3 Common Decorating Mistakes Homeowners Make — And How to Avoid Them

Decorating your home is exciting — but it can also feel overwhelming. Between endless Pinterest boards, TikTok hacks, and store displays, many homeowners end up making design choices that don’t quite work in real life.

As a Vancouver interior designer, I see these mistakes often when helping clients refresh their spaces. The good news? They’re easy to avoid with a little planning and the right guidance. Here are three of the most common decorating mistakes — and how to fix them!

1. Following the Sales

One of the most common mistakes I see as a Vancouver interior designer and decorator is homeowners spotting a great sale and assuming the piece will look perfect in their home. Often, once it’s in place, they realize it doesn’t quite fit, leaving them feeling stuck and forcing them to design the rest of their space around a single purchase they regret.

Designer Tip: It’s best to consider the entire floor plan and how you want your overall space to look and feel. Slow down, and re-evaluate which pieces will actually help to achieve this!

2. Matchy-Matchy

Buying all your furniture to match other pieces, where eventually your home starts to look a bit too on-theme and not well-curated with layers of interest.

Designer Tip: Another way to think of home decorating is like putting a nice outfit together. You wouldn’t want to have your pants match the same colour as your top and your shoes. We want to mix textures, have different colours that complement each other, to keep things interesting!

3. Overlooking Lighting

Lighting is often an afterthought, but it completely changes the mood of a room. Relying solely on overhead lighting can make a space feel harsh and flat.

Designer Tip: Layer your lighting. Combine overhead lights with floor lamps, table lamps, sconces, and even candles to create warmth and dimension. Also, using 2700-3000K colour temperatures are best practice to keep your room feeling warm and inviting!