5 Interior Design Ideas You Might Regret

So you’ve gotten the keys to your new house and the next thing on your mind is to renovate. You spend countless hours perusing catalogs as well as screenshot photos from Pinterest for inspiration. You’ll soon discover recreating a certain look you envision can be daunting. There will definitely be some hits and misses, and in some cases, result in poor aesthetic choices. To save yourself from creating a big hole in your wallet, it’s best to steer clear from these ideas altogether.

An all-white home

As any interior designer will attest, Scandinavian trends have been in fashion for quite some time now. Its sleek, simple look is both modern and practical – the very reason why homeowners aspire to make their homes resemble an IKEA showroom. Unfortunately, some do go overboard and opt for an all-white concept.

Photo Source: The Man Cave

While it is true that white, as a neutral colour, is versatile and never really goes out of style, having the furniture, walls and floors in the same colour will make your home look clinical. What’s more, add a child who has a propensity to spill their food or drink, and you’ll soon find that every stain becomes all the more visible.

Sofas with whimsical patterns

Imagine the following scenario: You walk into a store and fall in love with a sofa that 1) has a loud colour or 2) comes with a unique pattern. You make the purchase and weeks later, slowly discover that said sofa clashes with the overall design scheme you had in mind.

Photo source: Homedesignfind

Don’t get us wrong; coloured and patterned upholstery can add a dash of personality to your living room. But when the sofa itself has either of them, you may be faced with an eyesore should your taste change. The same rule applies should you choose to decorate your abode with, heavens forbid, a cartoon beanbag.

Shag rugs

A polarising choice this one is: You either hate or love them. Shag rugs can add texture to a room, livening it up in the process. They are also undeniably comfortable to lie on if they are regularly cleaned and maintained. That’s pretty much where the benefits to owing one ends. Shag rugs are an acquired taste – owners would prefer something more understated that is compatible with the rest of their décor.

Photo source: Solib.org

Moreover, they do require a lot of attention from a hygiene standpoint. That is because shag rugs have more fibrous pockets compared to normal carpets, making them more susceptible to collect dirt and dust over time – bad news for owners with allergies or respiratory problems. They do shed with age too, driving you all the more insane cleaning them.

Bathroom wall tiles

Transforming the bathroom to resemble spa can make a home appear luxurious. One common element used to accentuate this is the use of ceramic or glass mosaic tiles. Both of these can elevate the level of sophistication and certainly looks amazing in photos. Unfortunately, they do have their drawbacks. Ceramic tiles are popular because they’re affordability, but can get dirty with mold and mildew over time. Unless you plan to spend your weekends scrubbing away with a toothbrush, it is recommended not to have them in the shower area.

Photo source: Kitchen Depot

On the other hand, opting for glass tiles will save you cleaning time as they are resistant to mold and mildew. The downside though is the cost to install them – sometimes it can be double the price of ceramic ones.

Pendant lighting

Walk into any hipster café and you’ll be bound to find one with pendant light fixtures. If you’re contemplating to install them to complete the industrial concept in the home, you might want to think twice. While they do score points for upping the cool factor, they are impractical for various reasons.

Photo Source: Pottery Barn

Firstly, pendant lights don’t usually provide the best light quality. Using smaller bulbs with low voltage, it is commonly used as a subtle light source. In fact, it sometimes will take more than one pendant light to fully illuminate a room. If you ask us, this defeats the purpose of having a lamp in the first place. In addition, they can cause placement problems. Because pendant lights dangle down from the ceiling, you’ll need to take note of its distance to the items below it. This is a hassle whenever you decide to re-arrange your furniture.  

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