items and a lamp for reading behind it. Move chairs out of corners and you'll have a more open, airy
look in your room.
Decorating With Family Heirlooms Whether You Like Them or Not
Just because your grandparents chose to decorate in Victorian style doesn't mean that you have to. If you want to use
something that was handed down, select one special piece and use it as an accent in your home. But get rid of the rest of
the pieces that you don't want. Your space should reflect who you are, not who the people are who went before you.
Putting Decorative Pillows Everywhere
You can buy pillows in every size, shape, colour, and texture. But just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Pillows are great accessories to use to add interest and softness to a space, but they should be functional, not just
decorative. It's almost a natural that you'd use a decorative pillow on a sofa or at the back of a deep chair. Several on the
top of a bed would be logical too. But don't place pillows on furniture that you have to take off to sit down or lie in bed.
Make your pillows decorative, soft, comfortable, and, above all, useful.
Protecting Your Furniture With Slipcovers
Slipcovers are wonderful for covering up worn fabric or patterns on fabric that are out of style or don't go with your decor.
But any slipcover should be decorative and add to the piece, not distract from it. The worst of the worst are clear vinyl
slipcovers. You might be tempted to choose one to protect the beautiful silk fabric on your furniture. But they just look
awful. There's no question about it and you should avoid them at all costs. If you must cover a piece of furniture, choose
a slipcover in a color that resembles the upholstery you're covering. Hopefully it will blend with the space and no one will
really notice.
Choosing Dining Room Chairs to Look Good and Not for Comfort
A dining room is a place for people to gather, visit, and enjoy each other's company. The dining chairs should fit
comfortably around the table. But the most important thing they should be is inviting, giving guests no reason to get up
and move out. Create a welcoming room and your dinner will be a time to remember.
Decorating With the Trend of the Day Even If It Doesn't Match Your Décor
It's fun to be up to date with trends and fads, but your home is not the place to be with the current trends every season.
Decorating and furniture are expensive investments and you can't expect to change colours and styles with the calendar.
Choose trends you really like and decide how you can get the look without spending a lot of money. There are ways to
incorporate decorating trends into your décor without making a total change. You'll save money but not be left behind the
decorating curve.
You may find that you too are guilty of making design mistakes in your home, who isn't? This
information is just a guideline for you to use and help you with your design scheme in your
home.
As always, choose the things that you love and incorporate them into your home. It's your home
after all!
Welcome to our April 2010 Newsletter from Wall Huggers
In this issue we will discuss; Design Mistakes To Avoid
Decorating your home is always a fun challenge and creating a unique look that excites you is the
goal. However, there are common errors people make that can turn a Design Do into a Design
Don't.
Fear of Colour
Colour, particularly when it's paint, can inexpensively add drama and excitement to a room. If you are afraid to do an
entire room in a bold colour, consider a single wall and make it the focal point. It is just as bad to be boring as it is to be
too colourful.
Inconsistent Window Coverings
Windows, like walls, are major players in the design game. Don't alter your window coverings too dramatically throughout
the house, say calico country in the kitchen and puddled velvet drapes in the living room. The effect will be jarring.
Consider a consistent look throughout the house and remember to keep any underlying covering that goes over the
window the same (sheer panels or blinds, for example) so that the windows look just as good from the outside as they do
from within.
Buying the Wrong Size Area Rug for A Room
The rug you select should have the furniture either just over the edge or just outside the edge. Otherwise it will look like a
floating island if too small, or clumsy if too large. Measure the room and your furniture, and then use a Room Planner to
get a better idea of how things will look. Don't forget to allow 'walking paths', so also plan your traffic patterns.
Too Many Accessories
Accessories should accent a room not overwhelm a room. Too many accessories equals clutter, and become dust
magnets. If you can't bear to part with any of your accessories, why not rotate them? Perhaps with the change of
seasons you can update your home with a different set of accessories. Not only is this a free way to change the look,
you'll also get a personal boost from having a fresh look on your home. Plus, you will appreciate the individual pieces
more when they are not competing so heavily for your attention.
Too Much or Too Little Furniture
Too much will make you fell claustrophobic and too little will make you feel exposed. Aim for a good balance. If you have
too much but move a lot and can't bear to part with it, put the excess in the garage or a back room. Otherwise, it's time to
unload it. If you have too little, it's time for a visit to your favourite furniture showroom.
Wrong Size Furniture
You're going out to buy new furniture. You go into a 200,000+ square foot showroom and buy. They deliver and it's too
big or too small. Do not shop without measurements. It will take 5 minutes to measure your room and save you a lot of
money and aggravation. Plan your room out on a piece of grid paper and draw your room measurements to scale. Now
write down your room measurements and take this with you to the store. Most times a store sales person can help you
choose the right size pieces for your room size.
Inadequate or Improper Lighting
To properly light a room your lighting should be placed at least on a diagonal across the room, with a triangular pattern
being the best. So you should have at least two to three portable lamps in each room. Portable lamps are table and floor
lamps. You don’t always require overhead lighting in a room as well. I feel that lamp light placed accurately in a room
makes a room more interesting and you can turn on the lamps that best suit your mood. Of course you'll want to have a
good light for reading, but the other lights in your room should be selected for specific tasks or to create a mood. Choose
your lighting to match the function of the space. For the kitchen, you might want recessed lights or a small lamp in the
corner of a counter. You'll need a good lamp over your desk and maybe track lights over your computer and work space.
For total light control, install dimmers on all your wall light switches and on lamp cords.
Art Hung Too High
No matter your height, unless you're a giant or little person, art is to be hung at eye level, which for the average height
person is about 60" from the floor to the center of the picture. It should also not be hung more than 10" over a piece of
furniture. When you hang art too high it becomes disconnect from the room and your furniture.
Buying Furniture Without Considering It's Function
Here are a couple examples that I have seen. You have a silk sofa in a family room with children and pets. It was beautiful
but after one week it was stained and the fabric was torn. You put a small desk in a home office because they liked the
look of guest chairs sitting in front. The desk was now too small to work at. You need to think about the room you're
decorating. How are you going to use the room? What do you need to make it functional? How do you live?
Fear of Making a Decorating Decision
Are you looking for the "perfect" thing and having to get everyone's opinion. There will always be something new to
choose from. And asking all your friends, family and every salespersons opinion will just get you overwhelmed.
Remember that is why we have vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream. If you are constantly looking for the perfect
fabric and needing everyone's opinion you will get discouraged and never get it done. Purchasing interior decorating
items is a financial investment, but not the end of the world. It's time to feel the fear and do it.
Using Too Many Patterns and Prints
Don't pick up just any fabric or piece of furniture you like, thinking you can work around it. Plan your colour scheme,
select a main pattern then find coordinating stripes, small prints, and plaids that enhance your choice. Follow the Rule of
3: Select one main pattern, usually a large print. Then find one small, coordinating print and one stripe or plaid. Then call
it quits. If you need another fabric, think about using a solid-coloured texture or interesting weave instead of another
pattern or print.
Pushing All the Furniture Up Against the Wall
You may think that a room will look larger if the middle of the floor is open, without furniture. But the opposite is true.
Unless you're going to have a dancing party in the middle of your room, move the furniture into groupings in the center.
Arrange a sofa with a table behind it, away from the wall with a walking space behind. Show off the back of the sofa and
arrange decorative items and a lamp for reading behind it. Move chairs out of corners and you'll have a more open, airy
look in your room.
Decorating With Family Heirlooms Whether You Like Them or Not
Just because your grandparents chose to decorate in Victorian style doesn't mean that you have to. If you want to use
something that was handed down, select one special piece and use it as an accent in your home. But get rid of the rest of
the pieces that you don't want. Your space should reflect who you are, not who the people are who went before you.
Putting Decorative Pillows Everywhere
You can buy pillows in every size, shape, colour, and texture. But just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Pillows are great accessories to use to add interest and softness to a space, but they should be functional, not just
decorative. It's almost a natural that you'd use a decorative pillow on a sofa or at the back of a deep chair. Several on the
top of a bed would be logical too. But don't place pillows on furniture that you have to take off to sit down or lie in bed.
Make your pillows decorative, soft, comfortable, and, above all, useful.
Protecting Your Furniture With Slipcovers
Slipcovers are wonderful for covering up worn fabric or patterns on fabric that are out of style or don't go with your decor.
But any slipcover should be decorative and add to the piece, not distract from it. The worst of the worst are clear vinyl
slipcovers. You might be tempted to choose one to protect the beautiful silk fabric on your furniture. But they just look
awful. There's no question about it and you should avoid them at all costs. If you must cover a piece of furniture, choose
a slipcover in a color that resembles the upholstery you're covering. Hopefully it will blend with the space and no one will
really notice.
Choosing Dining Room Chairs to Look Good and Not for Comfort
A dining room is a place for people to gather, visit, and enjoy each other's company. The dining chairs should fit
comfortably around the table. But the most important thing they should be is inviting, giving guests no reason to get up
and move out. Create a welcoming room and your dinner will be a time to remember.
Decorating With the Trend of the Day Even If It Doesn't Match Your Décor
It's fun to be up to date with trends and fads, but your home is not the place to be with the current trends every season.
Decorating and furniture are expensive investments and you can't expect to change colours and styles with the calendar.
Choose trends you really like and decide how you can get the look without spending a lot of money. There are ways to
incorporate decorating trends into your décor without making a total change. You'll save money but not be left behind the
decorating curve.
You may find that you too are guilty of making design mistakes in your home, who isn't? This
information is just a guideline for you to use and help you with your design scheme in your
home.
As always, choose the things that you love and incorporate them into your home. It's your home
after all!
Designer Chic Upholstered Wall Panels
| Call Toll Free: 1-888-925-4844 |
Made in Canada
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| This Area Rug is Too Small |
| I hope that you have enjoyed your Newsletter and have benefited from the information provided. Please feel free to pass this information along to your friends and family members to also help them with their interior décor projects. We also invite you to browse our website. We have a great selection of upholstered wall panels that can work in any decor. We welcome your comments and suggestions and hope that you enjoy this great summer season. Regards, Connie Beland / Owner If you enjoyed receiving our Design Newsletter or special offer notices, please tell your friends and co-workers. They can sign up by sending a blank email to: optin@upholsteredwallhuggers.com or by visiting our website and submitting their information online. Be sure to whitelist our websites above Upholsteredwallhuggers.com to make sure your copy does not get thrown in your junk mail folder. |