12 Deadly Decorating Sins

By Kurt Cyr - Houzz Contributor

Are your room designs suffering from a few old habits? It may be time to change your ways

 

During my 25 years as a designer, I have compiled a list of habits I’ve observed in the decorating and design world. Habits that I believe need to be broken. Many of these may have begun as good intentions — but we all know where that path leads!

I’ve assembled 12 of those habits here. I’ve struggled with each and every one of them personally and feel I have come out on the other side a better designer for it. Although each lesson is valuable, in the hierarchy of habits to be broken, there is none more important than No. 12. 

 

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

1. Foyer neglect. Mama always said you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And she was right. Don’t let your entry hall fall prey to lack of attention.

How to break this habit? Most of us with attached garages never use our foyers — and it shows. So use it. Showcase a favorite object that has a story behind it. This will immediately set a personal tone in your home.

 

KATE JOHNS AIA

2. Improper lighting. Lighting in a home is often too dim or too bright. It’s best to define the task at hand and light accordingly.

How to break this habit? Vary the levels and sources of lighting in a room, and by all means install dimmers. In this multiuse dining room, pendant lights are focused on the table. Whether highlighting food or books, the proper lighting makes this room a place you want to be in.

 

A Good Chick To Know

3. Built-in refrigerators. Does everyone need to play a professional chef at home? Walls of built-in refrigerators are better suited to the corporate world or an industrial kitchen.

Why break this habit? If it’s coziness you are looking for, a less sleek kitchen with free-standing appliances will give you that homey charm.

 

Tim Barber LTD Architecture & Interior Design

4. A matchy-matchy look. There is something slightly unnerving when everything matches. Perhaps it’s the lack of soul or just the lack of confidence shown.

Why break this habit? There is a charming insouciance when the carpet doesn’t match the drapes — or, in this case, when the slipcovers don’t match the wallpaper. This dining room exudes a casual, welcoming air.

 

Lucy Interior Design

5. All-white woodwork. Where is it written that all woodwork must be painted white?

Why break this habit? Because a bit of color is a good thing. It is surprising and unexpected. Frankly, it just adds interest and personality. Just notice how fantastic this tomato-red cabinet looks.

 

Mitch Wise Design,Inc.

6. Everything against a wall. It’s natural to want to shove all the furniture against the walls. Fight that urge.

Why break this habit? Floating pieces (placing them away from the walls) creates a more interesting room composition and places people closer together, which helps foster conversation. It also helps make a large room more intimate.

 

Enclosures Architects

7. The plague of beige. Since the overstuffed 1980s, beige has ruled supreme. Even the edgiest souls didn’t venture far from ecru and oatmeal.

Why break this habit? When was the last time you smiled when you saw beige? Life is too short to swaddle oneself in burlap. Color makes us happy. Decorate your way to happiness.

 

Schwartz and Architecture

8. Hoarding. Know your limits. Collecting can easily cross over into hoarding. Don’t let that happen to you.

How to break this habit? Set aside a space where your collection can be properly displayed and enjoyed, like the one shown here. Collect until the space is comfortably filled. Then stop or maintain a zero-growth collection policy: one item in, one item out.

 

Christopher Burns Interiors

9. A single-use dining room. Don’t get me wrong; I love dining rooms. But they need to work harder than just hosting Sunday dinners.

How to break this habit? Choose a complementary auxiliary use, such as a library. I consider dining with books to be the ultimate luxury. Whether talk turns to travel or philosophy, reference materials will be close at hand.

 

Scott Sanders LLC

10. Built-in wet bars. Wet bars with miles of mirror and a multitude of bottles have their place. It’s called Las Vegas.

Why break this habit? Hosting a cocktail party is not like running a drinking establishment. Your bar should be a personally edited version of you. So skip the liquor-warehouse look and impress your guests with a specially designed cocktail or a curated collection of alcohol.

 

LDa Architecture & Interiors

11. Coordinated sets. Suites of matching furniture hark back to the days when a glimpse of ankle was considered risqué.
Why break this habit? Showcase your personality by mixing together pieces that you truly love and want to live with, not just the items that a manufacturer says go together.

Reservoir

12. Lack of wit. This is, perhaps, the deadliest of all decorating sins. Taking oneself too seriously can end in decorating ruin.

How to break this habit? Lighten up. Take my advice: A house is not a home without a spot of leopard!

 

10 Easy Edibles for First-Time Gardeners

Focus on these beginner-friendly vegetables, herbs, beans and salad greens to start a home farm with little fuss

Marianne Lipanovich - Houzz Contributor

The idea of growing edibles is always tempting. Photos of edible gardens promise you lush landscapes filled with a tantalizing mix of vegetables, herbs and flowers that will make all passersby stop and stare. Getting started with an edible garden can seem daunting, though, especially if you’re new to gardening. Fortunately, most edibles are fairly tough.

So the main question is simply, what do you grow? The following 10 edibles are good choices if you’re just getting started. 

 

1. Radishes. Radishes may be one of the easiest edibles to grow. With some popular varieties, you can start eating the tops (as you thin out your plantings) within two weeks and start harvesting in three weeks. You can plant successively from early spring until summer approaches, then start planting again come fall.

See how to grow radishes

Laara Copley-Smith Garden & Landscape Design

2. Carrots. Long and orange may be the familiar look, but today’s carrots come in a range of colors, from white to purple, and a range of shapes, from long and narrow to short and plump. Like radishes, they give you almost instant gratification when it comes to harvesting, as you generally can start pulling them to eat in a month or so. More than most other edibles, they do require loose, clod- and stone-free soil to maintain their shape.

See how to grow carrots

Renee's Garden

3. Salad greens. Growing your own salad greens is remarkably easy, and these are among the few edibles that do best in partial shade when it’s warm. Lettuce especially can get bitter in hot weather, even if you grow the newer varieties that have been bred to resist bolting. Start with some of the loose-leafed varieties of lettuce and mix in other greens, such as arugula, chicory, chervil and spinach, for a home-grown salad mix.

See how to grow lettuce, spinach and other salad greens.

Aloe Designs

4. Herbs. Most of our favorite herbs are also the easiest edibles to grow. Some, like mint, are almost impossible not to grow — plant some in the ground and you’ll be pulling up mint all over your garden. Most herbs do best with full sun and little to regular water, and many, such as thyme, do double duty as ground covers. Plant them in a formal herb garden, mix with other edibles or grow in any type of planter or box.

See how to grow herbs

Sage Ecological Landscapes and Nursery

5. Strawberries. The taste of freshly picked strawberries is reason enough to grow them. Add to that their versatility in terms of varieties for almost all climates and their adaptability to any number of containers, including hanging ones, and you have a plant that can work for almost any gardener. Most gardeners treat them as short-lived perennials, meaning you’ll still have lush foliage after the fruiting season is over. While the list of possible problems might seem daunting, most gardeners find that strawberries are reliable and fairly trouble free (except for keeping birds out).

See how to grow strawberries

Lisa Nieschlag "Liz & Jewels"

 

6. Beans. Beans are an edible-garden staple, and snap beans are the most popular type of bean to grow. Choose from bush beans, which produce an earlier crop while staying lower to the ground, or vining beans, the familiar climbing varieties that will climb up almost anything they can wrap their tendrils around. Once you’ve mastered these, you can branch out to dry beans, lima beans, scarlet runner beans, fava beans and even soybeans.

See how to grow beans

Amy Renea

7. Tomatoes. For many gardeners it’s really not an edible garden without a tomato or two. Though you may hear all sorts of stories about possible problems, from whiteflies to scary-sounding diseases, the fact that tomatoes are probably the most popular edible to grow should encourage you. The key is to find the varieties that do well in your climate. The good news is that there are so many varieties now readily available, from heirlooms to disease-resistant hybrids, so you can easily find something that works for you.

See how to grow tomatoes

Sparrow Landscaping LLC

 

8. Chard. “Easy to grow” defines Swiss chard. It grows well from seed, prefers cooler weather (but can handle a fair amount of summer heat) and can be harvested approximately 60 days after the first seeds were planted while still continuing to produce, even through winter in warm-winter climates. Grow it separately or mix it with other edibles and even ornamentals, especially if you’re growing one of the colorful Bright Lights chards.

See how to grow chard

Steve Masley Consulting and Design

9. Peppers. Peppers of all types need a long, warm to hot growing season, but they’re worth the wait. Plant sweet peppers for milder flavor and a range of colors from yellow and red to green and purple, and sizes from tiny to large enough to stuff and bake. If your taste buds are more adventurous, give hot peppers a try. You’ll find everything from mildly spicy to so hot, you’ll need to taste with caution.

See how to grow peppers

Barbara Pintozzi

10. Zucchini. If you plant zucchinis, be prepared to start eating them a couple of months later and to continue consuming them throughout the summer.

The zucchini is legendary for how easy it is to grow and how much it produces, but the same can be said of almost any of the squashes, including pumpkins. They’re notorious for springing up where seeds have overwintered, including compost piles, and the resulting amount of fruit can be overwhelming. The space requirements can also be a little daunting, as most require a fair amount of room for sprawling. But if you have the space (or find a compact variety), zucchinis and other squashes are easy edibles to grow.

See how to grow zucchinis and other squashes
See more edible gardening tips

17 Gorgeous Ways to Work In a Patterned Area Rug

Add spark underfoot and pull a room together all around with a patterned rug as bold or subtle as you please

 

By Kurt Cyr: Houzz Contributor

 

When it comes to area rugs, we often take the safe route, opting for solid designs and neutral colors. But a patterned rug or two can unify disparate elements in a room and make a sea of plain upholstered pieces suddenly come alive.

Our ancestors originally used area rugs to warm up cold stone or dirt floors. Today, with central heating, their purpose tends to be more decorative — although they still come in handy for trying to muffle sound or providing a soft surface for baby’s first steps.

Throw a pattern into the mix, however, and utility becomes versatility. Dull becomes divine. And great things start to happen.

Voila Design Philadelphia

Chalk on a blackboard. As bold as black and white may sound, here the effect is rather subtle, as it’s only the white lines that stand out against the dark ground and dark floor.

 

Ninainvorm

Granny squares. This rug has all the charm of a hand-knitted shawl. The spunky homespun quality has a sweetness all its own. It works especially well here with what appears to be a collection of handed-down, heirloom furnishings.

 

Webber + Studio, Architects

Fraternal twins. Although these two rugs are very different, they’re similar in size and color. The Chinese art deco dining rug helps anchor the table and chairs with its broad band of pink and mustard. In the living area, the Persian pattern swirls about under the glass-topped Barcelona table.

 

Abbe Fenimore Studio Ten 25

Tastefully restrained. This Doris Day blue dhurrie unites the decorating scheme with a little pluck, but not a lot of fanfare. It offers a quiet pattern underfoot that coordinates but does not compete with the chair upholstery or the beige paint job.

 

Surya

Bold and neutral. This may seem contradictory, but this rug has an active pattern in very neutral tones. The contrast of the charcoal and oatmeal pattern gives it a real kick. The rug holds its own against the punches of tomato red in the pillows.

 

Cynthia Lynn Photography

Brought to you by chevron. A classic tile pattern rendered in wool makes a striking statement. The large scale of the pattern is very important: It’s bold without being busy. Keeping the colors to a minimum helps to create a very welcoming room.

 

The Troop Group

A spot of leopard. This racy pattern doesn’t even appear exotic in this context; the allover pattern gives it a traditional tone in this room. If you see a pattern you like in a broadloom, you can easily have it cut and bound to form a custom-size area rug. 

 

Cristi Holcombe Interiors, LLC

Lattice entertain you. There is something very interesting going on here. The white and orange rug is telegraphing the lattice of the étagères. It’s like the rug is casting shadows on the walls! Let your area rug echo the lines of your furniture.

 

Borden Interiors & Associates

Furniture anchor. The rug’s colors are repeated in the furniture and accessories here, like the bentwood chairs and the coffee table. When in doubt, stick to a triad of colors, as with this room’s red, black and white palette.

 

Cardea Building Co.

Black and white and discreet. The simple geometric checks on this Mongolian rug are a quiet respite from the bold blues of the furniture. Mimicking the classic black and white checked floor, this rug is a great choice for a traditional interior.

 

usona

Mod, mad stripes. This sculpted rug adds perimeter interest to a furniture group, its irregular edges contrasting with the simple, square lines of the large-scale contemporary furniture.

 

SHULMAN + ASSOCIATES

Large, dark and masculine. If you want to add a touch of pattern but aren’t ready to go whole hog, take a cue from this cosmopolitan interior. The rug’s moody blue middle is understated and masculine, but the border feels tribal and exuberant, lending a dose of pattern without overwhelming the room. Couple this with a contemporary wood and glass table, and you’ve got design that makes a statement, but does so in a whisper.

 

Joel Antunes photography

A stitch in time. This area rug, cobbled together from an assortment of rug remnants, is a modern twist on the traditional Persian rug. The cinnabar, maroon and red add a wealth of warmth to this white room.

 

Julie Dasher Rugs

Right this way. There’s no mistaking where to go in this entryway: The rug leads the way. Area rugs don’t just anchor furniture arrangements; they can also provide direction, as this one does. These vibrant colors really dress up the hallway and turn it into a grand entrance.

 

Lisa Borgnes Giramonti

Rug on rug. Pattern and texture are layered beautifully here. A small worn antique carpet placed atop a larger sea grass rug is a great way to expand the perceived size of an area rug. 

 

SchappacherWhite Architecture D.P.C.

Off the sofa and onto the floor. Ultrawide black and white stripes set off this otherwise all-white room. It’s a brazen choice, but not an unstudied one. Notice how the same stripe — albeit slightly smaller — works so well on the sofa pillows. This is the ultimate in rescaling patterns in a white room.

 

Watermark & Company

Look at me! This brilliantly bold area rug is actually made from carpet tiles. This means it can be arranged and rearranged at will. This area rug doesn’t just anchor the broad white sofas and white coffee table; it takes center stage.

 

Go for the Bold: 14 Great Ideas for Patterned Upholstery

By Kurt Cyr - Houzz Contributor:

 

Let’s face it: Most of us are afraid of using pattern of any kind on large upholstered furniture. I suppose it’s understandable, since we’ve been told over and over that investment pieces should remain neutral so it’s easier to change our decor when we want to.

I have one thing to say to that: “They’re not the boss of me!” And they should not be the boss of you, either. Since when did you ever let someone else dictate what you should or shouldn’t do? I say go for bold!

These examples are not for the shrinking violets among us. Rather, they’re here to celebrate the owners’ personalities and inspire confidence. Let’s look at them to understand the power of pattern to make a room really special. 

 

Tara Seawright

Corral the herd. This pair of black and white cowhide tub chairs injects a strong sense of the owner’s humor into a very restrained seating group. Personality is important to a room’s design, and here we can see the owner’s whimsical side. 

 

ABRAMS

Tipping the scales. The patterns work here because of the scale of the woven print. The pattern on the sofa has a subtle texture, while the small print on the chair at first appears to be a solid color.

 

Liz Levin Interiors

Bold and cheerful. Nobody puts this baby in the corner! (Figuratively speaking, of course.) Pluck a color from the wallpaper and run with it — that’s what the designer did with this bold striped chair. Olive green and fuchsia are complementary colors, which is why they work so well together here.

 

Emily Chalmers | Caravan Style

Oh, suzani! Bold central-Asian suzanis add a worldly touch to chairs and sofas. This is drama for drama’s sake. An individual piece like this is all a simple room needs.

 

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

Crocodile tears. This vintage sectional got a new look with pattern. The large abstract print is reminiscent of a crocodile pattern. It’s subtle enough to appear to be a texture, making it a great choice for a long sectional.

 

Darci Goodman Design

Victorian stripes. This oval-back Victorian settee has thrown off any illusion of stuffy parlor games. The unexpectedly vibrant stripes bring it right into the 21st century, marrying past and present.

 

Facing off. This white space isn’t antiseptic, thanks to the pair of Parsons sofas covered in a chocolate trellis print. The crisp pattern works especially well with the severe lines of the sofa. A shock of chartreuse adds unexpected relief to the high-contrast color palette.

 

Incorporated

Mix and match. This madcap sectional isn’t for everyone. There’s a 1960s vibe at work here. The individual components are treated more like an assortment of pillows than parts of a large furniture piece, making the whole thing the perfect lounge for grown-up kids.

 

Thom Filicia Inc.

By the book. Here’s a great way to subtly integrate a bold pattern into a small room. Here the wide stripes on the upholstery mimic the vertical lines of the books behind — not only in color, but also in scale.

 

The Cross Design

Bohemian rhapsody. Remnants of vintage floral bark cloth and a small diamond geometric in red and white give this thrift shop sofa a hippie chic look. This ad hoc assemblage of patterns isn’t for everyone, but in this spare white room it’s the showpiece.

 

Meadowbank Designs

Neotraditional. The large pattern places the sofa front and center. Although the pattern is very traditional, its asymmetrical placement is very modern. Unexpected applications like this are a way to spice up and modernize ho-hum furniture.

 

Christy Dillard Kratzer

Monochromatic. Pattern can be used in even the palest, beigest room, if it’s used subtly. This elegant sofa is upholstered in a bold tone-on-tone damask pattern. Because damask uses the soft highlights of the weft and warp, it’s a wonderful choice that doesn’t shout too loudly.

 

Branca, Inc.

Layering pattern. Stripes and floral patterns are judiciously used in this library. The ottoman is the only piece that isn’t patterned. Green and red are complementary colors, but slightly muddied tones of the two are used to tie all the patterns together.

 

jill Shevlin - Intrinsic Designs

Mad for plaid. Gingham is usually reserved for casual country kitchens, but here a large-scale gingham is elegant and sophisticated on two overstuffed sofas. The gentle gold complements the weathered blue-gray elsewhere in the room.