Made To Be Broken! New Design Rules You Need To Know Before You Re-Decorate
There are some new design rules in town that you must know before you redecorate. They are easy to understand and even easier to implement. So get on board if you love to break a few rules.
I’ve never been one to play by the rules (just ask my Mother) so I do like to break a few design rules in my interior design work too. If you want to create edgier décor, then be open to breaking a few design rules too… and embrace the new design rules just like these.
#1 Art Should Always Be Hung At Eye Level
The question here is, at whose eye level should art be hung? People with differing heights usually populate homes. Moreover, we don’t stand around looking at the walls. We lie on the floor, sit on chairs, lounge on sofas, and relax on beds.
Try placing a large artwork on the floor leaning up against the wall (secure it if you have children). Hang an artwork high on a flight of stairs to draw the eye up. Place wall art just above the top of your bedside tables. Yes, you can still have a lamp or hanging pendant in front. Play with size and scale by mixing up the prints and frames for an eclectic effect.
#2 Always Match Timbers
As an interior designer, I am never a fan of matchy-matchy anything let alone timbers. When faced with timber floors, wooden kitchen cupboards, wooden furniture and wooden doors homeowners can panic about matching all the woods. Natural timbers are warm with a unique personality.
Timber works fabulously with almost anything including concrete, stone, metals, tiles, etc. This is one of the silly design rules you shouldn't be afraid to break. However, don’t mix more than 3 or 4 timbers and choose woods with similar undertones (warm or cool).
I love this modern industrial kitchen with mixed metals. Concept design by Plush Design Interiors
#3 Never Mix Metals
Again, matchy-matchy usually breeds boring interiors. Mixing metals adds character and depth to interiors especially in wet areas. The trick is to mix cool metals – stainless steel, chrome, silver – with warm metals – copper, brass, rose gold, gold.
I am obsessed with black metal windows, as they don’t ‘frame’ the view they blend it and seem to disappear. So if you choose black metal frames for window or art, mix with warm copper lights or other warm metals.
#4 Paint Your Ceilings White
Why? I often recommend painting a ceiling in quarter strength of the wall colour. This creates a cosy room with an intimate feel.
Painting a ceiling in a darker colour will draw the eye down so you can focus on the view or another feature. Even wallpaper a ceiling for drama or a calming effect. We recently painted a high raked ceiling in a mid-century modern renovation in a dark inky blue - Yacht Race by Porter’s Paints to be exact - and it not only looks amazing it creates more intimacy in a large space. Luckily our clients loved the new design rules and embraced being renegades.
#5 Avoid Dark Colours in Small Spaces
This is the worst ‘rule’ ever. Absolutely break this silliest of design rules. A tiny powder room wallpapered in a bold print looks amazing. Dark colours in a small room can make it look bigger because it blurs the lines, especially if it has great natural light.
Natural light will help a darkly decorated room feel warm. Add reflective surfaces and mirrors to expand the space. However, if you have a dark space with limited natural light, embrace the dark side and create a beautifully moody room. Think of dark colours such as indigo, burgundy or chocolate. Yum!
Mismatched dining chairs add dynamism to your dining room
#6 Always Have Matching Dining Chairs
It’s common to have your end dining chairs with arms and the other dining chairs without. Not as common, but with new design rules is being seen more, is to have chairs that are not exactly the same. For example, same chair with different upholstery colour. OR… an eclectic mix of completely different chairs upholstered in the same (or different) fabric. Or painted in different colours.
See our blog post on How To Choose The Right Dining Table.
#7 Don’t Mix Old With New
Creating tension in a room is an interior design imperative - we love creating tension because it makes for more interesting spaces. This is not one of the new design rules but it may be new to novice decorators.
Even if you are redecorating a heritage home, don’t be a slave to the era by only furnishing spaces with heritage pieces. It will feel like you are living in a museum. Mix antique and modern pieces. For example, a baroque mirror with a modern chair. Or a very modern art work on the wall above an antique credenza. Or a modern chandelier over an antique dining table. This mix of eras is where the magic happens.
Similarly, create tension by mixing rough with smooth, gloss with matte, dark with light, silk with knotted wool, linen with leather, Asian with Art Deco, etc. In fact, think of other ways to mix opposites and you’ll be on your way to smashing it out of the ‘rules’ park.
We love fun dining rooms with rattan, gloss and dark colours
#8 Don’t Use Faux Flowers + Plants
This is one design rule I would have vigorously upheld, except that the modern faux flowers and plants are so fabulously life-like. They are particularly good for styling photo shoots, however they are equally at home… well… at home. From cut flowers and decorative stems to potted orchids and fiddle leaf tees, your home will benefit from these seemingly real decor elements. See my fave supplier Floral Interiors for hundreds of options.
See our blog post on how to use faux flowers in your home for more great ideas.
#9 Create Symmetry
It’s true, most people find a sense of symmetry more visually appealing. Symmetry is when elements in a room are arranged equally on both sides of a central axis, creating a mirror image. It often imparts a sense of balance and formality. Think of a room with matching bedside tables, identical lamps, and evenly spaced artwork. It's like the yin and yang of design, offering a feeling of order and harmony.
However, asymmetry does have a role in new design rules if done correctly. Asymmetry is all about creating balance through dissimilar objects. It's more relaxed and organic. You might have a larger sofa on one side of the room and a collection of various-sized artworks on the other. Asymmetry allows for more creativity and uniqueness in your interior design.
The choice between symmetry and asymmetry depends on your design goals. Symmetry is great for creating a formal, classic look, while asymmetry can bring a sense of dynamic energy and uniqueness to a space. Mixing both can also be a great way to strike a balance.
Neutral decor from Plush Design Interiors will always show lots of texture and luxe finishes
#10 Always Add a Pop of Colour
Adding colour isn’t a guarantee for interior design success. The new design rules allow for cool colours and neutral tones to take centre stage without the need for adding any pops of colour. Whilst colour can add personality and enhance a lacklustre space, colour needs to be handled with deft care.
Whereas, you can create a beautiful space with neutral decor. The trick is to ensure you have plenty of texture - wood, wool, silk, metal, natural fibres, etc - and vary the strengths of your main neutral colours.
If you're thinking of renovating, then please check out more expert design tips on this blog and expert renovation advice and renovation preparation on our sister site, Plush Design Renovations.