House Calls: Decorators too have their pet peeves

We each have our little everyday annoyances, things that, although repeatedly experienced, still drive us crazy. Whether its slang expressions, slow drivers or rude salespeople, pet peeves might be defined as slightly petty yet highly individualized, strong reactions to common daily occurrences.

As an interior decorator, I have some home styling pet peeves of my own. They include:

Neutral interiors: Although I can certainly appreciate the quiet beauty of tone-on-tone neutrals, I am referring to rooms in which there are no hints (let alone pops) of color. White, cream or beige walls are the perfect palette upon which to build an interesting room, but please do not fill the space with more brown, beige and cream accents. It is a safe move, but usually yields boring results. Infuse touches of your favorite colors throughout your living spaces.

Matching furniture sets: I once had a friend who needed her new living room furnished, so she went to a brand name store and bought the entire sample room, shelf accessories and all. I understand the desire to furnish a house quickly, but that is no reason to relocate a retail showroom into your home. Creating a new space includes the opportunity to add your favorite colors, collectibles and sense of style.

Wall art: too high, too low, too much, too little; hanging art perfectly requires planning, time and intention. Size, color, material and subject should be considered. More than the specific height, I think art should be hung relative to the things around it: large pieces on large walls, horizontal pieces above long things, and groupings with coordinated materials, for example.

A desk in the master bedroom: the epitome of bad feng shui, there is nothing good about falling asleep and waking up to a visual reminder of work: bills to be paid, papers to sign and documents to file. The guest room, hallway or kitchen corner are better places to relocate this functional yet usually stress-producing workspace.

Window sills: As I have said before, window sills are architectural features, not display areas. An occasional plant or the perfect decorative accent may be appropriate, but overall, I think window sills should be kept bare and clean, and windows accessible.

Mismatched towels: Sometimes bathroom towels are the only soft, clean items in the room, so it bothers me to see a collection of various colors thrown over the rods or hanging from hooks or the back of the door. Towels are a daily comfort and relatively inexpensive to buy. Make the commitment and buy a set of matching towels in various sizes, like a real grown-up.

Last but not least, Kleenex boxes! It always strikes me as a huge miss-step when allergy sufferers have boxes of tissues in every room, in a plethora of wild patterns and bright colors. I love that companies make them to match every possible color or decorating scheme, bit I am peeved that people cant take the time to pick a box that coordinates with their room. (By the way, one box per living space should suffice.)

Oh did anyone solicit my opinion?

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House Calls: Decorators too have their pet peeves