The Biggest Interior Design Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

The Biggest Interior Design Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
If you’ve ever stood in your living room thinking, “Why doesn’t this look how it did in my head?” — trust me, you’re in good company. Designing a home you love is exciting, but it’s also incredibly easy to make choices that throw the whole space off balance.

As designers, we see the same mistakes pop up again and again (especially in Utah homes), and the good news is: every single one is fixable. So today, I’m breaking down the most common interior design mistakes — and exactly how to avoid them — so your home feels polished, intentional, and unmistakably you.

1. Rugs That Are Way Too Small

The one we see daily: the tiny rug in the giant room.

The mistake:
A little 5x7 floating in the center of a full-sized living room.

Why it matters:
Rugs ground your furniture and visually “pull” the room together. When they’re too small, everything feels disconnected and oddly scaled.

Designer fix:

• Living room: front legs of all main pieces on the rug

• Dining room: rug should fit the table + chairs while seated

• Bedroom: rug should anchor the bed, not peek out shyly

Honestly, this mistake is so common we offer rug-sizing appointments. It’s that big of a game-changer.

2. Sofas That Don’t Fit the Space

Your sofa is the anchor of the room — and the biggest investment.

The mistake:
Choosing a sofa based on a photo, not your actual room or lifestyle.

How to avoid it:

• Measure (and then measure again)

• Think through how you live in the room

• Prioritize comfort, scale, depth, durability, and flow

Let us help you nail this one — bad sofas are expensive regrets.

3. Pushing All the Furniture Against the Walls

A classic. And not in a good way.

The mistake:
A big empty hole in the middle of the room, everything shoved outward.

Why it doesn’t work:
It kills the intimacy, creates dead space, and leads to awkward layouts.

Designer fix:

• Float your furniture

• Create conversation zones

• Use rugs to define areas (especially in open-concept homes)

Your room will instantly feel more intentional and inviting.

4. Relying on a Single Light Source

Lighting can make or break a room’s entire mood.

The mistake:
One overhead light doing all the work.

How to avoid it:
Layer your lighting:

• Overhead

• Lamps

• Sconces

• Accent lights

Warm bulbs + dimmers = instant ambiance. Trust the process.

5. Skipping Texture

Texture is what makes a room feel designer, even when the palette is simple.

The mistake:
Everything is the same finish, same sheen, same surface.

Instead, mix in:

• Woods

• Wovens

• Ceramics

• Leathers

• Knits

• Linen

• Stone

Texture = warmth, depth, dimension… and that “finished” look.

6. Getting Scale Wrong

Scale is one of the trickiest parts of design — and one of the most important.

The mistake:
Everything is the same size… or way too small for the room.

How to fix it:

• Mix large, medium, and small elements

• Choose wall art that actually fills the wall

• Layer height: lamps, accessories, furniture

Variety = visual flow.

7. No Clear Color Story

Color can be your best friend or your biggest problem.

The mistake:
Clashing undertones, too many bold colors, or no palette at all.

To fix it:
Choose a cohesive palette of 3–5 tones inspired by something real — a rug, nature, your finishes, or (if you’re in Utah) the landscape outside your window.

A home feels instantly calmer when the colors flow.

8. Forgetting About Practicality

A beautiful home means nothing if you can’t live in it.

The mistake:
Pieces that look stunning… but don’t fit your lifestyle.

You know the ones:

• White linen sofa + toddlers

• Glass coffee table in a high-traffic zone

• Chairs no one sits in

• Rugs you tiptoe around

Good design supports your life — it shouldn’t make you nervous.

9. Rushing the Process

Design takes time. Beautiful homes are layered, not rushed.

The mistake:
Impulse buying and hoping it all magically works together.

The fix:

• Slow down

• Make a plan

• Layer intentionally

• Bring in a designer when you’re overwhelmed

It’s worth the patience — I promise.

10. Thinking You Need the Full Vision Before You Start

You don’t need all the answers. You just need the direction.

The mistake:
Feeling stuck because you can’t picture the whole finished space.

The truth:
You only need to know how you want the room to feel.
Your designer fills in the rest — scale, layout, texture, color, sourcing, everything.

That’s literally our job.

Final Thoughts

Interior design is not about perfection. It’s about creating a home that feels like you — warm, functional, beautiful, and lived in. These mistakes are incredibly common, but they’re also incredibly fixable with a little guidance and a clear direction.

And once you know the vibe you want?

Our design team is here to bring it to life — cohesively, beautifully, and without any of the stress.

If you’re realizing you might’ve made one (or three) of these mistakes… don’t worry. You’re exactly who we love to help.