Decorating your home can be challenging. Then you find out there are rules that you’re supposed to follow with your decorating Wait, rules? Really? No worries, I’m here to help you out by bringing you the three most common decorating mistakes I see and how you can fix them!

I want to start this article off by saying that you are free to decorate your home in whatever way makes you happy. Afterall, you have to live in it and you want to create a space for you and your family that feels most comfortable for you.

You don’t have to follow any “rule” that you don’t want to. However, these decorating tips are in place to help you make the most of each room and help create a more visually pleasing space.

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3 Most Common Decorating Mistakes

Common Decorating Mistake #1 – Curtains

The first mistake I notice a lot is not properly hanging curtains or not purchasing the correct length for the window. The most common thing I see with curtains is that they’re hung close to the window frame and the end of the curtain drops down close to the end of the window.

How you hang curtains will always depend on the room and structure of your home (ex: height of your ceilings). Curtains have the ability to make a room look smaller and more closed in, or they can make the space feel more open and the ceilings taller.

Where to Hang the Curtain Rod

Ideally, curtains should frame the window, but not cover it up. So when deciding where to place your curtain rod, try to extend it past the window a bit so the curtain will just barely cover the frame. This will depend on your space, how far apart windows are from each other, and how wide your curtains are.

Also, think about the length you want your curtains and the height of your ceilings. Hang the curtain rod above the top of the window frame. Typically, the closer to the ceiling the better.

Ideal Curtain Length

An ideal length for curtains is for them to AT LEAST touch the floor. It’s okay if they drape on the floor a bit and some people prefer that, but they shouldn’t be above the floor.

Have you ever heard of that joke when someone’s pants are too short and people say, “Are you waiting for a flood? Because you look like you’re holding your pants up so they don’t get wet.”? This is always what I think of when I see curtains that are too short.

Having your curtains touch the floor will help create a visual that makes the length from your floor to your ceiling appear longer. Essentially, by having longer curtains, you’re creating space.

Covering Bay Windows

When it comes to large bay windows, I’d suggest doing a curtain on each side of the entire window.

If you want to use the curtain for function and not just beauty, I get it. Sometimes two curtains won’t cover the entire window when they’re closed. My suggestion would be to either include pretty shades or blinds to the windows and use the curtains for beauty or getting the amount of curtains that will cover the windows, but push half to each side. I’ve seen curtains layered between the windows and it blocks some natural light and makes the room feel more closed in.

Window Valances

Window valances are the short curtains that hang directly on top of the window. I see them a lot on doors that have windows.

This is my personal opinion: I’m not sure why these were ever a style. They hold no purpose or function. Just put them in the same spot where everyone’s burnt orange shag carpets are.

Choosing Curtain Colors

Personally, I like to keep my curtains fairly neutral. I switch out furniture and colors in our rooms so often that it’s nice to have curtains that will last the long haul and look great with anything I’m doing.

Sticking to lighter colors will brighten up the space and let more natural light in. However, depending on the room, sometimes it’s ideal to have blackout curtains. You can get lighter colored curtains with the blackout option or you can also get blackout inserts. Beauty and function, my favorite combo.

Common Decorating Mistake #2 – Rugs

The most common mistake I see with rugs is not having the right size for the space. Rugs can be expensive. And I will say, I have broken some of these rug “rules” simply because of my budget. So I completely get it.

Ideal Rug Size

The basic rule I follow when choosing the rug size for my living room is simple: make sure the front legs of your surrounding furniture touches at least the edge of the rug. You don’t want the rug to be so small that it just lays in the center of the room. However, you don’t want the rug to be so large that it sticks out behind the furniture either.

For bedrooms, the rug should be underneath the two legs at the end of the bed. However, sizing and placement is important here. There’s a happy medium spot for rugs in bedrooms. Check out the visual below for reference.

Rug placement and size can make a huge difference. Following these tips will help make the space much more pleasing to the eye and gives the space a more cohesive look.

If you already have a rug, but it’s too small for your space, a budget friendly tip is to layer rugs! Jute rugs are a less expensive option and look great layered with other rugs. It’ll give the same appearance in the room as it would if the original rug was the correct size.

Ideal Rug Shape

Choosing the shape of a rug will depend on your room and the furniture you have in the space. Rugs are created to add value to a space and work with your furniture. Choosing the wrong shape rug can make your furniture look clunky and off-putting.

Typically in rooms, you’ll want a rectangular rug. The only time I would usually suggest a round rug is if you were placing it underneath a round table.

Ideal Rug Color

Choose a color or design that makes you happy in the space. One of my favorite places to look for rugs is Boutique Rugs. They have so many designs and I’m in love with them all.

Lighter color rugs will brighten up the room. However, if you have kids or pets, I understand that this might not be ideal. You can pick a darker color to be more functional for you and your family, or you could get a Ruggable rug.

Ruggable rugs are rugs that you can wash in your washing machine. Yup, that was invented. Finally. It’s a brilliant idea. We have two large dogs who love to roll around on our rugs and shed like crazy. I WISH they were Ruggable rugs.

Common Decorating Mistake #3 – Wall Decor

The biggest mistake I see with wall decor is not having the correct size piece of decor to work with the size of the wall. Wall decor is not typically as picky as curtains or rugs, but it does still make a big difference in the appearance of a room.

One of the things I see the most is a small wall decor item on a large wall. Small wall decor needs to either go on a very small section of wall or be in a gallery with other items. When the wall decor is too small, it takes the beauty away from the decor and makes the room feel empty.

A wall would almost look better blank than decorated incorrectly.

Ideal Wall Decor Size

Choosing the size of your wall decor will depend on the type of wall you’re decorating and the furniture in that room. If you’re decorating a wall that doesn’t have any furniture lined against it, my suggestion would be to choose wall decor that will fit the equivalent of AT LEAST half of the wall.

So if your wall is 10 feet, you’ll want to center your decor and choose wall decor that will cover about 5 feet. You can do this with a gallery, one large item or even just two or three.

If you’re decorating above a bed or a couch, the wall decor should be at least half or even better ¾ of the length of the part of the furniture that meets the wall. Your wall decor should not be so large that it goes past the ends of the furniture.

If you’re decorating above a console table (typically these are found in hallways or entryways), I suggest getting wall decor that will be about the same length of the table. However, you could use something smaller if you incorporate taller items such as lamps or vases on the table itself to help bring that height to the background.

Conclusion

I won’t lie. I’ve broken most of these “rules” before. Especially in my first home. I didn’t know that the difference in how I hung curtains or that my curtain length could make the room look better. When I bought my first rug I didn’t realize that it would shrink the look of the room because I bought the wrong size.

But that’s why I’m here. Friend to friend. I want to help you make the most of your space and I hope you found these tips and suggestions helpful. I truly am just here to help, but ultimately remember that YOU are the one that lives in your home and YOU are the one that needs to be happy in it.

What are some other common home decor mistakes that you see? Let me know in the comments what you think!