HOW TO AVOID DATED INTERIORS
How to avoid dated interiors
Although I’m not much of a sports fan, I am particularly fond of a saying used by commentators to describe the performance of an athlete: form is temporary, class is permanent.
It rather resonates with interior designers as we’re often called to homes where the occupant has embraced some, let’s say, less-than-flattering design trends. Home fashions are very much like sporting form – sometimes there is a temporary blip - but if a property has good ‘bones’, it has permanent class.
As well as affecting the overall aesthetic, an outdated décor or style faux pas can make a property look cheap and affect its value – a pertinent point if you’re looking to sell. As a London interior design company, we can help you identify those aspects that may be holding your home’s potential back. If any of the following are relevant, get in touch as Rudolph Diesel Interiors can help:-
Net curtains: the 1980s are calling and they want their nets back. Anything lacey or scalloped should be avoided in favour of blinds, shutters, curtains or even voile.
Brown carpets: yes, it hides a multitude of stains but a chocolate-coloured carpet belongs to another decade and will suck the light (and life) out of a room.
Yellow walls: sunny and bright when used correctly, as advised by an interior designer, but the wrong yellow can feel sickly with nicotine overtones.
Pine furniture: cheap looking and chunky, you’ll need to appraise whether it really goes with the age and style of your home. If it jars, repaint and change the handles.
Pebble dash: can you believe pebble dash was used to hide beautiful bricks? If it can’t be removed – a laborious job - paint over it to make it less obvious.
Carpets in bathrooms: wrong on every level. If you want warmth and softness under foot, add a machine-washable rug or opt for underfloor heating.
Pallet furniture: if you went DIY furniture crazy and raided a builder’s yard to make a pallet sofa, it will look low-cost, no matter how many scatter cushions you add.
Textured ceiling: ahhh Artex – a real retro relic that’s an immediate turn off. Anything applied before 1984 may contain asbestos so will need professional removal.
7 high end interior design tricks to try
Try these ideas to get yourself out of an interior design rut and instantly upgrade your home:
1. If your home has original features, such as a fireplace or sash windows, make sure they’re in the best condition possible and are proudly on display.
2. Let natural light flood the property, as bright and airy always feels better than dark and dingy. Remove swags and pelmets, and keep glass panes unobstructed.
3. Declutter with a vengeance, paying attention to worktops in the kitchen, sideboards, bathrooms and coffee tables. A neat, streamlined home feels more sophisticated.
4. Try and match your furniture and décor to the period of your property – this will create a curated luxury interior design with minimal effort.
5. Paint the walls in every room the same colour – ideally a light neutral. This will ‘pull together’ your property, and you can add character with artwork and mirrors.
6. Replace, clean or fix anything that’s broken, frayed, stained, dirty or mouldy. Signs of neglect will cheapen a home – even if it’s an antique heirloom rug.
7. Stop with the off-the shelf art and objet d’art. Nothing says mass market more than the same prints from Ikea or the ‘in vogue’ vase from Oliver Bonas.