The fact is, a home doesn’t have to cost a lot to look good, and some of the nicest spaces feel good and well put together – not to mention easy to live in – without having a fortune spent on them. On the other hand, however, even a home with a decent budget can end up looking cheap if there are certain design mistakes being made, and with that in mind, keep reading to find out what some of them are so you can avoid them if possible. 

 

Too Many Finishes In One Space 

One of the quickest ways to make a home feel messy is mixing too many finishes in the same area. Different metals, clashing wood tones, unrelated colours, and so on, all end up competing for attention, and that’s going to make a room feel pretty uncomfortable and chaotic rather than calm and relaxing. 

This problem often happens when you do updates bit by bit without any kind of plan. However, if you can make sure you keep the finishes consistent, or at least try to ensure they complement each other, that’s going to help things feel a lot better and as though you had an idea of what you wanted right from the start. 

Ignoring Proportion And Scale 

Furniture that’s too small or too big for a room can ruin the entire look and make everything in there look wrong. After all, a tiny rug floating in the middle of a living room, oversized sofas crammed into a small space, or light fixtures that don’t suit the ceiling height are all going to make a room – or an entire home – feel awkward, and that’s not good. 

The point is, when the proportions aren’t right, rooms can feel unfinished and uncomfortable, even if the items themselves are nice. 

Cheap Lighting Choices 

Lighting is actually a really overlooked design element, but when you think about it, you’ll see just how important it is. Harsh white bulbs, exposed wires, or fittings that just feel fragile and flimsy can instantly lower the overall feel of a home. 

On the other hand, warm bulbs, layered lighting, and fixtures that suit the space make a massive different to how a room feels, especially at those times when you’re looking for a space to really relax and unwind in. 

Overdecorating Every Surface 

Filling every shelf, wall, and corner with decor can make a space feel cluttered instead of cosy. Too many small ornaments or trendy accessories can even date a room and make it feel busy, which, once again, means you just can’t relax – and that’s not something you might know is happening, but if you’re always tense and tired, it could be because of all the clutter around you. 

Leaving some gaps around means the things you decide to put on display can stand out more, which is one good thing, but it also means your home can finally be the sanctuary you’ve been looking for – just remove a few items and see if you can feel the difference. 

Neglecting Practical Maintenance 

Design might seem to be about how things look when they’re new, and that is a big of it, but things are going to get older over time, and worn, damaged, or poorly functioning features can undo even the best style ideas. Scratched floors, chipped paint, or fixtures that don’t work properly are going to get noticed, and not for good reasons. 

Something as simple as ignoring the fact that you need a garage door repair service to help you can affect how the entire exterior of your home looks and what people think about it. So that’s why it makes sense to take care of the maintenance of your home – it’s going to protect the things you’ve put in place, and keep things looking good for longer.  

Using The Wrong Paint Finish

What comes to mind when you think about the paint you want to use in your home? It’s probably the colour, and of course, that’s crucial to get right, but the fact is that the paint finish matters as well – it’s just as important. Cheap-looking finishes that show every mark or sheen levels that don’t suit the room can make walls look tired very quickly, which means a less pleasant home for you that you’ll probably just end up re-decorating much sooner than you want to. 

If you take some time to choose finishes that suit how a room is used, and what you need it to look like, that’s going to help your walls stay looking better for longer, which is precisely what you want. 

Trends Without Context 

Trends can be a lot of fun, but if you use them without really thinking about the rest of your home, you’ll probably regret them sooner or later, and that’s a shame. Things like feature walls, bold tiles, or statement pieces can sometimes end up feeling out of place if they’re not linked to anything else in the room – or house. 

Homes generally tend to look better when trends are used quite sparingly, and it’s especially good if you can balance them with more timeless or classic elements, which makes them stand out less. Plus, the fewer trendy things you’ve got, the less you’ll need to change when that trend ends and a new one comes in. 

Poor Storage Solutions 

Visible clutter makes even well-designed homes feel cheaper, so when storage is planned properly, everyday items end up on show, even if that’s not what you intended, and the entire place is going to feel messy and uncared for. 

Built-in or well-placed storage helps to keep spaces tidy and makes rooms feel nicer to be in, so that’s what you’ll want to be aiming for. If you’re having trouble working out where to put the storage, it’s usually worth speaking to an interior designer who’s got experience and can see things you might be missing. 

Final Thoughts 

When a home looks cheap, it might not be because of its budget – it could be about the choices that were made when it came to its design. So before you spend a fortune on new decor, it’s usually wise to think of the design first, which can save a lot of time and money in the long run.