The 5 Design Mistakes That You're Making

We’ve given you advice on how to make your room beautiful, but to make sure you’re really doing it right, you have to know what not to do. Here are some common mistakes most people make that can destroy all of your hard work. Learn from these fails, to ensure your room is more than just picture perfect – but also a comfortable place to live. Just because something will look nice in your room, doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for your space.

1. No Functionality

When buying items for a room, consider not just how they’ll look, but how they will work in your daily routine. Will that chair really be comfortable to study at for 12 hours a day during exam season? Will you really be able to keep that comforter white when you’re mucking an extra-gravy poutine in bed at 2am? (Speaking from experience – no, you will not.)

2. Bad Lighting

Lighting is central to the ambiance of your room. It can take your room from a prison cell to sun-kissed oasis. If you’re just using overhead lighting, especially harsh white light, you’re missing out on an opportunity to transform your room. Try using lamps to highlight different areas of your room, and open your curtains to let in some natural light. As long as you’re not a vampire, there’s nothing to fear from a little bit of sunlight.

3. Too much matching

One temptation can be to build everything in your room around a theme. While this works when done right, when done wrong you can end up feeling trapped in a psychedelic nightmare. Using a theme does not mean making everything match, it means having a few central pieces that complement each other. To avoid this, try shopping at a variety of stores, to get some diversity in your style.

4. Impulse buying

When you’re out and about and something catches your eye, it can be easy to think it will fit in your space. For small items, this is fine, but don’t make any big design decisions on a whim. If it’s going to cost a lot, or make a big difference in your room, give it some time to figure out how it will really work in your space, especially if it’s non-refundable. This includes trendy items that may seem like a good idea now, but will be out of style by next week.

5. No personalization

Having a bedroom that looks like something out of a catalog is nice, but if you don’t feel at home in your own space it’s not worth it. Your room should be a reflection of your personality where you can crash after a long week without feeling out of place. Make sure you incorporate your own style. You’re probably a pretty cool person – show off what you’re passionate about with some pictures, or mementos.