We’re living in an age where there is so much flexibility in fashions for the home, much like any skirt length is acceptable in clothing, but not all skirts look good on all women. Fashions for the home can run the gamut from casual to formal, neutral to colorful. But there are still a few “home décor don’ts” to avoid.

What’s a home décor don’t?

1. Too short curtains. Hang them as close to the ceiling as possible, and skim the floor. For most homes with 8 or 9 foot ceilings, the off-the-shelf 84” curtains just look skimpy. Better to buy longer curtain lengths and have them hemmed if needed.

2. Wallpaper or stenciled borders, usually at the ceiling or chair rail. These will date your home back to the 1980’s faster than anything. Feel free to remove ASAP.

3. Clutter, disguised as small-scale accessories. Chose a few amazing large scale accessories and feature them, rather than lining up or grouping tiny souvenirs and bric-a-brac.

4. Dusty fake flowers, especially if they are out of season. Artificial flowers can actually look great and be great time savers and budget savers, but take care to wash them often and keep them seasonally appropriate.

5. Worn, tired, and mismatched bedding. Lovely, fresh bedding in current styles can easily be had for under $100. Even if you are the only one who ever sees it, a coordinated (not necessarily matching) bedding set can start and end your day in comfort and style.

So what’s a home décor do?

1. Fill your home with a coordinating color palette. Use shades of 3-5 colors in varying amounts throughout adjacent rooms to create a visually pleasing flow.
2. Use your rooms how they work best for you, not necessarily how the builder intended. If your dining room only gets used twice a year, consider turning it into a home office instead.
3. Invest in your own comfort and style. Expect to invest a minimum of 1% of your home’s value into maintenance and upgrades each year. So a home worth $500,000 will need at least $5,000 of upgrades and maintenance to stay in good shape. Don’t wait until you sell to enjoy a lovely, well-maintained home.
4. Connected spaces. Today’s homes have open, flowing floor plans. If you have a chance to remove doors between public rooms, remove non-structural walls, or remove cabinets that divide the kitchen from other rooms, Even in older homes, a small change can make a big difference to how the space feels and works.
5. Painted furniture is definitely a trend these days. Repurpose treasures from your family or second-hand stores easily and to your taste. Add one painted piece in a bold color like sapphire blue or sunshine yellow, or paint mismatched furniture all white to create a coordinated look. (click here to see an example: https://heartworkorg.com/2014/06/17/another-home-office-makeover-green-and-blue/). Be thrifty, green, and trendy all at the same time.