Why The Stuff You Buy Never Works

I have helped hundreds of clients who all come to me with the same unfinished looking house, and the same complaints. One complaint that seems to be particularly consistent is that the things they purchase never seem to work.

In this article I am going to offer a bit of clarity on WHY it is that the average homeowner struggles so much with selecting proper pieces for their space, and the alternatives that are available.

1.        SCALE

The majority of the time, when I walk into a space that was not decorated professionally, I will immediately notice one or several pieces that are terribly out of proportion with the space around them. Usually due to the furniture and/or décor being far too small. A too small sofa or seating group, a too small area rug, a too small art piece, too small table lamp (if there even is one), too small accent pillows, etc. This happens for a combination of reasons: The client is afraid of overcrowding their space and making it feel smaller; The client is penny pinching and not investing in size appropriate pieces; The client doesn’t measure or understand the basics of space planning; The client does not start with a plan that is drawn to scale. Having a floor plan (drawn to scale) can make a huge difference. But you may find, once you have plotted everything out, that the ideal size of sofa, rug, etc. may not be something you can purchase at the local Pottery Barn, Ashley Furniture, or even Amazon. For a price, you can order the perfect size of anything. But if you’re on a budget and/or have a tight timeline, you may want to confer with a professional designer (not the free designer from Pottery Barn mind you) to find out what the right approach would be. They can help you draw up a quick and accurate floor plan and recommend specific pieces that are consistent with your timeline and budget.

2.        IMPULSE BUYING

A rare few individuals have the talent to spot and commit to pieces that actually work. A VERY rare few. People generally tend to buy what they see in front of them, while simultaneously not being able to visualize how that will translate in their space. So they buy, accumulate, and eventually donate or toss whatever they don’t have room for anymore (because who enjoys returns?). It’s a constant cycle of wasteful spending, without ever reaching anything close to a beautifully finished space. If you love to shop, and you love the challenge of eventually finding that perfect piece after much trial and error, go nuts. Designers are much less casual about making selections. For them, it’s business—a task that must be handled a certain way, within a certain budget, to meet a certain timeline. It’s highly strategic. Designers tend to start with a design concept, a vibe, or a target aesthetic, and use that in combination with a scaled floor plan to make very calculated selections and purchases. If your designer makes suggestions for your space, you can rest assured it wasn’t because they were strolling through Home Goods on a lark and thought of you, it was because they created a plan for you and the suggestion is consistent with that plan. The process of creating a design plan is equally art and science. It’s not chance, and it’s not luck (when you’re working with a professional).

3.        POOR USE OF COLOR

It’s hilarious how most people don’t understand how to use color, and fall into two camps: Afraid of color, and Reckless with color. Neither group understands how to achieve balance and harmony in a space using color. If they love teal or red, they tend to use it everywhere and fry my eyeballs the moment I walk in. If they like gray, or are afraid of color, they tend to use it everywhere, and well, it’s cold and stark.

Color fans need help to use bold colors in moderation (or with heavy designer guidance), and neutral fans need help to incorporate warmth in just the right doses…help to be playful where it makes sense, with a blush pink velvet accent pillow, warm bamboo shades on the windows, or a classic English wallpaper to add depth and richness.

For the color lovers

For the "light" and neutral lovers

A general guideline I use is: The bigger and more expensive the piece, the more neutral it should be. The smaller and less expensive the piece, the more you can experiment and flex with color, texture, and style.

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Many homeowners are afraid of investing in interior design services, concerned it will not be worth the cost, or they’ll pay way more than they should have for one chair. For some designers who make their money on selling product, that may be true, but my company is service based. Meaning? I hate selling and pushing product. I want to give my clients relevant tailored advice, and ideally, RESULTS.

If you are a busy person, completely fed up with going it alone, and are ready to say YES to less stress by hiring an experienced interior design professional, send me an inquiry. Or check out my consulting services here.