Matchy Matchy Syndrome

Spend some time reading a decorating book or flip through the pages of a shelter magazine. Now walk into the average American furniture store. Do you see a difference?Furniture stores love to sell items in groups. One big collection means one big sale. It is easy for the salesperson to suggest the matching loveseat and chair when it is displayed right there with the sofa in the store. And when all the furniture exactly matches, there is no stress for the buyer. A few fluffs of the pillow and it is on the cash register…

Though this is an easy method to decorating, it can be disaster in your home. Matchy Matchy furniture is BORING. Devoid of personality, but perfect for the showroom floor. Now let’s go back to the books and magazines and television shows. Look! The sofa and the chair are in different fabrics! The end tables are completely different, and the coffee table is actually a bench!

A well designed home coordinates and harmonizes. It doesn’t match. This needn’t be scary. Use these tips and become picture perfect:

*Use a solid print on the sofa, a small print on a loveseat and a bold pattern on a chair, all in the same color scheme.

*Match fabric weight but play with textures.

*Choose two tones of woods. They can contrast or be close in color. Natural cherry looks wonderful with black. Birch and white are fresh and fun.

*Find a unifying factor. Perhaps different tables will all have a flared leg style. Or the sofa and chairs have rolled arms. Keeping back heights equal prevents the space from looking too messy.

Pillows add personality. Throw the ones that came with the furniture away!