Out with the old, in with the new: Breaking conventional decorating rules

Some decorating rules are made to be broken.

Outdated rules are meant to be broken when it comes to decorating your home. For years designers have been telling people across the country that every room needs an accent color, or that all furniture should either be placed on or off an area rug, not in between. While there is plenty of value to gain from following these expert's recommendations, a new trend in the decorating world is to throw out convention and break the rules.

Homeowners around the country are channeling their own passions and eye for design through refusing to follow adamantly accepted decorating standards. To learn more about how to liven up your home's rooms and break away from the norm, here are three rules that many homeowners are breaking:

  • You don't have to match: You may not want to overwhelm your rooms with loud patterns or colors, but that does not mean everything has to match. Just because your walls are green, does not mean you have to only adhere to furniture tones that complement your wall color. Instead, introducing new tones or designs will liven up a room without making guest run for the hills. If you want to start small, simply buy interesting throw pillows or a new decorative lamp. For bolder homeowners, you can mix and match your dining room chairs or add in an appealing new rug.
  • You don't have to hold back for small rooms: Traditionally, most decorators would argue that homeowners should be careful when decorating small rooms in their home. Leaving walls white or neutral colors and not adding in large patterns are two generally accepted pieces of advice. However, dark wall colors or furnishings can actually make rooms feel more cozy and inviting than stark white rooms do. Though oversized furniture that crowds the room is not recommended for spacial reasons, multiple pieces that provide fun elements to a room's design, such as decorative end tables or a circular rug, can be fantastic.
  • You don't have to have a sofa: While most conventional decorating ideals claim that homeowners must center their living or seating room areas around a sofa, this is one rule that is easily broken. Though you may want a stylish, cozy couch in your living room to sit on next to a roaring fire or to watch your favorite television show, you don't have to adhere to the same process in other rooms of your home. If you have a seating area or space in your home that you want to spice up, don't just settle for buying a couch. Instead, buying an assortment of eye-catching armchairs that center around a sleek-looking coffee table will wow your guests and provide an innovative new seating space.

If you are looking for the best place to buy furniture for your home, come to Arwood's Furniture & Mattress, Missouri's LARGEST Furniture Store, today! With 30 years of industry experience, we are a proud, family-owned business that wants to see you find the best affordable furniture to break any decorating rules you think are not right for your home. Contact us or browse our furniture selection online to learn more!