7 Mistakes in Decorating a Country House

If you are a happy owner of a country house, you can't do without consultation with a specialist: he will help in planning and decorating the space. We met with Alexander Petunin, director of the construction company "Palex-Stroy", to find out about the most common mistakes. Solutions are provided.

Alexander Petunin, Director of the Company "Palex"

He has been heading the architectural and construction company "Palex" since 2001. He loves combining traditional wooden architecture with new technologies.

Error 1: Too Many "Temporary" Items

There is nothing more permanent than temporary – a familiar phrase? It can also be applied to the decoration of a wooden house. If you put random furniture and hang any paintings that come to hand, you will end up with a designless interior instead of a stylish one.

Solution: Be consistent! No matter what style you choose, the interior should be cohesive – transitioning from the center of the house to other rooms. Define key stylistic elements and use them throughout.

Architect: Alexander Petunin, Design: Ekaterina Mamaeva

Error 2: Large Sofa-Bed in the Living Room

The family's favorite spot is, of course, the living room. Here, temptation is to place a large sofa-bed that can accommodate the whole family. But will everyone be comfortable sitting on it? Some may want to stretch their legs, others prefer to rest half-reclining, and the older generation might find it uncomfortable to get up from too soft a seat.

Solution: The area of the living room in a country house usually allows for more than one sofa. Use this opportunity: select one or two two- or three-seat sofas and complement with a couple of armchairs.

Architect: Alexander Petunin, Design: Svetlana Zubova

Error 3: Spacious Dining Room at the Expense of the Kitchen

How wonderful it is to gather in a beautifully decorated dining room with your family», you think. My experience shows that these dreams of future owners of country houses won't come true. The family will eat breakfast and lunch as usual – on the kitchen table. If you sacrificed space for the dining room, it won't be very convenient.

Solution: Make sure to provide space for a table on the kitchen for daily breakfasts and lunches. Choose a foldable model so that it can accommodate both permanent residents and guests. The dining room should be a second living room, where you can drink tea, chat, and play board games. Also, for the kitchen, it's logical to plan two entrances. One should connect it to the dining room, and the other – to the foyer. The working entrance will allow you to bring groceries and bags into the kitchen without going through living areas.

Architect: Alexander Petunin, Design: Dmitriy Shpilevoy

Error 4: Large Bedroom

After urban apartments, many want all rooms in a country house to be as large as possible: the bedroom is no exception. Here, you need to be more careful: a room with large area and little furniture can feel unwelcoming, without the feeling of seclusion and intimacy.

Solution: I think that 16–18 square meters for a bedroom is quite enough. It's good when the bedroom is preceded by a kind of hallway: a space with a dresser, mirror, and footstool. The freed-up area is better suited for a wardrobe and toilet.

Architect: Alexander Petunin, Design: Marina Gas'kova

Error 5: Modest Bathroom

By habit, many homeowners make small bathrooms that barely fit a full-size bathtub and sink. Don't economize on your own comfort.

Solution: Think of the bathroom not as a secondary room but as a spa zone with a window. It's perfect for a large shower cabin and bathtub, storage systems for bathroom and toilet supplies. For lighting, choose a chandelier and wall sconces.

Design: Alexander Petunin

Error 6: One Room for Several Children

Children's rooms should not be like "nests" for sleeping. A house is built for a long time: children grow up, single beds turn into double ones. Teenagers will find it uncomfortable to live in one room.

Solution: Provide a separate space for each child, you can temporarily use the extra space as a guest room. Don't economize on area so that it can later become a full bedroom for an adult.

Architect: Alexander Petunin, Design: Dmitriy Shpilevoy

Error 7: Insufficient Storage Space

One wardrobe and a couple of wardrobes are not enough for storage in a country house.

Solution: There is no such thing as too many wardrobes – they help keep order and avoid domestic chaos. For the same purpose, plan technical rooms like a laundry room, which shouldn't be combined with the bathroom.

Architect: Alexander Petunin, Design: Marina Gas'kova

On the cover: Design project of company "Palex-Stroy"