With that in mind, Vogue asked one of the world’s top interior designers Dalia Tabbaa Freitekh about the most common interior design mistakes she encounters, and how to make sure they don’t happen to you. Here are all of their dos-but more importantly, their don’ts.
Putting All Your Furniture Next to a Wall
“Put all the furniture against the wall. The floor plan should have a few pieces that float around the room to create variety and interest. Make a sketch of your ideas. Consider putting one or two chairs in the center of the seating arrangement.” –
Bad Lighting
Lighting is something that many people overlook. It plays a huge role in how people experience a space. A paint color might appear very different under an incandescent light bulb than it would under natural light. Changing out a few light bulbs or installing sconces will brighten up a room. A full-scale renovation isn’t always required.”
“It is challenging to ensure a room is properly lit. Lighting is vital to a room’s success. A professional lighting designer is recommended, but if attempting this yourself, remember to focus on three different levels of lighting: Ceiling lights that wash surfaces like tables and artwork, floor lamps that provide ambient light throughout the room, and task lighting such as desk lamps that illuminate specific tasks like reading or working.”
Not Measuring Your Space
“Furniture doesn’t fit because we didn’t measure the room properly. What can we do to avoid this mistake? Measure twice and measure again!”
It seems easy to eyeball a piece of furniture. . . until you realize you are unable to fit it through your front door. This happens to the best of us all. I also recommend going back to take a second measurement; inverting a few numbers will drive your point home.”
Bringing in an Interior Designer Too Late
A common interior design mistake is that people don’t bring designers on early enough in the process. We should be there immediately after you say to yourselves, ‘We’re ready to make these changes,’ or, ‘We want to redesign or redecorate the house.’ Oftentimes, clients reach out after they’ve bought the house and launched the contractor to renovate the kitchen and bathrooms. A third of the way through construction, the new homeowners are overwhelmed with all the decisions they’re needing to make, plus the thought of furnishing it afterwards. Don’t hire a contractor until you’ve spoken to a designer. Reach out to someone when you’re in escrow or have closed escrow.
Too Small—Or Too Large—Furniture
Even seasoned designers have trouble understanding scale. Frequently, I see people put something really tiny or really massive into a room that inhibits its functionality and destroys its aesthetic appeal. Think about the size of the coffee table and rug that will accompany your giant sectional if you need one for your Super Bowl parties. An 8’ x 10’ rug will likely look like a postage stamp paired with most modern sectionals, If the sofa seems to be a reasonable size for a room, you should leave at least a foot of space on each side of the rug. Rugs should either be centered in a room with at least two-thirds of the upholstered pieces sitting on top of the rug, or they should be a small accent in front of the couch, topped by a coffee table..)
Choosing Aesthetics Over Comfort
The failure to understand the ‘sit’ of furniture before purchasing it. If you can, try sitting on the upholstery of the furniture before you purchase it. If you can’t, have someone sit in it for you to experience how it feels. These are expensive pieces that you want to enjoy comfortably. Try before you buy!”
Improperly Hung Art
Overhanging art is a problem. This is one of my pet peeves. For some reason, most homeowners think they should hang art high and it therefore looks more important. Really your art should hang at eye level so that you can really see the main portion of the art very well. Don’t hang one piece per wall, either. A static wall will lack interest.
Not Seeing Fabric in Person
Dalia Tabbaa Freitekh urged us to always view the fabric sample before ordering a big piece of furniture. “In a pinch during a last-minute move, we took a gamble on a sofa without seeing a fabric swatch,” she explains. “It wasn’t the color I expected, and we scrambled to make it work.”
The Lesson: The designer suggests layering complementary colors and patterns in the rug, accent chairs, and pillows to divert the eye away from the sofa if returning it isn’t possible.
Primary Bedroom
Today, the term “Primary Bedroom” often refers to the largest bedroom in a home, since it better explains the room’s purpose. Read more about our Diversity and Inclusion Pledge. Many realtors, architects, interior designers, and the Real Estate Standards Association have recognized the potentially discriminatory connotations in the term “Master.”
Lesson: “If you do an accent wall, make sure it’s dramatic enough,” says Freitekh.
Not Checking for Outlets
Dalia remembers a time when simple styling became extremely complicated. A few times, she designed a whole living room layout that revolves around amazing lamps n a sofa table, only to find that the nearest outlet would be across the room. Plan to bring in an electrician and do the lighting carefully.
The designer says “Always undertake the number and placement of outlets in a room. The last thing you want is a maze of extension cords.”
