Furnishing a room is no small feat. In addition to finding the right furniture and decor that suits your style and budget, chances are you also try to avoid common design blunders. Hanging art too high, making poor lighting choices and going overboard with trends are just a few examples that may come to mind. But there’s another major design mistake that pros say people make way too often: overlooking scale.
“Scale is one of those design elements people often get wrong, but once it’s handled properly, the entire room just clicks,” says designer Linda Hayslett of LH.Designs.
“Often, people think a smaller space requires smaller furniture, which is usually not the right approach,” says Delia Kenza Brennen of Delia Kenza Interiors. “The wrong scale can is the tell-tale sign of a poorly designed space,” says Delia Kenza Brennen of Delia Kenza Interiors.
“The issue of scale often stems from overlooking proportionality and context,” says designer Justin Williams of Trademark Design Co. “Context is the key here. What is the story you want to tell in this space? What impact would you like to make?”
Here are a few tips to ensure that you’re following the principle of scale properly in any room:
Furniture
It’s key to avoid furniture that is too small or too large for the space, as it can impact a room’s visual appeal overall. “Suddenly their sofa eats the room, or their accent chair looks like a dollhouse piece,” Hayslett says. “A quick trick? Borrow a chair, ottoman or table from another room and move it in temporarily to see how the scale feels before buying new.”
She also encourages clients to remove two pieces of furniture from a room and go up in size with one solid item that makes a statement. “It adds breathing room and balance,” Hayslett explains.
Artwork
Williams says people are often guilty of placing small artwork on large, empty walls. “When art is too small for a wall, it can look lost and insignificant, failing to make the impact intended,” Williams explains. Consider moving your smaller pieces to more compact rooms in your home. “Smaller pieces of art can be grouped together or moved to cozier spaces like hallways or reading nooks,” he shares.
Another go-to trick she swears by? Large-scale pieces in powder rooms. “While typically against the ‘rules,’ it makes a huge impact in a small space,” Williams explains. ” It’s something I call my happy mess-up that always turns out great.
There’s also the paper hack, which Hayslett says can help you nail the placement of your art every time: “I recommend grabbing paper, cardboard or boxes and laying out the shape and size you think you need,” she says. “Seeing it at full scale makes it easier to commit to the right piece or pieces. And this method is slightly better because painter’s tape can confuse people as to where exactly the edge would be. With this method, you get the full effect.”
Rugs
Gail Davis of Gail Davis Designs gets frustrated when a rug is too small for the space: “In a living room, I have seen that the coffee table is the only item on the rug. It’s just sitting out there like it’s an island. Whoever is sitting down would have to get up and walk over to the coffee table to place their drink on it.”
Davis also likes bedroom rugs to be a substantial size. “I most recently went into a new client’s primary and the rug fits just enough under the bed,” she shares.” When I step out of bed, I want to step onto a luxe rug that feels good underfoot.”
If you’re still stumped on how to choose the right size and tend to place a small rug in a large space, Hayslett recommends painter’s tape. “I always suggest using painter’s tape to map out the footprint of the pieces,” she says. “It helps you visualize how each item really fits and flows.” You can also sketch a basic floor plan and use paper to cut out furniture shapes to experiment with different layouts. “It’s low-tech but highly effective,” she says.
Curtains
Hayslett’s main tip on hanging curtains to create a polished look? “A lot of scale issues happen vertically, like short curtains or short bookcases in tall rooms,” Hayslett says. “To fix it, hang curtains closer to the ceiling and use taller pieces to draw the eye up. It immediately elevates the room, literally and visually.”
From choosing the right furniture for a room’s size to hanging curtains at an appropriate height, scale can make or break a space. “Thoughtful reassignment not only restores balance but also enhances the visual harmony and functionality of a home,” Williams says.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand’s home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, “What’s in My Cart.”
