Although depending on a professional designer to decorate your place is the easiest way to obtain excellent interior, many people decide to tackle the task alone. While there is nothing wrong with having faith in your own creativity, you should know the job requires more than relying solely on your imagination. As a non-expert designer, you can make mistakes that are sometimes difficult to fix. Continue reading, so that you can discover which are the greatest renovation mistakes amateurs often make and make sure you don’t let them happen:

• They have no plan – starting an interior design project without making a thorough plan is a crucial mistake that may ruin the image of your place. A complete plan should involve much more than going for that cool green wall and those beautiful rusty chairs. You should have a clear idea of what style you want to achieve before purchasing paint or furniture. The goal of your brand-new design is to ensure a harmonious atmosphere, which can happen only with an appropriate, well-judged plan.

• They have no budget – assuming the fact that your finances are limited to some extent, not estimating a remodelling budget would slow down the progress of your project. We all dream of furnishing our homes with luxurious items and using only materials of the highest quality, but can we afford that? To let your project go smoothly, sit down and determine a thorough renovation budget. Once you finalise expected costs, do your best to steer clear of buying pricey items that don’t meet the limitations of your budget.

• They let clutter in – even the most picture-perfect interior design can be destroyed if you allow clutter to take control over your place. From a remodelling point of view, clutter means purchasing all sorts of small or bigger items that are supposed to complete the décor of your home. Surely you can refresh the space with a tasteful piece of art or a beautiful potted plant, but you shouldn’t have too many of these all over your home. Knickknacks, artwork, as well as floor and table lamps, are among the objects that can style up your place, as long as you don’t go overboard. In case you don’t know how to keep clutter at bay while decorating, you would be better off without any of these.

• They get the wrong area rugs – area rugs deserve special attention, since they have a huge impact on the overall appearance of a premise, especially when it comes to designing a living room. Choosing the wrong size or colour of an area rug is a typical mistake no-pro designers make, so bear in mind that your addition should be a match for the colour palette of the room, as well as its dimensions. An area rug that is too small would shrink the premise optically, while a colour mistake would create a sense of discomfort and lack of harmony.

• They don’t consider illumination – ensuring sufficient light in their premises is a step amateur designers usually overlook. Since the task is not as simple as you may think, the best you can do is to ask an expert for their opinion. When it comes to illumination, you should aim at getting the most of natural light and then look for artificial versions to boost comfort at your place. To provide the light that absolutely meets the needs of your premises, rely on professional help or try to supply the place with as much natural light as possible. Other sources of light like a desk lamp or a chandelier have to be picked in a way that ensures not only functionality but a well-balanced design as well.

Making any of these mistakes would leave you far away from your dream design. Make sure that you have a good plan and always look for a peaceful, yet practical design for your place.

© APA Painters & Decorators

Painting is probably one of the most popular DIY jobs that people initiate without the help of professionals. And while it is not an overly complex task, it does require a little planning and careful consideration. If you are not careful, you may end up making some of the most common mistakes with painting, which will jeopardise the final result. In this guide, we will take a look at what you should consider the next time you grab a brush and paint. Let’s begin. 

• You don’t prepare the room – often you will think that you will be careful enough not to make a mess, or that the area is small enough and you will not need to protect it with covers. But know this: painting is a messy job. It is always a good idea to cover the floors and furniture in the room. A simple plastic cover will do the trick nicely, catching any drips and splatters. Don’t forget about light switches and doorknobs. It is best to remove switches, especially if you are painting around them. Make sure you use painter’s tape there, which brings us to the next point.
  
  
• You don’t use painter’s tape – using painter’s tape is the best way to ensure that the edges are clean and that the finish is nicely polished. Use painter’s tape around all of the baseboards and windows, to prevent bleeding. You then only have to remove the tape once the paint has fully dried. Delaying this for too long may lead to the paint peeling off. 

• You don’t clean the walls – another common mistake people make with painting is ignoring the cleaning process of the walls before that. Dust and hair particles are well stuck to the walls, and it is a good idea to remove them. Do this by cleaning the area to be painted. Water alone does fine, though you may want to consider the drying time. You may clean the walls with a vacuum cleaner as well. Use the appropriate attachment to clean around baseboards and corners. 
  
  

• You don’t buy enough paint – if you want to avoid having to run to the store in the middle of the painting process, you best ensure you get enough paint. Measure the area to be painted properly and consider how much of it you can cover with a single bucket of paint. There should be an expert to help you with that. Bear in mind that if you are getting a colour mix, it is highly recommended to get all of the necessary amount on your first go, as further mixes can be slightly different. 
  
  
• You use the wrong paintbrush – using the right brush for a painting job is essential. One with polyester or nylon bristles works best. A brush with natural bristles is best for oil-based paint. By using the right brush, you ensure that you will be able to paint quickly and effectively. 
  
  
• You use the wrong paint – for areas that have already been treated, and you want to add new paint over them, it is essential to consider whether it is an oil-based formula. Applying latex paint over it may lead to peeling and cracking. 
  
  
• You dunk the brush in the can – when reaching for the paint with your brush, make sure to avoid dunking it in. This will only lead to wasting a lot of paint and drips. Only dip the brush a third of the way. 
  
  

Knowing how to avoid all of these mistakes will ensure that you make the most of your paint and see the project to successful completion. 

© APA Painters and Decorators

Painting is probably one of the most popular DIY jobs that people initiate without the help of professionals. And while it is not an overly complex task, it does require a little planning and careful consideration. If you are not careful, you may end up making some of the most common mistakes with painting, which will jeopardise the final result. In this guide, we will take a look at what you should consider the next time you grab a brush and paint. Let’s begin. 

• You don’t prepare the room – often you will think that you will be careful enough not to make a mess, or that the area is small enough and you will not need to protect it with covers. But know this: painting is a messy job. It is always a good idea to cover the floors and furniture in the room. A simple plastic cover will do the trick nicely, catching any drips and splatters. Don’t forget about light switches and doorknobs. It is best to remove switches, especially if you are painting around them. Make sure you use painter’s tape there, which brings us to the next point.
  
  
• You don’t use painter’s tape – using painter’s tape is the best way to ensure that the edges are clean and that the finish is nicely polished. Use painter’s tape around all of the baseboards and windows, to prevent bleeding. You then only have to remove the tape once the paint has fully dried. Delaying this for too long may lead to the paint peeling off.
   
• You don’t clean the walls – another common mistake people make with painting is ignoring the cleaning process of the walls before that. Dust and hair particles are well stuck to the walls, and it is a good idea to remove them. Do this by cleaning the area to be painted. Water alone does fine, though you may want to consider the drying time. You may clean the walls with a vacuum cleaner as well. Use the appropriate attachment to clean around baseboards and corners. 
  
  

• You don’t buy enough paint – if you want to avoid having to run to the store in the middle of the painting process, you best ensure you get enough paint. Measure the area to be painted properly and consider how much of it you can cover with a single bucket of paint. There should be an expert to help you with that. Bear in mind that if you are getting a colour mix, it is highly recommended to get all of the necessary amount on your first go, as further mixes can be slightly different. 
  
  
• You use the wrong paintbrush – using the right brush for a painting job is essential. One with polyester or nylon bristles works best. A brush with natural bristles is best for oil-based paint. By using the right brush, you ensure that you will be able to paint quickly and effectively. 
  
  
• You use the wrong paint – for areas that have already been treated, and you want to add new paint over them, it is essential to consider whether it is an oil-based formula. Applying latex paint over it may lead to peeling and cracking. 
  
  
• You dunk the brush in the can – when reaching for the paint with your brush, make sure to avoid dunking it in. This will only lead to wasting a lot of paint and drips. Only dip the brush a third of the way. 
  
  

Knowing how to avoid all of these mistakes will ensure that you make the most of your paint and see the project to successful completion. 

© APA Painters and Decorators