Signs You Have Too Much Decor In Your Home

It can be a fine line to tread between well-placed decor and too much decor. Yes, it is possible to overly decorate your home. To help us parse out the nuances, Sarah Bilotta, House Digest's design historian, shared her insights in an exclusive interview. She pointed out some common signs that a homeowner has too much decor in their space. For example, she said that you might have too many home accessories if "you can not identify a singular trend or pattern that guides your overarching design." Bilotta also said if "there is very little empty space and few blank surfaces," this might also indicate too much decorative clutter. 

Additionally, Bilotta shared more ways to tell if you have an onslaught of decor, like when "your eye does not know what to look at, [and] can not find a single focal point in the room." Finally, she noted that if "things are starting to get dirty [or] dusty as the amount of decor you have exceeds your capacity for upkeep," you have probably exceeded the threshold for allowable clutter. Over-decorating can be a common mistake, especially if you're learning how to do maximalist decor as a beginner. Here's a closer look at the pitfalls you'll want to avoid in your home.

Several aspects of your home decor might contribute to a cluttered, over-decorated look, according to Sarah Bilotta. In an exclusive interview with House Digest, Bilotta pointed out two big contributors: not having a standout style and not having a focal point. She said, "An overarching design concept is important to guide your decor, but you can still go eclectic with your style." 

When you want to successfully decorate your interior with a mixture of styles, Bilotta suggested using items that belong to the same family. "In other words, a midcentury modern brass bar stool, a crisp modern black quartz countertop, and a rich, dark blue brocade Victorian-y wallpaper are not of the same time period, but all belong to a dark, moody design 'family,'" Bilotta explained. She pointed out that mixing and matching several styles without adhering to the family rule creates a cluttered look in your home, especially when you have a large quantity of decor.

According to Bilotta, "Not having a clear focal point is a consequence of having too much decor for your space." She encourages homeowners to evaluate their wall space or surfaces and ensure only 30% to 50% of each decorated area is covered with decor. She added, "Exceptions can be made for a maximalist aesthetic, like the use of a gallery feature wall covered in framed art. But, even maximalist-leaning designers do not typically cover more than 50% of every surface in a room. Doing so is what leads to the lack of a focal point."

After pointing out common issues with cluttered decor, Sarah Bilotta offered tips to avoid over-decorating your home in her exclusive interview with House Digest. Along with her advice to cover only 30-50% of a surface with decor and use decor in the same aesthetic family, Bilotta recommended, "If you're starting to feel your space is cluttered, upgrade from open shelves to closed cabinets or credenzas." In addition, Bilotta advised, "Don't utilize every surface, especially if it was not intended for displaying things. For example: decor on windowsills is a big no-no for me!"

But it's okay if you're feeling doubtful about your decor and can't tell the difference between a maximalist aesthetic and over-decorating. Bilotta highlighted her opinion about maximalism, "I think the maximalist look is one of the hardest to get 'right.'" She explained that decorating with a maximalist aesthetic "requires a keen sense of balance for the proportions and volume of decor to the size of a room." Although it can be easy to conflate with over-decorating, Bilotta emphasized the key concept that makes maximalism different. She said, "A maximalist aesthetic can border on clutter, but keeps the overall palette cohesive enough to look intentional, whereas clutter looks more like accidental overkill."