Yes, sometimes clutter IS the problem. Purging is important, and it’s okay not to hang onto things that don’t fit your style anymore. But oftentimes, we see nightstands with lots of little things on them—trays, lamps, vases, baskets. They may individually be beautiful and all have a reason to be out. However, it can draw your eye to so many things that it can never rest.
Sometimes you don’t have a clutter problem. You have a scale problem. And the fix is usually cheaper than the problem: we buy a lot of small, less expensive things to fill a console table or a blank wall, when a few bigger pieces would have done it. And cost less in the end! Little things create chatter. Big things create calm.
Oh, and we created a free fall styling challenge that gives you a week of small changes that add up straight to your inbox! Sign up here.
Larger Light Fixtures
Bigger is almost always better when it comes to lighting. Most rooms need a bigger light fixture than you’d think. The formula for light fixtures should really be: the taller the ceiling, the bigger the light fixture. A wider fixture with multiple bulbs coming off it fills the space more effectively. Instead of searching for a “chandelier under $500,” try searching for “36-inch wide chandeliers.”
Yes, there’s a time and a place for little lamps lighting dark corners. But for the centerpiece of a room, it’s almost always better to go bigger. A too-small fixture leaves the room feeling empty around the edges — which sends you right back to filling those blank spaces with more decor.
For more: Why Bigger Light Fixtures Make a Grand Statement
Larger Art
So often, we see a small picture taking up a big wall. One way to solve that is to add frames in groups (it’s really easy to do with our Framebridge galleries)! But if you already have a gallery wall and want to round out the room, our go-to is one large piece of art.
Once you get into large-scale territory (35 inches and up), one piece can replace a whole cluster of smaller or mid-sized ones.
One tip: never let the width of the frame exceed the width of the furniture it’s above. Go big, just not wider than the console, sofa, or bed underneath it.
For more: Large Art: When to Hang It And Where to Buy It
Larger Mirrors
This is where we see people hold back, and usually for the same reason: the room is small, so a big mirror feels like it’ll swallow it. It does the exact opposite. Mirrors create an illusion of depth, so the room reads more open, not more full. It’s the rare piece of decor that gives you space instead of taking it.
Dark nooks are practically begging for a show-stopping mirror. And don’t file “full length” under closets only! One leaning in a bedroom or living room corner finishes the space without you adding a single other thing to it.
They’re functional wall art, really. Beautiful, useful, and you only need the one.
Larger Stems/Branches
This is another way we tend to go too small. Yes, a little posy in a stem vase by the bed is a beautiful moment. But a large kitchen island or a deep dining table needs scale. A double-height ceiling or a large empty nook calls for going big. Oversized leafy branches create a “canopy” effect indoors. Tall stems add height and movement on a sideboard without blocking the line of sight. Give it a try and see how it feels!
Larger Rugs
A too-small rug is the number one design mistake that makes a living room feel “off.” A rug surrounded by a moat of bare floor makes the seating area feel disconnected from the rug entirely. A bigger rug makes furniture look more substantial, ceilings feel taller, and the whole space feel pulled together.
For more: The Best Living Room Rugs (And Why Size Is the Mistake Everyone Makes)
So consider this your permission slip. You’re allowed to have less on your surfaces. You’re allowed to clear the three small things off the nightstand and put one good lamp there instead. You’re allowed to do it without buying anything, just by moving what you already own into rooms where it’s the right size.
When you scale up and pare down, a room stops pulling your eye in ten directions at once! That’s when it starts to feel like an exhale at the end of the day. And don’t we all want our home to feel that way?!
