3 Design Rules For A House With Style

I am paralyzed with indecision.

This is unusual for me. We need a rug in the mud room. I love the stripes, the nautical look (and the price!) of this one from Home Decorators. (It's $53 for a runner, people. $53 with no shipping charges!)

But alas, the rug sports lots of white.

This pic is of our current mudroom rug, complete with the dog hair it attracts and shows off like Leonardo DiCaprio and supermodels. 

Clearly, white is a problem for us here at Guru Girl Enterprises.

So, uncharacteristically, I am resisting the Siren call of online shopping, and I am remembering design tips I’ve learned the hard way.

Design Rules*

(*for a Family Friendly House With Style)

1.      Pick durable materials. 

     No silk shantung or linen.

Anywhere.

Ever.

For my mudroom, an outdoor rug with its bulletproof material is the way to go. There are some great looking ones out there. (Ballard Designs & Cost Plus are my favorite sources.)

2.   Be disciplined with color choice.

For foolproof decorating, choose 2 main colors for big furniture and 2 or 3 accent colors for accessories.

Limit yourself to this color palette in all you buy, and your house will suddenly reflect the ineffable “flow” of a swanky hotel. (Minus those gross, morning-after, room service trays left in the hall.)

At Guru Girl Enterprises our main colors are brown and golden yellow. Accents are crimson and a dusty blue, with the occasional hit of orange.

So for me this rule means the mudroom rug should be brown or yellowish with maybe a pattern in crimson, blue or orange.

3.     Pick a style and stick to it. 

     No decorating the kitchen in French Country, the family room in Boho Chic and the bedroom in Hollywood Glam.

This rule means the nautical rug I love is out. Because there is nothing else beachy casual about my house. I’ve got more of a rustic, Pottery Barn vibe going on. That style should inform my design choices, even down to the mudroom rug.

Phew. “Guru Girl, this is a lot of thought just for a rug purchase,” you’re thinking.

It’s true that at first, this thought process is time intensive, but it soon becomes second nature (like burrito wrapping a baby).

Then, it actually saves you time, money and sanity. (Unlike that burrito wrapped baby who, although cute, also costs you all of the above.)

Imagine, the next time you’re at Ikea, overwhelmed by the choices. But unlike the mad lemming shoppers all around, you resist the impulse buy. Instead, you think of your design rules and make the informed choice.

And presto! You bypass bad decorating, shopper’s guilt and the annoying exchange process. Return home, burrito wrap yourself in your favorite blanket and enjoy your favorite design show on t.v.

Happy decorating, guru girls & guys!