Interior Designer Pet Peeves (and How to Fix Them!)
Let’s be honest—designing a space isn’t just about picking pretty colors and arranging furniture. There’s a science (and an art) to creating a cohesive, functional, and beautiful home. As an interior designer, I absolutely love transforming spaces, and over the course of my career, I have definitely encountered some design choices that make my eye twitch! While everyone has their own style (which is a good thing!), there are a few common mistakes that can throw off the entire balance of a room. If you want to make your home look like it was curated by a pro instead of something that was thrown together in a weekend when you had time to hit up IKEA, being intentional is imperative! Here are some of my biggest interior design pet peeves and more importantly, how to fix them.
1. The “Everything but the Kitchen Sink” Style
Mixing design styles can be beautiful when done intentionally, but when every piece of furniture in a room looks like it belongs to a different era or style, it can start to feel more like a furniture store showroom than a well-designed space. You might love the look of a mid-century modern sofa, a farmhouse coffee table, boho rugs, or industrial light fixtures, but when you mix them all together, your home will feel more like a four-walled identity crisis than a comfortable space where you can relax.
The Fix: Choose one dominant style and have 80% of your decor reflect that aesthetic. The other 20% can be a contrasting or complementary style to reflect your personality. For example, if you love modern interiors but also have a soft spot for vintage pieces, let your main furniture be sleek and contemporary, and introduce antique or vintage-inspired accents to bring character. If you simultaneously love an all-white space but also know that bright colors make you happy, keep the overall design minimal, and introduce color through plants, pillows, and blankets.
2. Poorly Sized Furniture (a.k.a. The Oversized Sofa Dilemma)
Nothing makes a space feel smaller and more awkward than furniture that’s the wrong scale. I’ve walked into rooms where a sofa completely dominates the space, leaving no room for side tables or adequate walking space. On the flip side, I’ve also seen tiny rugs floating in the middle of a large living room, making everything feel disjointed.
The Fix: Measure everything before you buy! A good rule of thumb for rugs is to put only the front legs of your seating on your rug. This will help you avoid the postage-stamp-in-the-middle-of-your-space trap, AND help you keep the proportions correct for other pieces in the room. Allow at least 18 inches between a coffee table and a sofa and avoid cramming oversized (or too many!) pieces into a small room just because they look good in a showroom. Trust me when I tell you...proportions matter.
3. Rugs That Are Too Small for the Space
Something that will never fail to stress me out is a rug that is too small for the space. Rugs should be used to ground a room, but one that doesn’t sit properly under furniture or doesn’t appropriately fill its space will break up the flow and make the space feel awkward every time. A good rule of thumb is that a rug should be at least partially under any furniture in your room (such as your bed, dining table, or sofa), and if it doesn’t work to do that, you need a bigger rug.
The Fix: Measure your space to make sure your rug is the appropriate size and can accommodate the furniture you have in the room. The front legs of any seating in the space (sofa, chairs, a bench, etc.) should always sit on the rug underneath them. In a bedroom, it should extend beyond a bed far enough to allow your feet to land on something soft in the morning, instead of cold, hard flooring. If you have a rug that is too small but you love it, consider layering it over a larger rug with a neutral color or pattern! This will allow you to keep the design you love without compromising flow and beauty in the space.
4. Grey Wood-Look Tile
I may get some flak for this, but despite the fact that this is everywhere these days, I absolutely hate the look of grey wood-look flooring. Wood is brown (a myriad of shades, yes, but still always brown), and grey wood-look tile is nothing but a poor imitation. I understand that the coloring feels modern and neutral, but there are other ways to bring in that aesthetic without using something that doesn’t even look real.
The Fix:
If you love the look of wood but want something more durable, go for wood-look tile in warm, natural tones that actually resemble real wood. If your goal is a sleek, modern look, consider large-format stone-look tiles, textured concrete, or light natural wood tones that give you the same neutral vibe without looking artificial. The key is to choose materials that will enhance your space rather than confuse it.
5. Matching Furniture Sets
Another one of my hot takes is that I don’t love matching furniture sets. Yes, they might be the easiest and quickest way to furnish a room and make it look somewhat put together without needing the help of a designer, but it can also strip your space of all of its personality! Unless you want your home to look like an IKEA set or hotel lobby, aim for having a space that looks and feels like items were intentionally collected over time, rather than ordered straight out of a catalog.
The Fix:
Instead of buying a full matching set, mix and match pieces that complement each other rather than copy each other. Your nightstands don’t have to be identical twins to your dresser—think of them as stylish siblings instead! Maybe one side has drawers, and the other an open shelf instead. In the living room, your coffee table and side tables should coordinate, not match. Pairing different styles and finishes can make the area look intentional and home-y, like pairing a wooden coffee table with a metal C- table, or marble end tables. Thoughtfully mixing pieces will make your space look curated, rather than like it came off an assembly line.
The Bottom Line: Design Should Be Intentional!
Interior design is about creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional. These mistakes will always drive me a little crazy, but they’re easily fixable with just a little bit of planning and attention to detail! Whether you’re tackling a full home makeover or just making a few updates, being mindful of these design mistakes will help your space feel more polished, cohesive, and comfortable.
Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us at design@loftydesignsinteriors.com!