5 Design Rules to Unfollow in 2025

By: Stephanie Andrews

Hello there!  It has been a cold, feisty week here in Atlanta.  We celebrated MLK on Monday and ignored some other events in the country.  There were a couple of snow days this week, which brought our city to a standstill, yet the kids were ecstatic and the sleds found their way outside (again!).

I wanted to share some thoughts on design rules that need reconsidering.  I thought I would call it “unfollowing” because it has a gentler, more positive tone than rule-busting, rule annihilation, or other violent connotations.  (Hmmm?). I am going to share the rule in the “you” form, and then explain my personal reasons for its lack of necessity .

“You have to love plants to keep them alive.”   Really?  I know that this is getting into the plant mama space (which I completely respect) but it is simply not that hard to keep certain plants alive.  I am saying this as I sit here and my little plants are screaming for a little water to my slightly deaf ears!  Sure-I may have plants with training wheels and malicious names like snake and spider plants, but they do the trick.  They bring the outdoors in, and add touches of greenery and nature energy to this cold wintery world that is January.  That is exactly what I need!  So I will continue to water them, talk to them a little bit, and express a small amount of gratitude that they tolerate me, even if they do not thrive.

“Strive for Quiet Luxury in your wall colors and furniture choices.”  Colors and feelings of luxury are very personal.  One person may love jewel tones, while another is drawn to pastels.  As long as you feel connected, comfortable, and happy using a particular color, then it is a perfect choice.  Lately (maybe since the turn of the millennium), we have been encouraged to keep our homes off-white, neutral, and textured.  It is what we see at the big box stores like RH, West Elm and Crate and Barrel.  Cream boucle sofas are everywhere, and they are mixed with solid rugs and perhaps a bit of color in the pillows.  Quiet Luxury is the term.  This sounds lovely, but to me, I may fall asleep.  This rule is ripe and ready to be unfollowed for something more personal and unique.  Embrace the color, the wild wallpaper, the bit of quirk, and the old, and you just may smile a bit more.

“Take your design cues from your home’s architecture.”  This rule makes sense in moderation.  For example, if you love a William Morris wallpaper and your home happens to be built in the 1920s, it happens to match.  But what if you have a 60s ranch?  Does that mean that you should lean into a mod wallpaper?  Only if you love it.  You can still have your William Morris wallpaper or anything else that moves you.  This is your home, and you deserve to have it work for you!

The same goes with furniture, you can consider the period of the home if you like, but it may limit you to what is possible.  My rule of thumb is to use at least one old (vintage) or antique piece in almost every room.  This creates a curious stop to your eye when looking around the room, and allows for a story to emerge. Why did you choose that?  Did it belong to someone special?  To me that collected quality makes your room more unique.  I like that.

All black, all nickel, all brass?  No way!  Mix it up and don’t look back!  Do you remember changing out the brass doorknobs for brushed nickel in the early 2000s only to go back in 2020?  Good grief, not only is this expensive, but it is unsustainable.  I was part of that revolution, and looking back, I regret it.  So I encourage you to mix it up a bit, mix up stainless, with black and brass.  This lightens up the vibe and makes it more casual and comfortable.

“Let the wallpaper, mural, or millwork speak for itself.”  To that, I say, “Yes,” and then layer it up!  These items make the perfect layered backdrop for art, mirrors, carvings, and other magical items to tell a story.  It’s kind of like good underwear, even if it is gorgeous, beautiful clothes still work over it.  Strange analogy, but consider it. Layering patterns on patterns, artwork, and window treatments can add even more interest to your space.  Sometimes, minimalism is what you are longing for in a room, but other times, you may just want to try maximalism.

So many of these rules to “unfollow” are based on ways of expanding your design perspective.  Expanding means exploring what works and doesn’t work for you.  You and I cannot do this without making a few mistakes.  Then we may need to “unfollow” those mistakes!  That is part of the process.  Ultimately, we will figure out what works for us, and find new ways to see beauty, feel safe and cozy, and express our unique style.

If you have a great rule that you would like to “unfollow,” please let me know! I would love to hear your thoughts. Please email me at stephanie@balancedesignatlanta.com. I look forward to sharing with you!

Until next week-

Stephanie