My 5 Unpopular Interior Design Opinions…Hear Me Out

I try not to share too many personal opinions about what we should do less of in design, because I never want to make you feel bad about what you like. But I will happily share what I think we should do more of.

Today I’m sharing my unpopular opinion on 5 things I want to see more of.

Ok I actually heard someone else make this comment and it made me think. Truthfully I do like a styled bookshelf with decor, artwork and vases, but when I really thought about it, I’m wildly more drawn to shelving that actually holds books. It feels lived in, acquired, and authentic opposed to styled for looks. I will always be drawn to homes that look thoughtfully collected over time.

Sarah from Room For Tuesday did an incredible job of balancing her bookshelves with mostly books and a few thoughtfully placed pieces of decor. Her tip for styling bookshelves with books: “Remove the jacket, get creative with stacking, and fill negative space with artwork and unique objects.”

By definition, eclectic style is not a home that combines a bunch of different styles into one room. Eclectic style is actually when you combine multiple styles into one object. Thank you professor from college for teaching me this. So for example, if you put a modern blue velvet fabric on a traditional Chesterfield sofa, that would be considered eclectic. If you put Art Deco drawer pulls on a primitive dresser, that is eclectic.

Eclectic design can be really hard to pinpoint in the wild which is why it’s often not even considered a style. But because it’s so unique to each home and each person’s choices, and because it doesn’t lean heavily on one specific era or trend period, it might just be the most timeless. Of course eclectic design is not for everyone, but when it’s done tastefully, it never really goes out of style.

Most likely I’ve told you to paint your walls eggshell, your ceiling flat, and your doors semi-gloss. But what about satin?

The other day I was walking through our home and I realized that I use satin nearly every time I paint. I painted our bedroom walls and ceiling planks in a satin enamel. I painted the laundry room doors satin for that delicious luster. I painted our dresser satin black and the office wainscoting satin. Truth is, I really love that subtle sheen and it makes everything I paint look a little more professionally painted. The only time I still go back for my eggshell finish is if I’m painting a plain sheet rock wall. I guess I just haven’t used sheet rock in a while.

I’ve said this before, and this is probably the most controversial opinion I have, but I’m just not a big fan of floating shelves in the kitchen, or in general. I much prefer the use of upper cabinets instead. Upper cabinets look stately. They elevate the kitchen while maintaining functionality. I think often open shelving is used as a way of decoration…to break up the monotony of all the cabinetry. But I’d argue that upper cabinetry, with beautiful doors and alluring hardware, is a more high end way of decorating your kitchen.

The one exception to my own opinion is if there’s just one single, long shelf mounted above the backsplash…then I can fully get on board with it.

If you want to break up the monotony of the cabinetry, let’s take notes from Sean Anderson’s kitchen design above! Try adding a few glass front cabinet doors or opt for counter cabinetry. Add intricate crown moulding or change up the hardware. Place an antique hutch on the counter that spans to the ceiling…the options are endless.

I am personally guilty of removing all photos from our home, but there are several beautiful ways to re-incorporate photos back into our homes.

First, make any photo black and white and it’ll fit right in with your other artwork. I think the color is often what throws us off, but if we make the photo B&W, suddenly it feels artsy.

Second, frame candid photos more than posed photos. The candid photos are the ones that pull you in to look closer…they hold more memories. The grainy iphone pic or the one where you’re not looking, those tend to be the most artsy.

And third, the smaller the better. I love a 4×6 or 5×7 B&W photograph in an antique frame (that’s key!) on a nightstand or dresser.

Ok it’s settled, I’m off to print a photo of Chris and I for my nightstand. Which opinion of mine do you want to incorporate more of in your home?