You don’t have to be a pro to create an inviting and well-curated space that you love coming home to each day. But, there are some common, blatant decorating mistakes that professional designers almost always notice people making in their homes. If you want to help your home have a strong sense of design, even if you designed it yourself, watch out for these common mistakes that can detract from the overall appearance of your space. 

1. Wrong Curtain Sizing & Placement

One obvious decorating mistake that people make is having the wrong size of window dressings, like curtains. A design rule that many professionals follow is that curtains should always touch the floor. If the curtains are too short, it could make the room appear choppy and doesn’t look as visually appealing. If the curtains are too long, they could look unprofessional and bulky as they pool at the bottom. 

Plus, the curtain rod should be attached to the wall a good 4-6 inches above the top of the window. Doing so draws the eyes up and creates the illusion of taller ceilings. 

2. Too Bare

Another common decorating blunder is creating spaces that are too sparse and bare. Artwork, decor, and accessories are all ways to show off your unique design personality, so you don’t want to skip out on these items. 

The individual books, picture frames, and flowers you include in your home tell a story about who you are and make your space feel homey and welcoming. If you just have large furniture pieces and not much else, the room could feel too impersonal and not like it was custom designed by you. 

3. Lack of Lighting Variety

Adding a variety of lighting creates depth, warmth, and intrigue in a space. This means you shouldn’t rely only on overhead lighting to brighten your home. Using a good mix of floor lamps, overhead lighting, pendant lights, table lamps, and more creates a cozy atmosphere throughout your home that designers instantly notice. 

4. Only Following One Design Style

You want to create a cohesive space with your interior design choices. However, some people think this means they need to include furniture all from one set or follow just one design style throughout their home. But, this is a surefire way to make your home look too cookie-cutter and not tailored to your own preferences and aesthetic. 

In reality, you probably have a few design styles that you like, not just one. You can take inspiration from each of your favorite styles to create your own custom sense of design that isn’t limited to just one. Mixing and matching different furniture pieces, textiles, colors, and design styles creates contrast and visual intrigue in a room that designers strive for in every project. 

5. Improper Rug Size

Similar to the curtain issue, you don’t want to choose a rug that is too small for your space. This cuts off the flow of the room and can make the space appear smaller than it actually is. Of course, you don’t want to select a rug that is too big for the space either. But, there is a balance somewhere in the middle, according to designers. 

As they explain it, the rug should be big enough that the front legs of your furniture pieces can sit on the rug, even if it doesn’t extend to the back legs. Though rugs can be expensive the bigger they are, you don’t want to cheapen the look of your room by purchasing a rug that is too small.