A recent survey was sent out to thousands of HGTV viewers, asking the question, “What is your biggest decorating pet peeve?”
While they expected to get many responses such as “outdated wallpaper,” “old green shag carpet,” “outdated gold hardware,” and so on, the overwhelming response was “people decorating too ‘Matchy Matchy’.”
Gone are the days when you must buy a complete 5-piece matching bedroom set or have all of your furnishings be of a certain wood type. Eclectic is more interesting. Bring in a painted armoire to go along with some existing wood-stained pieces. Find an interesting flea market chair, get it reupholstered and place with your more modern furniture. Anything goes now because when you mix it shows a more true reflection of you.
I am a gal who likes a theme, but, boy, themes can go way overboard as well. If you like, create a particular theme, say a Tuscan wine country theme (this is one I see a lot). It’s OK to have it in a basement bar where you entertain.
When you spread it out all over the house and start to hang plastic grapes from the kitchen ceiling, you have gone a little too far.
I find my clients often get too hung up on colors as well. The shade of blue in your drapes does not have to exactly match the blue in your sofa. As long as the tones are in the same family it will coordinate together. Also, your rooms do not need to be painted the same color, mix it up and have some fun with color. If you are too nervous to go with bold colors on the walls then bring in some bold colors and patterns in your pillows and area rugs.
Then no one will ever call you too “Matchy Matchy.”
