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5 Common Mistakes Made While Furnishing A Home

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Everyone wants a picture perfect home where everything is in harmony, coordinated, styled and beautifully furnished. Having a home that you love and that other people admire comes down to having the right furniture in the right place. But furnishing a home can be a more difficult task than given credit to. Most houses don’t come with the perfect combination of furniture like in the catalogues. And if you choose to style your own home, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the entire process.

 

To help you out during this time of need, here are a few tips and tricks so you don’t make these common mistakes when furnishing your home:

 

Missing Pieces: Filling In The Void

 

One of the most unpleasant situations when visiting someone’s home is not being sure where to sit. It’s obvious that the sofa is the protagonist of the living room, but if you like to host friends and relatives, do not forget to strengthen its presence with armchairs and ottomans giving people plenty of options to sit comfortably.

 

It’s also not only about seating, make sure that you aren’t missing the basics like a nice coffee table or side tables so people can put their drinks or plates down if you are entertaining. These will not only allow your guests to be more comfortable but it will also serve as a decorating piece for flower arrangements and accessories. Think about the usage of the space and pick pieces that fulfill your needs and the needs of those who will be using the space. If you don’t have people over often, opt for seating that is comfortable for your family. Also keep your options open with stools or small ottomans that can be moved around easily or tucked away when not in use.

 

The Importance Of Natural Light

 

Light is such an important part of a room: particularly in small houses, natural lighting is a strength that should be enhanced. If you have a smaller space, more natural light will make the room feel bigger and more spacious.

 

If, for whatever reason, there is little natural light in your home, use materials and colors to bring out the limited light. Use polished finishes and bright colors, or accent pieces with mirrors or metallic finishes that will bounce the light around. Try not to block windows with heavy drapes or furniture, choose sheer curtains or thin paper blinds that will diffuse the light all through the space, making it feel airy and idealistic.

 

Layout: A Place For Everything

 

Picking the wrong furniture for the layout of your space is a very common mistake. It can happen to the best of us, especially if you are working with an unusual shape, like a long and narrow space.

When faced with these types of challenges, try to use the furniture to allocate the available space into usable sections and avoid blockages or dead spaces. This will help give a defined purpose to each space and will allow for a natural flow between them.

 

Misfits: Square Peg, Round Hole

 

Arranging your furniture in a non-functional way will make even the best furniture look off and unappealing. The only way to really avoid this error is to plan in advance how your furniture will be distributed in the space and the dimensions of the furniture itself before putting it in the room.

 

You want to make sure that there is enough space to walk around each element and for there to be a harmonious balance between them. We recommend the use of a blue print to help you plan in advance and to make sure you use the correct measurements. If things don’t fit, there’s no way they will work!

 

Know Your Style, Don’t Just Copy

 

Of course, aesthetically speaking, you want your furniture to reflect your style and also to be in harmony with everything else in your home.

 

Be sure to be clear of what style you are going for before going out and buying furniture. Don’t be rigid about it, give yourself room to explore and change your mind, but stick to one thing so it all looks put together once it’s in the space.

 

In conclusion, think about what the space will be used for, let the light in and plan ahead! These are our tips to help you furnish your home in the best way possible so you will enjoy your home for years to come.

 

For more ideas and furnishing options, please feel free to get in touch with one of our talented interior designers on design@platinumhouse.ae who will make you decorating project a dream come true.

 

5 Questions To Ask About Lighting Your Home

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Before you upgrade your furniture, replace floors or remodel a kitchen or bathroom, consider whether your lighting works. Lighting is a significant sign of design quality and one of the most affordable ways to refresh the look of your home. It sets a mood and helps define a style. Without it, important architectural details, artwork and focal points fall flat and go unnoticed. When done right, lighting functions as a carefully tuned orchestra, creating a pitch-perfect composition of light, layers, direction and flow.

If your lighting choreography consists of a single flip of the switch, then perhaps it’s time to illuminate your mind.
Lighting placement, fixtures and functions are the three main ingredients to think about when giving your living space a light makeover. So if you’re wondering if it’s time for an update, ask yourself these questions.

  1. Am I Lighting Unexpected Areas?

    As you evaluate the status of your lighting style, keep in mind that lighting also functions as art that helps define your style, set the mood and perform practical tasks. Think of adding light in unexpected places, such as a chandelier in the master bathroom. And consider using light in unconventional ways — such as using hanging pendant lights as reading lamps.

Painting with light is another way to add surprise. Colored LED lighting underneath the kitchen island and cabinets creates dramatic appeal. Highlight the silhouette of a cabinet with under cabinet and in-cabinet lighting.
One can also use tape lighting to achieve a subtle illuminated line of sight.

 

  1. Does My Lighting Have Layers?

    A perfectly lit room has three basic layers: overhead lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. In the bedroom one can pull all these options together; with a chandelier overhead, bedside reading lamps as task lighting, and accent lights above the headboard. Think of the functional and decorative purpose of each light source.

 

  1. Do My Lights Dim?

    Good lighting should multitask and set the mood. A dimmer is an inexpensive and essential tool that puts you in control of the quality and quantity of light. With a home automation system you can install dimming controls for a single room or the entire house and control lighting though one smart device.

 

Think of lighting like a radio. You don’t want to have just one volume. Lighting should have the opportunity to be task lighting and ambient lighting. Dimmers give the light multitasking capabilities.

To make the most of your lighting, install the highest wattage light bulb possible, then dim it down to accommodate the mood and lighting needs. Consider putting dimmers on both overhead lighting and lamp lighting.

As another bonus, dimming your lights 50 percent can save approximately 40 percent in electricity and increase the life of your bulb.

 

  1. Are My Fixtures In Line With Current Style Trends?

    One of the quickest ways to update the look of a living space is to swap decorative lighting fixtures for more up-to-date styles.

Use an attractive aye catching chandelier for the center of the ceiling. Keep the overhead light at 150 to 300 watts for optimum illumination. Mix and match your lighting fixtures. They don’t have to be from the same lighting family or design.

Crystal remains a popular choice for lighting fixtures and is used across the style spectrum.

Lighting choices can also take cues from transitional style, defined by clean lines and lighter finishes. A trend in light fixtures right now is mixed metal, dulled gold, and foiled silver over gold. The finish is popular with the transitional style because it has an antique yet contemporary look.

 

  1. Is My Lighting Focused?

    Lighting design is all about the strategic placement of light and matching the perfect light source to its intended function. Indirect lighting pulls focus, adds texture and layers the sight line.

Pick focal points that you want to highlight, then direct a light source toward them. Wall lamps are great accent lighting fixtures to highlight artwork and bring light to a space at eye level.

A chandelier in the dining room should hang 30 to 36 inches above the dining table. The width of the chandelier should be at least one half the width of the table.

Recessed lights and track lights are ideal for low-voltage direct lighting.

Translucent glass shades on pendant fixtures will reduce glare in the kitchen. Hanging overhead lighting fixtures such as pendants should sit 30 to 36 inches above the island work surface.

So finally, when was the last time you upgraded the lighting of your home? Is it time perhaps?