Transform Your Space: Fixing Interior Design Mistakes That Make Your Home Look Cheap
In a recent survey, nearly 70% of homeowners expressed a desire to improve their home’s aesthetic appeal without overspending. This aspiration is entirely achievable, as demonstrated in the insightful video above by Kristen McGowan. It highlights common pitfalls that can unintentionally make a home look cheap, offering practical, budget-friendly solutions.
Achieving a high-end designer look is possible for any budget. Simple adjustments can significantly elevate your living spaces. Consequently, understanding these common interior design mistakes becomes crucial. This guide expands on the video’s key points, providing further detail and actionable steps to make your home look expensive, rather than cheap.
Embrace Layers and Textures: The Foundation of Refined Design
A home often appears flat and unwelcoming when texture is lacking. This absence can create an unfinished aesthetic. Introducing varied textures is a fundamental step in making your home look expensive.
Think about building layers from your walls to your accessories. Molding can add architectural interest. Curtain panels, rugs, pillows, and throw blankets introduce softness and depth. These elements collectively contribute to a cohesive, designer-approved space.
Consider the tactile and visual appeal of different materials. For instance, a plush velvet cushion contrasts beautifully with a woven linen throw. A wooden coffee table gains character against a metallic decorative tray. Multiple textures in a single space create visual intrigue and prevent your home from looking cheap.
Even paint can serve as a layering tool. A contrasting trim or door color adds an unexpected layer. This simple, affordable technique customizes your space, elevating its overall appearance.
The Power of Pristine: Why a Clean Home Always Looks Expensive
Maintenance and cleanliness are often overlooked but are paramount to a luxurious home aesthetic. A clean, well-maintained home inherently looks more expensive. Dog prints on the sofa or food stains on upholstery detract from any design efforts.
The perception of luxury is often tied to meticulous care. A spotless environment implies attention to detail. This naturally enhances the perceived value of your belongings and your home as a whole.
Efficient cleaning tools can significantly aid in maintaining this standard. For instance, a multi-functional vacuum and mop system addresses various floor surfaces simultaneously. Spot cleaners for upholstery are essential for addressing spills promptly, preserving fabric integrity and freshness. Such practical investments help sustain a consistently clean, high-end look.
As noted in the video, Walmart’s deals event (October 8th-13th) offered specific cleaning tools. Products like the Shark HydroVac Cordless Pro 3-in-1 vacuum and mop, or the Dirt Devil Portable carpet and upholstery spot cleaner, exemplify effective solutions. These items support easy maintenance, preventing your home from looking cheap due to neglected upkeep.
Furthermore, practical yet stylish kitchenware, like a nonstick cookware set in a chic color, contributes to daily enjoyment and ease of cleaning. Functional beauty elevates everyday tasks, reinforcing a sophisticated home environment.
Curtain Craft: Avoiding Common Hanging Blunders
Incorrectly hung curtains are a common design mistake that makes a home look cheap. The right length and placement of curtains significantly impact a room’s perceived height and elegance. Short curtains, which leave a gap between the fabric and the floor, create an unfinished look.
Precision in measurement is key for a designer finish. The bottom of your curtains should just skim the floor or gently “puddle” by an inch or two. This ensures a luxurious drape and seamless appearance. The visual effect of curtains hung too low or too high can dramatically alter a room’s proportion.
For optimal results, curtain rods should be hung higher and wider than the window frame. A general guideline suggests adding one inch to the curtain panel’s length to determine the rod height. For example, if 96-inch curtains are used, the rod should be positioned 97 inches from the floor. This method ensures that the curtain’s bottom edge meets the floor perfectly, elongating the window and making the room feel grander.
Choosing affordable curtains does not mean sacrificing style. The secret lies in these critical hanging techniques. Proper installation transforms standard curtains into custom-looking draperies, contributing to an overall expensive aesthetic.
Illuminate with Intention: The Impact of Light Bulb Temperature
The choice of light bulb temperature profoundly affects a home’s ambiance. This subtle detail plays a significant role in making a home look inviting or stark. Matching light temperatures across your home is critical for visual harmony.
Warm lighting, typically around 2700 Kelvin, creates a cozy, welcoming glow. This temperature range is frequently recommended for living areas and bedrooms. In contrast, bulbs exceeding 3000 Kelvin tend to emit a cooler, bluish light. This can make a space feel less homey and appear somewhat cheap or sterile.
Therefore, before investing in new light fixtures, evaluate your current light bulbs. Ensure consistency in color temperature throughout your home. A cohesive lighting scheme elevates the entire space, producing a refined atmosphere. This thoughtful consideration can dramatically enhance the mood and perceived quality of your home.
Strategic Decluttering: Everyday Items as Decorative Accents
Clutter, branding, and excessive products can quickly make kitchens and bathrooms appear cheap and busy. Everyday items, when left unconcealed, disrupt visual flow. Transforming these necessities into decorative elements is an effective design strategy.
Consider your kitchen countertops. Items like coffee canisters, utensil holders, and soap pumps can be upgraded. Choose attractive containers that complement your decor instead of leaving original packaging visible. This simple swap reduces visual noise and elevates the space.
In bathrooms, replace generic soap dispensers with stylish ones. Conceal tissue boxes with decorative covers. Laundry rooms also benefit from this approach, using aesthetic storage solutions for detergents and supplies. These adjustments contribute to a more finished and intentional look.
The goal is to select functional items that are also beautiful. This integration helps maintain a clean, organized appearance. Consequently, these high-traffic areas transform from cluttered to chic, making your home look expensive and thoughtfully designed.
The Element of Surprise: Injecting Unique Character
Homes with only basic, necessary furniture can often look generic or bland. Introducing an unexpected element adds personality and makes a space feel custom and well-curated. This prevents your home from appearing mass-produced or cheap.
An unexpected piece can be a conversation starter or a unique focal point. For instance, a games table in a family room offers both entertainment and visual interest. A built-in window seat provides a cozy nook and architectural detail. Even a television displayed on an art easel can become an artistic statement.
These elements, regardless of size, contribute drama and individuality. They reflect personal style and thoughtful design. This strategic inclusion prevents your home from falling into the “basic” category, instead showcasing a designer touch.
Consider unique art pieces, vintage furniture finds, or architectural salvage. Such additions provide layers of history and character. The aim is to create a dynamic environment that feels genuinely unique, making your home look expensive and distinctly yours.
Precision in Proportion: The Art of Hanging Light Fixtures
The height at which pendant lights and chandeliers are hung is critical for achieving correct room proportions. Improper placement can make a beautiful fixture appear lost or disjointed. This often contributes to a home looking cheap, despite the fixture’s quality.
Guidelines exist to ensure optimal light fixture placement. For a main light fixture in a general living space, a minimum clearance of 7.5 feet from the ground is recommended. This height ensures sufficient head clearance and integrates the fixture seamlessly into the room’s design, making it feel intentional rather than an afterthought.
Above a dining table, the ideal gap between the table surface and the bottom of the light fixture is approximately 33 to 34 inches. When this distance extends beyond 40 inches, the fixture appears too far removed from the table. This creates a visual disconnect, diminishing the fixture’s impact and compromising the room’s balance.
Therefore, focusing on correct proportions is paramount. An affordable light fixture, when hung correctly, can look just as designer as an expensive one. This meticulous attention to detail prevents your home from looking cheap and instead emphasizes sophisticated design principles.
