The most common home decorating mistakes and how to fix them

Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to fall into common design traps that make your space feel less cohesive and more chaotic. Mismatched styles, awkward layouts, poor lighting, and poor curtain placements can be a thing of the past. In our guide, we teach you how to spot and fix the most common home decorating mistakes – focusing on practical tips to help you design a home that feels balanced, intentional and totally yours.

When every corner of a room is filled with furniture, or when pieces are clearly the wrong size, it makes a room feel cluttered and overwhelming. Who wants to squish past a massive, chunky coffee table to get to a tiny couch? You certainly don’t want to feel claustrophobic in your own living room.

Scale and proportion are the secrets to a balanced room. It is extremely important to measure the room and the furniture pieces you want to fill it with. If you’re working with a large room, small and delicate furniture will get lost and look unbalanced.

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The same goes for a small room: large pieces will overcrowd it and make you feel claustrophobic. Never underestimate the power of lighting in a room – too little light takes away that cosy and welcoming mood from a space, and too much makes it feel unwelcoming and commercial. Wherever possible, consider lighting at the very start of the design and decorating process.

Take note of the natural light that a space has throughout the day. Figure out the mood you’d like to set for the room. And identify which areas need more or less lighting.

Use 4 to 6 sources of varying light for a standard room. This should be a combination of ceiling lights, table lamps, candles, floor lamps, wall sconces, etc. The most common decorating mistake made issacrificing comfort for style.

Your living room might be filled with an ultra-sleek couch set, but it feels like sitting on concrete slabs. The TV stand that looks amazing? You can barely store any of your other devices in it, ending up stuffing another drawer with random things.

Uncomfortable and poorly functioning pieces are recipes for regret, not style. This is a small detail that has massive consequences. Curtains have a big impact on a room.

Hang them too low or choose the wrong length and the entire room can feel short, clustered or off-balance. When done correctly, curtains frame windows like an expert-tailored suit. It’s not just about coverage or blocking out enough light; it’s about giving your room a polished, elevated look.

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