Avoid this decorating mistake you might not even realize you’re making

Do you ever look at your room and think, something is off? I was looking at my fall mantel and it hit me. I don’t have a lot of seasonal decorations because I don’t have space to store them. The issue with my decorations wasn’t that I don’t have pretty things, it’s that EVERYTHING IS SMALL. The problem is scale and this is one of the most common decorating mistakes.

I realized this as I was taking pictures of my mantel. I’ve got several small pieces; candles, fall branches, and a little bit of copper but what I don’t have is anything large enough to make a statement in the entire room. I developed a new rule for my seasonal decor. Invest in ONE thing that is large enough to be seen if you don’t have the time or space to have many things.

So when you start thinking about your decorating projects this year, don’t settle for all small accents. Put your money towards that one large piece that will be a focal point and have a visual impact in your space. This is especially true if you live in an apartment or condo with less storage space or a small floor plan. If you view your seasonal decorations as temporary most interior designers recommend you avoid the simple styling mistake of having multiple small pieces instead of one statement piece.

What Is a Statement Piece?

Are you wondering, what qualifies as a statement piece? I’m going to tell you the answer isn’t always an expensive item. In my (humble) opinion, a statement piece is simply something that makes a room look good and grabs your attention.

Here are a few ideas for things that can be used to make a statement.

• A piece of art that you love or a gallery wall.
• An unusual lamp, pendant light, or chandelier.
• A large vase with seasonal flowers or stems
• A statement wall treatment or wall color.
• A bold upholstered chair or unique piece of furniture.
• A beautiful dining table.
• A beautiful area rug or window treatments

The only rule is that it needs to be something large enough that if a new person walks in the room it will be the one thing they notice. If you quickly glance at a photo of your space is there one thing that catches your eye? If not, you might have lots of pretty things but your eye has nothing to focus on.

Here are a few examples that I’m considering to improve my fall decor. If you know me, you know I love to shop ETSY for one-of-a-kind ideas. I find shopping on ETSY is always a great place to start because I find the finishing touches that I wasn’t even looking for!

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• Recycled glass vases with fall foliage
• Maple leaf tree ring print
• Fall garland
• Fresh Magnolia Garland (made to order, or if you want to DIY see here).

I hope this gives you a good starting point and helps you avoid some of the common design mistakes that I’ve made. An easy way to begin is to invest in one main thing which will be a statement piece. It doesn’t need to have a large price tag but it will make your room feel more complete. The most important thing is to invest in only ONE of these items so you don’t overwhelm the rest of your space.