The way you decorate your home is entirely up to you — but there are a few guidelines and design suggestions you may want to keep in mind as you’re decorating.
Although there are rare exceptions, here are a few decorating rules that the pros say you should almost never break.
Having curtains that are too short can make your space feel incomplete.
Lauren White, owner and principal designer at Ellen W. Interior Concepts, said curtains should always hit the floor. This generally helps a space look larger and more polished.
“Curtains that are too short are like wearing high-water pants,” she said. “It does not look good and makes your space look unfinished.”
There are rare exceptions to this — for example, if you’re dealing with a window above a sink or bathtub.
A rug that’s too small can throw off an entire room.
A high-quality rug isn’t cheap — and the bigger you go, the more expensive they become.
Because of this, you may be tempted to choose a smaller, more affordable option, even if it means sacrificing aesthetics.
If that’s the case, and your rug won’t be properly scaled to your space, you’re probably better off skipping a rug altogether, White said.
“A rug that is too small takes away from the space, although you would hope it adds visual value,” she told BI.
The “right” size of a rug varies depending on the room. However, at the very least, White said, your rug should at least be able to sit under the front legs of your furniture pieces,
Ordering furniture without measuring your space can lead to expensive mistakes.
It may seem like a no-brainer, but taking the time to measure your space is a crucial first step to creating a successful design, White said.
Even better, try envisioning how an item will sit in your space by using a bit of tape.
“Get the dimensions of the furniture you’re interested in, grab some blue painter’s tape, and create the shape of the furniture with the painter’s tape and dimensions,” she said. “This will give you a visual guide to ensure your furniture will be functional in your space.”
Choosing stylish pieces without thinking about their function can cause your space to look cluttered.
“When choosing furniture for your home, it is important to not only incorporate pieces you love, but to ensure these pieces work for your lifestyle,” Gena Kirk, vice president of design at KB Home, said.
Because of this, you want to avoid buying stylish pieces that aren’t functional and instead opt for pieces that have a lot of storage space.
Doing so helps to “keep your home looking beautiful without the clutter,” Kirk said.
Having only one source of light in a room can make a space fall flat.
Windows aside, having only one source of light (such as recessed lights) could make a room’s ambiance fall flat, Kirk said.
“It’s important to layer the lighting in your home by incorporating pendant lighting, chandeliers, or trendy wall sconces to soften the light sources,” Kirk said. “This creates a calm and welcoming environment throughout your home and can complement your design style.”
When it comes to expensive, tough-to-replace pieces, you might want to stick to timeless colors and designs.
Kirk said she always tells her clients to “play it safe” with items that aren’t easy to replace, such as countertops, cabinets, and built-in furniture pieces.
“You can incorporate current trends through accessories and easy-to-replace pieces such as backsplashes, cabinet hardware, or small pieces of furniture,” she said, adding that this can help you keep up with trends in an easier, more affordable way.
Your space might feel awkward if you hang artwork too high.
“Art is commonly hung too high and looks best at eye-level,” Sara Ray, owner of Sara Ray Interior Design in Nashville, said.
She said the sweet spot tends to be about 57 to 60 inches above the floor.
“There are exceptions to every ‘rule,’ but this one holds true most of the time,” she said.
Buying all your furniture from the same collection can make your home look like a showroom.
It can be tempting — and certainly convenient — to purchase all your furniture, rugs, and accessories from one store.
However, Ray said, you should mix your pieces unless you want the space to feel like a furniture showroom.
“It’s better to buy from a variety of sources, as well as from different eras, so you can mix vintage and new pieces,” she said. “The space feels more collected when older pieces are used, and it adds to the ‘story’ of your home.
This story was originally published on November 16, 2019, and most recently updated on September 8, 2026.
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