7 Common Decorating Mistakes and How to Fix them

The time has come! 

You’re ready to decorate your new home. You expect days filled with excitement, beautiful colors, and exquisite furniture until you find exactly what you want for your space. Instead, you’re surrounded by paint swatches, mismatched cushions, and half-assembled furniture that feels too big for your room. 

Your best friend swears by bold colors, your mom insists on neutrals, and that home decor influencer you’ve been following is all about minimalism. 

Overwhelmed and confused, you want to scream and run. Don’t – there’s a way out!

Instead of subjecting yourself to every decor faux pas, learn from others’ mistakes and be the wiser. To help you bypass the chaos and get straight to cozy, here are the 7 most common decorating mistakes and how to fix them. 

1 Not Settling into the Space First 

You’ve got the keys to your new place and a Pinterest board bursting with inspiration. But resist the temptation to decorate immediately. Give yourself time to truly settle into the space. 

If you fill the room with every item to your name in your first week, you might soon realize that you keep bumping into your console table and knocking over the vase. Or you’ve parked your expensive couch in the spot with the most sun, so now it’s a heat pad during the day. 

Living in the space for a while helps you understand how you use it. Where do you gravitate to when you want to relax? Does your kitchen island really need those barstools or do they just become a place to drape your coat? 

By waiting, you get to know your space and discover the traits to use to your advantage. It might be frustrating to live in a ‘blank slate’ for a bit, but it pays off in spades. 

2 Basing Everything on Pinterest

Scrolling through Pinterest and admiring those velvet sofas, rustic coffee tables, and ethereal lighting make you want to hit the “Add to Cart” button faster than chain lightning. But hold on. 

Here’s the thing: Pinterest photos are beautifully staged, impeccably lit, and edited to perfection. That’s not to say nothing is real, but those spaces are curated. What looks stunning in a professionally photographed room might not work in your space.

Use Pinterest and other platforms as a guide, not gospel. If you love the sleek Scandinavian look, consider how it will translate to your living room with your existing light and layout. Will this style stand up to your lifestyle – pets, kids, and all? 

Pick pieces that suit your space, not just what looks good in a styled photo. This will save you a lot of heartache and money. 

3 Overdecorating

The urge to keep adding things to your space is strong, we know. You start with a piece of artwork as the focal point, then add throw pillows, a cool lamp, potted plants, and before you know it, it’s an IKEA display. 

Decorating is fun, but it’s easy to get carried away. A focal point is called a focal point for a reason – it’s meant to draw the eye, not compete with a dozen other distractions. Instead of appreciating each piece, you’ll feel pulled in a thousand directions. Your space can’t breathe, and neither can you. 

Avoid this pitfall by choosing one standout piece for each room (artwork, a mirror, a fireplace) and arranging the rest of your decor to complement it, not overshadow it. 

You wouldn’t wear all the jewelry you own at once, would you? Similarly, accessorize your room sparingly and with intention. 

4 Under Decorating 

While you might be familiar with minimalism, don’t assume you can do it well without forethought. True minimalism requires a keen eye for design. Most of us aren’t nailing minimalism, we’re just not decorating enough. This results in a space that looks bare, boring, and unfinished, like you started decorating and got distracted by a show on TV. 

Minimalism doesn’t mean leaving your walls naked and surfaces empty. It hinges on the idea of using fewer pieces to make an impact. 

Focus on quality. Choose a few key pieces that enhance the ambiance of the room and place them thoughtfully. For example, instead of a bare wall, hang one piece of art or a statement mirror. This way, your decor won’t look like you just ran out of ideas midway. 

5 Hopping on Every Trend 

Trends are tempting and often hard to resist. But hitching your wagon to every trend will leave your space crowded, complicated, and confusing. It’s fun to experiment with the latest styles (sometimes even recommended), but don’t turn your home into a trend museum. 

Instead of layering on every trend (like Joey in that one episode of Friends), take inspiration selectively. Include trendy pieces or experiment with seasonal colors, but don’t make fads your entire style. 

For example, if you love jewel tones, introduce them through accent pillows rather than repainting your entire room. Focus on timeless pieces that provide a stable foundation for trendy items to enhance. So, before splurging on the next big thing, ask yourself if it fits your space. 

6 Not Mixing Styles 

Having a design style is nice, but sticking to one style can make your room feel more like an exhibit than a lived-in home – predictable and dull. 

The key to creating a dynamic and interesting home is mixing styles tastefully. This doesn’t mean a hodgepodge of clashing aesthetics. Rather, it suggests combining styles that complement each other. 

In any case, contrast is crucial. Even if you prefer not to mix styles, you can play with colors, textures, patterns, or finishes. For example, a vintage table, a faux hide rug, and a chandelier might be an unconventional grouping, but they can work beautifully together.

7 Skipping Greenery 

Even if you’ve done everything right, your space might still lack a certain spark. Often, this means you’re missing greenery. Regardless of your design style, a space isn’t complete without a nod to nature. 

And we get it – not everyone has a green thumb. If you’ve left a trail of murdered plants in your wake, you might be tempted to throw in the towel altogether. But don’t give up before you’ve exhausted all your options. 

For example, experiment with artificial plants. They offer the look of nature without the upkeep (or casualties) associated with real plants. Artificial hanging plants, for one, can fit into your style and fill in tricky spots where real plants might struggle – low light, high shelves, or forgotten corners. 

Embrace greenery in whatever form works for you. Eventually, you’ll have that complete look you’ve been striving for. 

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