What's wrong with your room

Something isn't right. The basics are in place: sofa, chairs and lamps. And new paint is on the walls. Still, it doesn't feel right.

Perhaps your room has fallen victim to one of the top decorating problems faced by homeowners. Professional designers point to these as the most common problems homeowners face when decorating their spaces:

Choosing a paint color without considering other areas visible from the room

Arranging furniture awkwardly

Forgetting to add art, window treatments or pizzazz.

Paint can dramatically change the look of a space. And at $35 or so per gallon, it's also one of the cheapest ways to make an impression. Unfortunately, the impression is not always the one you want.

"A common problem is that color doesn't flow from one area to the next. This is especially a problem in open floor plans," says Renee Hill of Interiors by Renee & Associates in Raleigh.

Angela Pence, owner of Angela Pence Interior Design in Raleigh, describes it as "jumpy."

"People might have a red dining room, which is fine, but then the next room is blue. It isn't cohesive," she said. A simple solution is to have the red appear as an accessorizing color in the next room.

"Especially with open floor plans, you want to have that first color throughout the rest of the space, using accessories or artwork. It could be small, but it would help," Pence says.

Choose a color

Picking a paint color can be daunting.

"I see people spend hours and hours trying to find the right color," Hill says.

Joycelyn Armstrong of Armstrong Interiors in Mooresville, near Charlotte, understands the problem.

"People are afraid to commit to a color. I don't blame them," Armstrong said. "The wall is the greatest expanse in a room, and if you don't know what you're doing it can be hard."

Armstrong likes to use the Dewey Color System as a guide for her clients. "The system uses a personality test to break down the color wheel," Armstrong says. "It is especially helpful for couples when they are doing a bedroom and have different ideas about what they want."

Even though color choices can be fraught with problems, there is hope. Many designers offer consultation services for an hourly fee and can help you settle on something quickly, saving you time in the choosing, and time later by not having to repaint a space.

"It's like going to a hairstylist who gives you professional advice on your hair. Or you go to a doctor who has expertise that you don't have," Hill says. "As a designer I can go through your house and help you achieve what you want to do in a room."

Lost in space?

You've placed the sofa against a wall and two chairs against another wall. Between them is open space. Maybe a square coffee table would work there. Or would a rectangular one be better? Or how about that hand-me-down table from a family member? Is it the right size? Gee, the sofa looks a little big in the room. Should it really be against a wall?

Armstrong likes to take a cue from ancient mathematicians and artists who studied balance and visual harmony. In Armstrong's work that means balancing the room so furniture pieces and open spaces are roughly in thirds.

"People get caught up in having things be symmetrical, but it's also OK to break things into thirds," Armstrong says. "Understanding balance also gives [you] license to direct your eye to a focal point by keeping surrounding areas more 'quiet.'"

If your big pieces don't look right in your room, Armstrong has a quick solution: "Buy furniture moving feet, put them under your furniture, and keep moving [the furniture] around until it's right."

Finishing touches

Most homeowners have the furniture pieces, but don't know how to finish the space.

Pence says, "The details can make the project go from OK to wow."

Adding art is a start, but make sure you get art pieces that are the right size.

"Don't put a tiny picture over the sofa," advises Hill. "Art should fill two-thirds of the space over the sofa. You can do one piece or a grouping of art, but it should fill two-thirds of the space."

In a bedroom Armstrong cautions against buying a complete bedding set.

"People try to get everything matching. Instead start with solid sheets and coverlets. Then have a seamstress make a nice bed skirt and pillows that coordinate. You can have fun with the pillows and skirt, and they do not have to match."

Dress your windows

Window treatments are another important area when finishing a space, but people often don't select something appropriate for the window.

Hill suggests investing in custom window treatments, but she also understands sometimes that's not an option. If you need to buy ready-made treatments at a store, then Hill suggests spending the money for extra length.

"Eighty-four inches is too short for a lot of windows, and 90 inches is sometimes too short too. The window treatment should be mounted high because it makes the room appear larger. It balances out the treatment with the room."

In general, Pence likes to have people think outside the box. "Don't be afraid to try different things."