Common Interior Design Mistakes and Tips to Fix Them
Let’s be honest, most homes don’t look like magazine spreads. And that’s fine. The bigger problem isn’t style, it’s when a house feels cramped, dark, or just awkward to live in. That usually comes down to simple mistakes in interior design.
Sometimes it’s not about the taste. You can love your furniture, your paint and your rug but if the layout or lighting is off, the whole place feels kind of wrong. The worst interior design mistakes usually happen when looks get all the attention and function gets ignored.
This isn’t about fancy rules. It’s about catching the common interior design errors that make life harder. Here’s a breakdown of the big ones and easy ways to dodge them.
Even the most stylish homes can lose charm due to simple design errors. Learn the common mistakes and discover smart fixes to create balanced, beautiful interiors.
1. Ignoring Natural Light and Ventilation
Light changes everything. A bright room feels alive. A dark one feels heavy. Yet so many homes block windows with thick curtains, or stick furniture right in front of a balcony door. Air stops flowing. The space goes flat.
Fix it: Ditch the blackout curtains unless you’re a vampire. Let the light in. Stick a mirror opposite the window and boom more sun, no effort. Don’t park a big wardrobe where air’s supposed to move. Seriously, light and air don’t cost a dime, so why block them?
Quick note: south-facing windows bring in the steadiest glow. Perfect for reading corners or living rooms.
2. Choosing Paint Colors Before Furniture
It’s tempting. You pick a pretty shade at the store, paint the walls, and then try to match the sofa. Big mistake. One of the worst interior design mistakes, honestly. Paint usually looks different once furniture and lights are in.
Fix: Buy furniture first. Or at least decide on fabrics, rugs, and finishes. Then test wall colors next to them. Test a patch first just a little one. Saves you from slapping a full coat on the wall, stepping back, and realizing it fights your couch like they’re in a bad relationship.
3. Oversized or Undersized Furniture
Scale is everything. A big sofa in a small room feels way too crowded like it doesn’t belong. But a small coffee table in a big room just looks lonely and out of place.
Fix it: Grab a tape measure before you buy anything. Leave some space like a foot and a half between the couch and the table so you’re not squeezing through. Tight room? Get stuff that works double, like an ottoman that hides your mess.
4. Poor Space Planning & Circulation
Some rooms look fine until you try to walk through them. Then you realize the chair blocks the door, or the path to the kitchen feels like a maze. These are classic interior design planning issues.
Fix: Think about flow before buying. Draw a layout if you need to. Leave 3 feet of walking space in main paths. Don’t trap doors or windows behind bulky furniture. Good design makes moving around easy, not annoying.
5. Cluttered Design with Too Many Elements
People often think more equals better more pillows, more patterns, more “statement pieces.” But when everything is screaming for attention, nothing works. Instead of cozy, it’s chaos.
Fix: Pick one focal point and build around it. Maybe it’s a sofa, maybe a rug. Limit the loud stuff to one or two things. And remember: empty space matters. A little breathing room makes the rest shine.
6. Lack of Storage Planning
This one sneaks up on you. The room looks clean on day one, but fast-forward three months and there’s clutter everywhere. Why? No storage. It’s one of the most common interior design errors, and it ruins good spaces fast.
Fix: Plan storage from the start. Put shelves on the wall, stash drawers under the bed, use whatever space you’ve got. Toss all the boring junk winter coats, screwdrivers, cleaning sprays out of sight. Keep the stuff people see looking clean. A mix of closed storage and open shelves keeps things practical but still personal.
7. Wrong Lighting Layering
A single ceiling light is not a plan. It makes shadows, kills atmosphere, and feels flat. Lighting should always work in layers.
Fix it: Don’t just stick one light on the ceiling and call it done. Mix it up one for the whole room, one for stuff like reading or chopping veggies, and one just to make things look nice. If you can, get dimmers. And go for warm bulbs unless you want your place feeling like a dentist’s office.
8. Hanging Artwork at the Wrong Height
Art can be beautiful, but if it’s hung way too high or almost touching the floor, it just looks… off.
Fix: Eye level is the rule of thumb around 57–60 inches from the floor to the middle of the piece. In dining areas, hang a little lower since people are seated. For gallery walls, keep the cluster centered around that same height.
9. Ignoring the Ceiling and Flooring
People obsess over wall paint and forget the two biggest surfaces: the floor and the ceiling. Both can kill or lift a room.
Fix: Add some detail above and below. Try a soft wallpaper on the ceiling, or maybe a bold color if you're feeling wild. Even a bit of trim up top makes a difference. And for floors use stuff that makes sense. Tiles in the kitchen, wood or fake wood for chill areas, and something that won’t make you slip in the bathroom. Function comes first.
10. Copying Trends Without Personalization
Trends are fun. But chasing every one of them makes your home look like a showroom. And worse, it dates quickly.
Fix it: If you’re into terrazzo or black taps or those wavy chairs cool. Just don’t go all-in. Try it in small stuff like pillows, lamps, or a painting. Keep the big stuff simple so you don’t get sick of it next year. That way, updating later doesn’t mean replacing half your house.
How to Avoid Mistakes in Interior Design Projects
The smartest way to dodge problems? Plan early. Make a moodboard. Test colors, fabrics, and layouts before you commit. And ask everyone who uses the space what they need. A kitchen designed without considering the cook, or a living room ignoring the kids, is bound to fail.
Professional designers can help, sure. But even on your own, slowing down prevents most interior design planning issues. Don’t rush. Think about how the room will actually be used day to day.
Livin Interiors’ Method: From Errors to Elegance
At Livin Interiors, we always start with function. Light, storage, flow, comfort. We believe good design solves problems first, then adds style on top.
Our projects highlight natural light, smart layouts, layered lighting, and storage that blends in instead of sticking out.
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
Design isn’t just about style, It’s about living well. The mistakes listed above aren’t complicated. They’re small choices that add up to a better home.
Focus on light. Respect flow. Plan storage. Watch proportions. Add your personality. And then you will see, the space just doesn’t look good it’ll feel like you.
If you want help making it happen without the usual pitfalls, check out Livin Interiors and our design services. We’d love to make your space work better.