This is a guest post from Lynn Carden, my mom!

She’s not an interior designer, but every time we move, she comes to help us transform the chaos into a functional, attractive home.  And each time we’ve reused nearly everything and spent nearly nothing.

As an artist, she was trained to organize a visual space — a canvas. In real life, she has used that training to wrestle the challenge of remodeling and redecorating.

From a third floor garret where a church pew served for seating, to a sprawling modern condo, to her current rambling 1850s farmhouse, she has tackled it all.

When we moved into our last house, there she was again — coaching and showing me that, actually those shimmery silk curtains are not the best choice for a living room with cordoroy couches from IKEA, silver picture frames, and ornate Chinese red chests.

She offered to distill her wisdom into design principles for my blog, I said, yes, please! I am still learning from these mantras, and I hope they are helpful to you too.

1. Edit out

When dissatisfied with a room, most of us think of adding a new element to it. But instead, try taking a cold hard look at the space. You might discover a lot of extraneous clutter.

Try eliminating anything that is tired, doesn’t quite fit, or is not serving a function. Let a few things shine and the space will breathe again.

Editing out may not be all your space needs, but it should be the first order of business.

2. Mix it up

If everything in a space is contemporary, it feels chilly. If the decor is filled with vintage pieces, it may look like a museum. At least a few items from another era will give your home a sense of history and make it feel as though someone actually lives there. So mix it up a bit.

The same goes for line and pattern. A fancy Victorian fainting couch amid a room of minimalist furniture could be dynamite. A glass and steel coffee table placed on a threadbare Oriental rug could be stunning.

3. Think function first

This goes for placement of furniture as well as selection. When moving into a new house or apartment, if you think only of function, you will at least get up and running in a hurry. How does the traffic flow, where will you need a reading lamp, where can you place the TV or computer so it will not reflect glare? These are things to consider as you place the sofa, the bed.

So what if you have little or no money to spend on furnishings? A perfectly inviting space can be created from an eclectic mix of hand-me-downs, Ikea, and garage sale specials. But only if you concentrate on comfort and function. A room which tells you immediately that your needs will be met is one that satisfies.

Imagine a cottage dominated by a comfy Ikea sofa. On either side are mismatched garage sale end tables, one holding an ample reading lamp. A sisal rug defines the area. Perhaps there is a beat-up coffee table for your papers or your feet.

Nothing is costly, nothing matches; but you know you can sink into the couch, set your glass on a table and open your book. It is where you want to be. It spells relaxation.

4. Separate purposes

Warning: too many functions intermingled in one space can feel confusing or exhausting. If you have children, it is tempting to spread their toys all over the house.

I should add that it’s nearly impossible to keep toys corralled into one room. If you work at home, perhaps the same is true for your papers and other work paraphernalia.

But you will get more mileage out of the rooms of your home if you keep their functions and identities separate. When you pass from one to the next, there will be an unconscious sense of relief and change, rather than monotony and clutter.

5. Make floors matter

This from an architect: of all the surfaces in a room, the floor is the most important. If it is a good natural surface, everything else tends to look fine. Vice versa. I’m sorry to convey this truism, because most of us live with laminates, vinyl or wall-to-wall carpeting; but if you have a choice, go for the real stuff.

6. Police the clutter

“Living is messy,” my mother-in-law used to say. Yes, we all create clutter and even need it to carry out our various activities. But the enemy of a restful and welcoming space is just that. Clutter. So if you can get a handle on it you might find that you and you family are happier with your home. It never looks better than when all the stray dishes are put in the sink or dishwasher, the toys picked up and the bed made. And that doesn’t cost a cent.

What a welcoming sight your home is when you return from a trip to find it clean and in order.

7.  Limit the competition

In Art History 101, we learned to look for the focus of a painting. As applied to interior design, our mind’s eye looks for a focus when entering a new space. If there is nothing interesting for the eye to linger on, we feel visually disappointed. But this is not usually the case. More often, it’s the opposite. Today the tendency is to over-decorate.

Perhaps there’s a sofa loaded with designer throw cushions, the windows are draped with swag curtains and embellished with fancy hardware. On the walls are hung paintings lighted by lamps with beaded shades. A collection of knick-knacks is displayed on the shelves along with family photos. And there are just too many pieces of furniture in the room. It’s all too much.

This is not just a matter of taste, it’s a problem of not knowing what to focus on. Each element is fighting for attention and the eye doesn’t know where to settle. The size of your space will dictate how many stars can exist without overkill. But remember this: perhaps only one or two things can be prima donnas; let the others be in the chorus.

8. Check for scale

This is a tough one. Because a decade or two ago, someone injected all the furniture with steroids. Home accessories too. And the designers and manufacturers are not going to dial back either, because we Americans have gotten bigger. So if you try to mix furniture from different eras, you could be in trouble.

Comfortable as they are, when you get one of those new arm chairs home from the show room it will make the davenport from grandmother’s house look like it is for the children. Part of the problem is that the new one looked quite normal amongst the other giants in that cavernous show room.

All I can say is, beware; and before you leave home, take measurements.

9. Avoid eye candy

This is a biggie. It happens to the best of us. Unless we have a great deal of self-disciple when we shop, we end up going for the prettiest — not the right — thing. We need a coffee table; we know about what size and height we want but are open to style. We take our husband on the shopping trip. It’s a date night!

We go first to a place that has antiques and vintage things. Maybe we can find one with character. We wander around amidst 15 or 20 possibilities and pretty soon we’re confused. So naturally, we go for the most handsome one — the one with the really neat distressed finish or the one with the sexy legs. Or the delicate red lacquered one with Chinese dragons. How cool! We get all excited and take it home.

Surprise! What were we thinking? There are toddlers in the house! (This actually happened, but I won’t mention names.) Hence, I advise you to brace yourself with measurements and resistance when you go shopping. If you have art on the walls, chances are you don’t need furniture that mimics art.

My daughter — yes, but this was before she became Frugal Mama —  ended up purchasing a black leather bench which still serves the family as a game surface, a balance bar, a place for adults to prop their feet, and a coffee table. [Note from Amy: It’s true — my mom has talked me down from many a bad decorating ledge. But I got the (fake) leather bench for a great price at World Market.]

 

10. Don’t forget lighting

The minute the sun sets, the most important element in every room is its light source. Will it be overhead or eye level? Indirect or spotlight? Should it be task lighting or mood setting? Do you want cool or warm light? Uplight or downlight? Today the possibilities are limitless but it is one of the hardest things to get right. Even something as subtle as the lining of a lampshade will make a difference.

So after you get your space organized, or the house ready for guests, to get the most from your efforts, spend some time lighting it.

11. Repeat that again

Sometimes repetition is good, not boring. As in the case of metals, mixing them can look chaotic. It unifies a space to use all the same type or finish. Shiny brass used to reign in America’s living rooms, polished chrome in our kitchens. In fact, we had almost no other choices.

Today there is a cornucopia of metal finishes to choose from, everything from brushed nickel to oil-rubbed bronze. And each manufacturer has his own version of the finish. But if you want your place to look pulled together, try to keep the metals similar.

The same advice goes for wood and woodwork. And when it comes to fabric or color, while it’s good to have variety, a common underlying thread is very useful. So remember; it’s not monotony, it’s good design.

Lynn Carden is a working artist who is represented by B. Deemer Gallery in Louisville, Kentucky and Parkview Gallery in Chillicothe, Ohio. You can see her work on the B. Deemer Gallery website: http://www.bdeemer.com/.

She was awesome, wasn’t she? I feel so lucky to have an in-house decorator. Good design and a cozy home are important to me, but I just don’t have the knack. I hope these free tips inspire you!