Interior Design Rules You Should Break

Blue and green should never be seen and your furniture should all be matching – right?

Some interior design rules are as old as avocado bathrooms and feel like they can never be ignored. But what better time than a new year for breaking the old rules?

We’re here to tell you that 2020 is throwing the rule book out of the window. The new decade is all about creating a living space that is unique to you so, if you have to break some interior design rules to do it, you absolutely should.

Colour Coordinated

Any interior design blog worth its salt will tell you to use light colours in small spaces, always paint ceilings white, pick two colours for any one scheme, and never - ever - pair blue and green. 

While these rules are all there for a reason and work in their own way, you don’t have to follow them religiously. In reality, blue and green looks quite nice together and fits perfectly with the 2020 interior design trend for bringing nature-inspired shades into the home. It’s good enough for peacocks, isn’t it?

Don’t be afraid to be bold with colour this year. Using multiple colours in one space or painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls can actually make a room feel brighter and more spacious. 

Paired Chairs

Take a look at any picture of a dining table. Are the chairs all the same?

We’re going to guess that they are, because one rule of designing a dining room is that the chairs should always match. That doesn’t have to be the case though. Mismatched dining chairs can look gorgeously eclectic and fill your dining room with personality. If you don’t want to go full-blown mismatched, you can opt for the same chairs with different colours or patterns (or vice-versa, different chairs with the same upholstery) so there’s always a link tying the room together. 

Beautiful Symmetry

There’s a reason we love symmetry in interior design. Symmetrical patterns follow the rules of nature and make sense to our brains but, the truth is, it can get a bit boring when applied to your home. 

Use asymmetry to make your interiors look more interesting. Hang your prints and paintings off-centre, place a rug on one side of the room, or use eye-catching asymmetrical design pieces like lamps or footstools. These touches instantly make a room more intriguing and attractive. 

Mixed Metals

Like choosing colour palettes, we’re always told to use the same metal throughout a room. Think matching handles on kitchen cabinets and matching metals on taps and fittings in your bathroom. 

This isn’t a hard and fast rule though. Mixed metals can look chic and industrial, as well as drawing the eye and the attention to certain features. Golds, rose golds, and coppers work particularly well together and are a good place to start if you don’t want your mismatched metals to become overwhelming. 

Something Old, Something New

One design rule that’s as old as interiors themselves is that you should always use furniture and furnishings from one time period. If you’re going for mid-century furniture, you should make sure every piece in your room is from that same era, right? Then match the rugs, walls, and accessories too.

Not necessarily. Mixing contemporary fixtures and fittings with vintage or retro pieces can actually lift them out of the past and place them firmly in the now. If you don’t want your space looking too eclectic, you can always stick to pieces with the same raw materials or colours.

Mismatched Prints

The design rules of old tell us never to use more than one print in a space because it will look overwhelming. We disagree. Mismatched prints are a huge interior design trend in 2020 and a fantastic way to make your home more eye-catching. 

One easy way to use mismatched prints in a space is to make sure there’s at least one unifying colour that runs through each print. For example, you could use patterned wallpaper in different colours then pick up one of those colours in your patterned bedding. Or, just be bold and fill your home with all the patterns you love. 

Feeling inspired? Here at Homeco, we can help you with all your furnishing and decorating needs, whether you like to follow the rules or you want to break them entirely. Come and see us at our showroom or contact us today for expert help and advice.