In my years of helping clients design their homes I have been asked, “What
is the biggest mistake homeowners make when designing or decorating
their homes?”
My answer is always……
“Starting a project without an overall flexible plan!”
I know having a plan goes against the way society seems to run our lives these days.
Everything is quick, and at our fingertip's, or thumbs.
We
communicate with texting, or we can get what we want with the push of a
microwave button, drive up windows for food and drink, or on the
computer with just one click and we can literally purchase just about
anything we want.
However, when designing, or decorating your home it still takes a lot of thought, and planning to achieve the design in the room, or home that you truly you want.
Lately
I have seen so many home decorators buy one piece for their home
without thinking of how it will relate to the whole context of the room,
or how it will marry to the homeowners individual style throughout the
rest of the home.
When
someone buys a piece that is out of context to the rest of the room,
and places it in the room, they will soon discover it just is not
working.
They
often will tend to try, and justify the purchase by trying to make it
work by adding more and more to the room , and making more purchases to
make this one new addition work in the room in their minds eye. (Does
this sound like anything you can relate too?)
The results can be one big hot mess.(not a technical design term)
The homeowner now has a home that does not flow, or make sense. The elements do not relate to one another in any shape or form.
Chances are they now have a room, or home they never wanted, or expected, all because of making purchases without a plan.
The word juxtaposition
is thrown around by home decorators, especially when someone adds an
element that has absolutely nothing to do with the style, or design
aesthetics of the home, or the homeowners individual style or taste.
What I am about to show you is NOT an English lesson, but merely to explain the word juxtaposition
The definition of juxtaposition is…….
the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side; also : the state of being so placed
Function of Juxtaposition
Writers employ the literary technique of juxtaposition in order to surprise their readers and evoke their interest by means of developing a comparison between two dissimilar things by placing them side by side.
The comparison drawn adds vividness to a given image, controls pacing
of poem or a narrative and provides a logical connection between two
various vague concepts.
In the design world we have chosen to use the highlighted part of the definition of juxtaposition.
When
this practice is executed by a professional who knows what they are
doing, it is stunning, and something we all would like to emulate.
Unfortunately I feel this word, or technique has been over used, and misused in the design community.
It also seems to have given the less capable home decorator the excuse to put things together that should NEVER be used together in the manner in which they are displaying them in their homes.
Using
opposites next to each other takes talent, and a plan otherwise you
will have a room that looks like I stated above. A much less impressive
statement, simple and to the point……..
A Big Hot Mess!
Personally I am in the beginning of making plans for our new built home that we will be moving into in the Fall.
I already have much of my base elements since we have had a home previously that I had decorated in the style we loved.
With a new home there will be new challenges, and ones that I am very excited about.
Even with all of my current furnishings I am making plans on how they will look with every single detail I can think of.
There
will be no purchasing until I know that my overall plan will remain
intact, and in the end I will get the results that I was planning on all
along.
Most people will make purchases of items they love, and I am not against that at all, IF these are items of quality, and IF you have always had an affinity towards this particular element.
Where people fall into the pit of making huge
mistakes, and not spending their money well is when they go out, and
purchase the latest trend, and try to plop it down in their room.
When it doesn’t really work, they soothe their regret by saying, "I like the
juxtaposition of this piece with that piece." This will often make the
onlooker pause with a big Question mark on their face! The homeowner has
made a .........
Big Mistake!!!
Then they try to make it work by adding, and adding more of the same style of the misplaced piece , and we all know what happens then…..
One Big Hot Mess!!!
We All Need A Plan!!
It is key that you have a flexible, overall plan, as pictured above, and purchase what you truly love.
In
the end it is all about staying with what you truly love, and try not
to fall into the pit of the TRENDS, and when it does not work try to
explain it as using the technique of Juxtaposition.
You will notice that I use the words, flexible when I am talking about your overall plan.
When
we are making purchases for our homes we will always have to make
adjustments along the way. We may have to adjust according to one of
these three things….
- AVAILABILITY
- AFFORDABILITY
- PRACTIACALITY
When you think about it, how in the world could you make the proper adjustments if you don’t have an overall plan?
The answer is, YOU CAN'T.
This
is where homeowners fall into the pit of adding, and adding elements to
try, and make their mistake-purchase work. The result is a room that
they never, ever wanted.
Planning is fun, and it gives one a sense of control when decorating, or designing their home. It also helps you NOT to make unnecessary, or costly purchases.
Sometimes I think I enjoy the planning, and sourcing for my home more than anything.
If you have ever wondered how do designers do it????
They Have A Plan!!
“ Enjoy The Process of Planning!”
3 comments:
Boy....did this speak to me! I am currently re-doing my bedroom because of a chair I had purchased for the room. After it was delivered I realized I had made a big mistake with my fabric choice. In order to make the chair work, I'm now changing everything in the room. Talk about an expensive chair!
And I had a designer from Ethan Allen help me pick the chair. I guess I needed a better plan. Or a better designer. LOL
Great post Kathysue!....
Great advice Kathysue. I am trying to get this idea across to our HOA board for our landscape project but with not much luck! Looking forward to seeing your new home all completed and following along on this next phase of life with you and your husband.
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