We all love a well-decorated home that makes a house feel cozy, warm, and impresses friends and family. For the average homeowner, the whole point of decorating is to make your home feel the most comfortable for you and your family. However, some of the trends you might see on luxury home TV shows can be extremely risky, putting in danger the wellbeing of everyone living under your roof.
These fads are especially risky for children and the elderly, even if people of those demographics don’t live with you, there is a good chance you will have them as visitors at some point. Your homeowners insurance might be able to cover the expenses on some accidents, but you must keep in mind that you are also liable for your guests. Also, some of these trends won’t be up to code with the homeowners insurance contract, causing you to pay out of pocket for all expenses caused by an accident.
Here are some of the trends that might be very aesthetically pleasing, but not very functional:
1. Open Staircase
Staircases without banisters are very trendy in modern decoration and architecture of modern housing. Yet, implementing this can be one of the biggest mistakes any builder or homeowner can make. It is very important to keep your staircases up to code by meeting the handrail and spacing requirements. By not following the code, you could be in breach of contract with your homeowners insurance policy, meaning that the provider can refuse to cover any expenses of a misfortune.
2. Floating Shelves and Storage Options
Floating shelves and storage options can be very beautiful to the eye, but if these shelves are not properly attached to the wall, they can be terrible hazards. There have been several cases of these storage options that have caused harm to individuals in a household. For example, IKEA had a recall on a dresser that could not be properly attached to the wall, which tragically caused the death of a young boy. Likewise, if floating shelves are not secured properly, the weight of the books or other decorations placed on the shelves can cause them to fall randomly and end in severe accidents if people are in harm’s way.
3. Antique Appliances and Vintage Light Fixtures
Nowadays, vintage items are a popular design element for decoration. Still, you need to be careful with certain aspects of these decorations to protect your home and your family.
Vintage light fixtures are beautiful and very classic. Yet, they come with old wiring, which can be problematic. This type of wiring can have an issue in connections with modern wiring, generating hazards like fires. There is no problem with using vintage lamps, as long as you have updated the wiring to one that is compatible with current electricity standards.
Antique appliances are a great decorative item for your home, but sometimes these devices can be covered with materials that are hazardous for your health. Before installing this type of appliance into your home, make sure to take it to a licensed electrician. Once you have made sure that the appliance is safe, you can install it wherever you want.
4. Wicker and Salvaged Wood
Wood accents are making a comeback, and with it, people are looking for wicker furniture to decorate their homes. Even though these items can be very cozy, they are also highly flammable. If you still want to keep these objects in your home, make sure to keep them away from open flames such as your stove, fireplace, or candles.
Salvaged wood or old wood is also being heavily used for decorating homes because of its charming aesthetic. However, old wood is extremely dry, which means that it can burn faster, making it super dangerous for a home. Also, a lot of times salvaged wood is covered with lead paint, which can be toxic and harmful to one’s health. Make sure to do a thorough inspection of the furniture and check the materials before making a purchase and bringing it into your home.
5. TV Over Fireplace
A TV might look great over your fireplace, but this trend is high risk and low reward. There are several reasons why you should not hang your TV over the fireplace:
- The proximity of the TV with an open fire can be risky if the television were to fall and be in contact with the fire as it is connected to electricity.
- The heat of the fireplace might void the warranty of your television. Make sure to always read the fine print on your tv and warranty booklet to prevent this situation from happening.
6. Hammocks
Hammocks can be a great way to relax, but as we have all seen in countless fail videos, they can also be an easy way to hurt yourself. In recent years, several universities and cities have banned the use of hammocks, since they can be a risk to the public’s safety. If you still want to use them at home, make sure your hammock is properly installed and secured, so that no one can harm themselves while using it.
It is always fun to be in style, but it is very important to keep your home safe for yourself, your family, and friends. If you still want to recreate some of these trends in your home, make sure to do so with caution and conduct thorough research before implementing them. As always, feel free to contact us at The Webb Insurance Group to see if your trendy home decor is covered under your policy.
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