So You Don’t Have To

We’ve all had regrets with purchases or decisions for our home. Most items for the home are big ticket and when we make a mistake we often have to live with those “bad” choices for awhile. I am not removed from this problem. In fact, some design choices that I regret I am still living with. Sigh!!

But alas, check out my 5 design regrets that I have lived with so that you don’t have to:

1. Buying the entire furniture set and/or matching furniture

I did this for our bedroom when we first moved into our home 18 years ago. We had a tiny bedroom budget and a Rooms-to-go set seemed like a good idea for my pocketbook. It didn’t take me long to realize that a bedroom set where everything matches exactly falls into the category of boring. Rooms with varying materials and texture add that collected overtime feel.

A complete matching set from Rooms To Go (the pieces are great on their own, but better with a little variety)

Image via Pure Salt Interiors - Here they took a similar cane bed and paired with a complementary nightstand…much better!

Image via Clayton Gray Home, A winning combo with different woods, materials and fabric textures.

Here is an example of a bedroom that has different wood tones, fabric layers, and interest. My go-to formula is to pick furnishing pieces that complement not match. Any easy recipe is Fabric headboard, Wood nightstand, a different (but complementing) tone or color for dressers or armoires than the nightstand. Large format artwork and well selected accessories and lighting round out the space. I love white bedding, pillows in a contrasting fabric or pattern to the headboard. And I am a huge fan of matching lamps, sconces, or pendants beside the bed. Such an easy yet layered way to make up a bedroom.

If you are on a tight budget, like I was, you can still shop at a big box store but by the items piece by piece and not as a set. Let ‘Complement not Match’ is your mantra walking in!

2. Fake Materials

One of my biggest design regrets (and I’m very embarrassed to report, I am still living with!) is wood-look tile flooring. Through my experience I have come to learn that natural materials are best. Yes, certain types of flooring have its benefits (yes, the floors do look exactly the same as when they were installed). However, a material that is made to look like something it is not is almost always a recipe for regret.

Tile is a very permanent flooring and while it may look good as new forever the cherry wood-looking small format tile I chose is dated. The selection of wood-look tiles have come along way since mine were installed, but I still recommend going for either real wood, engineered wood or tile that looks like tile (not one trying to be something else).

Image via Instagram - Audrey Larter’s gorgeous oak wood flooring

Home trends shift about every 7-10 years and while it’s not practical to switch your flooring that often. You are going to want to pick one that stands the test of time. The other benefit of real wood flooring is that if you don’t love the color any more you can sand it and stain again. If your budget or lifestyle only allows for laminate or LVP don’t fret, just pick a natural and classic wood type with neutral tones. Avoid anything that is too orange, red or blonde. I’d also stay clear of gray woods as they date quickly.

When in doubt go for the natural material! This goes for countertops, cabinets, flooring. You won’t regret your choice when choosing materials that are the real thing.

3. The Farmhouse Trend

Now this one might be controversial but, for me, the farmhouse trend was not a good fit for my coastal home. Now if you have an actual farmhouse, I fully endorse your aesthetic choices. When I was making a few updates to my home I added a couple of farmhouse touches. A few reclaimed shelves and a reclaimed mantel that an artist friend made for me. While I enjoyed the change for a bit due to novelty the more I lived with it I realized that the look is not really my vibe. I now have plans to make those changes to something with clean-lines that blends better with my contemporary coastal aesthetic.

Sometimes trying a trend or style and living with it is the quickest way to know that it’s not for you. And that’s ok. The lesson I learned while living with those rustic touches, it that I might admire it for someone else’s home but it’s not a style I want to lean in to for my own home. Now I know!

4. Choosing Bold, Intense Colors

After years of living in apartments with white walls I was eager to live with some color on my walls in my 20’s. I may have gone overboard! A kelly green, mustard yellow, dark beige….I mean it was the early 2000’s after all. One of the things I learned about myself is that I tire of saturated colors easily. The best success I have with wall colors are colors that are soft and found in nature. Bold colors are great for easily changed items such as pillows and accessories. Even a powder room is great easy place to go with an intense shade. If you are choosing a vibrant paint color, a good rule is to stick to one room and see if after a few years you still love it. If you do, very saturated colors might be your thing.

Recent project - I still love a little color pop here and there

5. Designing Without a Plan

Making décor decisions without considering how it looks with all the other elements in your home is the number one design mistake I see clients make. I’ve been guilty of this mistake when making décor decisions on the fly and not considering if it goes with the feeling I’m trying to create for my home. See the farmhouse example…I’m going to blame those decisions on baby brain, as I had a toddler and was not quite thinking straight.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned over the years is to create a cohesive plan for my spaces and overall home. Whether that be from a focused Pinterest board, vision board, or design boards I’ve created for individual rooms in my home. Even if I can’t execute the design right away, my design plan is there for me when I’m ready to make changes to my space. I know for sure if something I bring in will fit my aesthetic, and I know I can make tweaks to my plans along the way. Design ADHD solved!

If you struggle with making a plan for your home aesthetics my Virtual Design Consultation package is just what you need. We can work together room by room to create a design plan that you will love and is based on your preferences.

Screenshot of a current inspiration board

This leads me to my thoughts on design “mistakes”. Really there are no mistakes in home design, only learning lessons. We pick things we think we will enjoy but later realize that maybe that doesn’t fit our aesthetic or the design direction we want to go. We learn what makes us happy and what doesn’t. And we may find that what brought us joy in 2000 might not make us as happy in 2023. That’s ok, it’s all about trial and error and doing the best we can with the resources we have at the time.

I’m curious, what design mistakes have you made in your home and what do you love? Share below! And if you need help avoiding design mistakes click here for more information on how I can help you create a beautiful space.