Spring is a sign of renewal inside and out!

Avoid costly Design Mistakes and Rejuvenate your space!

There is something refreshing about bringing the feeling of Spring into your home. Have you spent time, energy, and money attempting to create a space with that perfect color scheme, just right furnishings and show stopping window treatments only to find out that something is not quite right? What is it lacking? Here are some common design errors and some fantastic ways to correct them AND bring some refreshing Spring flavor into your space. MISTAKE: YOUR ENTRYWAY. DRAB/DREARY AND ANYTHING BUT INVITING. Remember, your entry is where visitors make that crucial first impression of your home. Paint your front door with a fresh coat of paint. Choose a hue that complements the color palette of your exterior as well as your foyer. Alternatively, perhaps a fresh coat of bright white is the trick. Add a pot of pansies on the porch and hang a handmade wreath or basket of flowers on the front door. For very little money, you can make a big impact. MISTAKE: BAD LIGHTINGThis is a very common mistake that is completely avoidable. No matter how perfectly put together your space is, if you can’t see it or if the lighting application is wrong your presentation will be altered. First, get all the free stuff you can! What’s that big ball of fire up in the sky giving away all the FREE LIGHTING? Make sure that your window treatments allow for penetration of the natural light. Nothing is better than natural light. Spring is the time of year to get outside and get all that glass cleaned. Have your window treatments dusted off and vacuumed. As a bonus, clean windows mean more sparkling glass, and that makes rooms feel larger and brighter!Next, make sure you not only have all corners of the room lit but also that you have LAYERS of light. Avoid limiting the room to a single light source. It’s not only important to have the overhead light, but floor and table fixtures will brighten the room and give you several ways to control the brightness and ambiance. Finally, confirm that task lighting is addressed. Do you have adequate light for that favorite reading, writing, and game playing spot? MISTAKE: UP, UP AND AWAY ARTWhile executing your Spring-cleaning, clear out most of your artwork and accessories. Keep just a few simpler pieces. Choose quality or content over quantity. This will help de-clutter the room and put the focus on fresh, simple pieces. A very common design mistake is over accessorizing with too many knick-knacks or tchotchkes. If you have many knick-knacks, why don’t you rotate or trade them out periodically. That way you keep the space fresh and you get “new” design elements added every couple of months. Also, keep in mind that artwork needs to be at eye level. For some reason, many people try to balance out a room by placing their wall artwork high above their furniture. Instead of attempting to balance that dead space between the furniture and the ceiling, hang wall art lower and closer to furnishings. A very general rule of thumb is that art should be hung 66” - 72” from your floor to the top of the wall artwork/picture. Obviously, there will be exceptions with larger pieces but this is a great rule of thumb. When artwork is hung too high, the artwork appears to be “floating” and creates a disorganized presentation instead of creating a well put-together space. MISTAKE: MATCHY-MATCHYIt’s not a good idea to have everything match spot-on. When everything is matchy-matchy, the viewer’s eye isn’t drawn to anything. This will make the room appear dull and boring. Although it’s definitely not a good idea to have your color scheme clash, having some variation is much more interesting. You can neutralize a matching furniture suite by choosing a different wall color to tone down patterns and color monotony. Try painting a focal wall (the wall most seen or dominant). Painting a brighter, sunnier or lighter tint of your current wall hue will add lightness to the room without drastically changing the whole scheme. Welcome the newness of the season with a few simple, mistake-free design elements and remember to follow your gut. The best resource you have for creating that perfect space is YOU.