Six Not So Obvious Interior Design Mistakes to Avoid

Redecorating your house is super exciting. New furniture, new paint colors, new pictures, it can look like a completely different house by the time you are finished. Before you jump in and start making changes, you should be aware of some mistakes to avoid that you may not even have thought about.

Interior designers have an incredibly keen eye and they are able to pick out mistakes in any room. They can see mistakes that are obvious and some that are not so obvious. So, what are some interior design mistakes that you should be careful to avoid? Let’s go over some.

1. Design Trends

You probably have a very specific vision for what you want your home to look like after you have finished your interior re-design. It may be really appealing and obvious to follow current design trends to reach the outcome you want. The not-so-obvious truth is that trends change, and current styles won’t last forever. If you stick with design trends that are current now, you will find that your home will soon be considered “outdated” as styles change.

The best thing to do when you are designing your new living space is to keep things as classic as possible. If there is a certain trend that is in right now that you just have to have, try incorporating it in smaller amounts throughout your space. This way you can change these factors as trends move forward.

2. Not Considering Your Way of Living

Everyone wants their rooms to look clean and timeless. Interior design is all about flair, right? It is incredibly important to make sure that your decoration fits your lifestyle. You may want to set up a formal living room with that gorgeous white couch and light-colored accent chairs, which would be fantastic for someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time at home or in that living room.

It is a very common, but not often thought of, interior design mistake that can make you really unhappy in the long run. If you don’t want to use your furniture for fear that it might get ruined, you probably should consider a different piece. It may not match the exact design you had in your head, but it will be way more functional.

3. Taking to Someone’s Style that Doesn’t Match Your Own

If you have never had a chance to design a space that you live in, it can be so easy to hop on Pinterest and save time picking a style that you kind of like but you don’t really love. At the beginning of your styling process, you might not even be completely certain what your style is. This makes it even easier to take to a style that isn’t what you love.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting advice from friends and family about what they think you would love to have in your home. The design mistake here is adopting a style that you saw online and think that since it’s in style, that’s what you should go for. You need to make sure you design a space that makes you happy, not what you think people want your house to look like.

4. Buying Furniture in One Place

Furniture shopping can be a very time-consuming process, so you can probably understand why some people rush into buying their furniture from one store. This can be a huge mistake, especially if you aren’t in love with the pieces you bought, you just got them to save time.

If you want your house to feel cozy, it needs to have character. Mix-and-match-furniture add some cowhide rugs or lamp shades. Shop at different stores to find your perfect pieces. Your house doesn’t have to be monochrome, or even follow just one design style. You can add as many different furniture pieces from as many different stores as you want.

5. Having Furniture Against the Wall

It is often thought that if you have all of your furniture pushed up against the walls that your room will feel more spacious. This not so obvious design mistake can actually make your room appear smaller and prevents the feeling of intimacy in the room.

Don’t be afraid to keep your furniture closer to the center of the room. Use a rug to help you determine where the edges of your furniture would stay. A cowhide rug would be a great option for this, as they aren’t completely square or rectangle and will add some dimension to the space.

6. Too Much Furniture

This interior design mistake is a little more obvious than the others but is still one that gets made very often. This usually happens when you are trying to maximize the space while making the home fit your lifestyle. For example, if you work from home but don’t have the space for a home office, you may try to stick a desk into your living room, dining room, or bedroom.

To avoid this mistake, try to find pieces of furniture that can provide dual purposes. For instance, if you already have a coffee table in your living room, consider purchasing one that can extend and double as a desk. You could also consider buying a small desk for your bedroom that could replace your nightstand.

Conclusion

Making interior design mistakes happen all the time and very often people don’t even realize they are making them. When you decide it is time to redesign your space, it is most important to keep your lifestyle in mind. Sure, it might be great to have that spotless, white living room that you saw on Pinterest, but does it make sense?

You should take your time to do your own research and make design decisions that will work for you while still adding style to your home. Furniture doesn’t have to be uniform; you can pick pieces that are completely opposite from each other if you want. It’s your space, make sure you love it.