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5 Must Have Design Tips

I’ve got to tell you something. As a designer, I do not follow a playbook. I don’t follow a connect the dots program either. There is not a step by step book which guides me during room transformations. And this is a good thing.

I am a creative type and if I were bound by an instruction booklet throughout the day I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. This being said, there are some guiding principles that I follow that I will share with you below. If you implement some of these, your decorating experiences will have positive outcomes and hopefully should be fun too.

Pick a color scheme – You want at least one common color which is prominent throughout the home. Consistency here is vital. This will help the flow of the home. In our home, light neutrals featuring grays and linens are in every room of our home. You can see this from the moment you step inside.Romantic Master Bedroom and Bathroom with White Linens-3 

Select properly scaled furniture – Your furniture needs room to breathe. You will be better off using fewer pieces of a higher quality rather than overpopulating the space. The same holds true for accessories. Less is more and odd numbers seem to show better than even numbers when it comes to groupings. A good rule of thumb: if the item is smaller than your fist, it is probably too small.
Family Room with Leather Sofa and Linen Chairs

Hang art at correct height – One mistake I routinely see is art hung at the incorrect level. For most pieces, the midline of the piece should be at 60 inches above finished floor. The average human eye level is 57 inches. This piece is new in my home and I want to tell you a little bit about it. I have dreamed of having a painting of a church for a long time, but I could never find the right piece…until now. I found @deannart on Instagram and was immediately enamored by her style and color palate. I absolutely adore the muted details which offer intrigue and mystery in every piece I’ve seen. One tidbit I must share with you: she traded in her high heels and corporate job for boots and brushes. How cool is that! You can find this piece, Redeemed here.
Breakfast Room with Beautiful Deann Designs Art

Incorporate a beautiful focal point – Each room in the home will have a focal point. It could be a headboard in the bedroom, the vent hood in the kitchen, or something wonderful above the fireplace. In each case, your eye will go straight to this item. Embrace this and decorate around it as each room will have a star and supporting cast.
Beautiful Kitchen with Brick Backsplash and Industrial Stools

Avoid being too trendy – If you are a fan of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” you certainly have heard the term shiplap. You may love shiplap. By all means, if the style of your home does not support it, please resist the urge to install shiplap or any other material that does not fit within the overall design theme of the home. Instead, use accessories to add trendy items to your home so you can switch them out with ease.
Gorgeous Metallic Pot on Tray on an Ottoman_

Above all else, embrace your creativity and stay true to yourself as well as the room’s personality. Remember, design is a process and your home can and always will be evolving. If you can implement some or all of the above tips you should see the benefits and your design experience will be more in line with your vision.

 

Filed Under: Decorating, My Home 14 Comments

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Comments

  1. Bree says

    May 18, 2016 at 10:08 pm

    Jen!! Thank you for sharing your tried and true tips with us…they all make so much sense!! And your new art is so stunning in your breakfast room. It finishes off that space perfectly:)

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 21, 2016 at 8:13 am

      Thank you Bree! I’m so excited to have a new art piece in my home…it’s been a while!!! xoxo

      Reply
  2. Tamara says

    May 19, 2016 at 5:21 am

    Jen, I love your design tips – especially keeping true to your style! I’m such a believer in curating your own look and your signature style is one of my favorites…I just love every aspect of your beautiful home, you are so good! Tam xo

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 21, 2016 at 8:15 am

      Thank you so much Tamara! I think that was everyone’s favorite tip and it’s definitely mine too!!!

      Reply
  3. Shauna says

    May 19, 2016 at 11:50 am

    Great tips Jen! Especially not jumping on the high trend bandwagon! I’ve been there before and hated the outcome! Always love the peaceful beauty of your home❤️❤️❤️
    Xo

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 21, 2016 at 8:17 am

      Thank you sweet friend! Isn’t it funny how we’ve all learned that one the hard way? Thanks so much for stopping by!!! xoxo

      Reply
  4. Christina says

    May 20, 2016 at 6:17 pm

    Great tips, Jen!!

    XO,
    Christina (@poshstylediaries)

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 20, 2016 at 7:05 pm

      Thanks so much Christina!!! xoxo

      Reply
  5. chloe | boxwood avenue says

    May 22, 2016 at 1:44 am

    Great tips Jennifer! I am busy redecorating and rearranging this weekend, so these will come in handy! Hugs!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 22, 2016 at 8:36 am

      Thank you Chloe! Happy decorating! xoxo

      Reply
  6. Barbera Peters says

    August 30, 2017 at 9:05 am

    I totally agree that when designing a room you need to be sure to have a focal point like the vent hood in the kitchen you mentioned. My sister is currently trying to update her home and this article was so helpful for inspiration on how to choose home decor to look for in her own style. I will have to mention what you said about a focal point to her as well as the rest of your article.

    Reply
  7. Ashley Maxwell says

    August 30, 2017 at 6:58 pm

    Thanks for your suggestion to decorate with a certain color scheme in mind. I like your comment to put art up in your rooms and hang them at an eye pleasing level. I am considering buying home decor accents to update my bedroom.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 3, 2017 at 7:11 am

      Good luck with your update!

      Reply
  8. Taylor Bishop says

    September 6, 2017 at 6:25 am

    Thanks for these design tips. I like how you mentioned to embrace the focal point of the home and to decorate around it. I’m a bit interested to see what designs people have come up with by focusing on this concept, and see how each one is unique to their own home.

    Reply

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