When designing a beautiful and inviting home environment, furniture coordination is essential. A space that seems put-together and intentionally styled will seem polished and interesting.

However, "matchiness" and mix-matching exists on a kind of design spectrum. In some homes, too many similar pieces create a flat, uninteresting, and even tacky look. In comparison, homes with too many disjointed furniture pieces can feel scattered, cluttered, and distracting. Striking a balance is the key to good home design.

Finding that balance takes practice and an artist's vision. If you lack in the experience or artistry department, here are five helpful tips to help even beginners coordinate their furniture:

Focus on One or Two Aspects of the Furniture's Style

Many homeowners make the mistake of filling a room with pieces that are too similar. As a result, each piece "fades" into a background of one color, shape, and style, and no part of the room is highlighted. Avoid this flat and dull effect by tying furniture pieces together with one particular characteristic. For example, ensure that all pieces have a similar wood tone, but different thicknesses, patterns, or styles. Or, match furniture by shape, and mix up the colors. Choose a boxy and thick mission style bedroom set, but add variety with different colors of wood.

Use Accents to Add Variety

Accents are another key way to make a room feel united without too much matching. If all of your furniture is the same color and shape, use different throw pillows, rugs, and table lamps to help bring visual interest. You can also experiment with texture by pairing leather with knits, or wood and metal, so that the room looks artfully balanced.

Update Features When Needed

The time period and style associated with furniture can also bring cohesion to an unbalanced space. If you have a mission style bedroom set, but a modern-looking duvet or ceiling fan, the room will seem distorted and unappealing. Professional interior designers advise homeowners to update a room's decor every five to 10 years, so use regular updates to maintain a single period or theme throughout your interior design.

When in Doubt, Buy a Furniture Set

Finally, purchasing furniture as a set is a great way to ensure that the different pieces will match in your home. A mission style bedroom set or living room set almost guarantees balance and unity. As mentioned above, accents can bring variety when other elements appear similar, so that a space is still interesting. Often, the seller and furniture designer will have already included some cohesive but non-identical elements to help your space seem balanced.

Your home can have matching elements without being boring, and it can have different elements without being chaotic. Use these tips to design an inviting, balanced, and cohesive interior.

For more great home furniture ideas, visit The Mission Motif online today!