Do you feel like certain rooms in your house look a little bland or basic? Do you wish your home could look a little more high-end and luxurious? There are several things that make your home look cheap, even when you’ve invested in nice furniture or decor. The good news? Most of these issues are incredibly easy to fix, and small changes can make a huge difference in how your home looks and feels. In this post, I’m breaking down the most common decorating mistakes, and what to do instead, so you can create a home that looks more polished and high-end.
Before we dive in, remember: you don’t need a massive budget to improve the look and feel of your home. You just need to make thoughtful design choices that support your interior design goals and overall decorating style. Let’s get started!
1. Builder-Grade Light Fixtures
You know those basic lights that come standard in most homes? The infamous “boob” lights, simple flush mounts, and plain pendants… they instantly signal “builder basic.”
These fixtures are mass-produced, lack detail, and don’t add any personality, making your home look cheap. They just flatten the feel of a room and make your space feel generic.
Here’s what to do instead:
Upgrade your light fixtures to something with a unique shape, texture, or an interesting finish. Think linen drum shades, rattan pendants, aged brass sconces, or even simple modern black fixtures. One beautiful fixture can elevate an entire living room, bedroom, or dining room and add a touch of luxury. You can check out some of my favorite light fixtures here.
2. Rugs That Are Too Small
Nothing makes a living room or bedroom look cheaper than a too-small rug floating awkwardly in the center. While it’s true that a smaller rug may save you some money, it won’t do your room any favors. When rugs are too small, they end up shrinking your space visually and making the room feel off-balance. Bigger rugs create a more proportional, cohesive look and instantly give your room a more high-end feel.
What to do instead:
Choose the right size rug for your space! For living rooms, all of the front legs of your furniture should be able to sit on top of the rug. Typically, this means using an 8×10 size rug, or larger.
For bedrooms, the rug should extend 18–24 inches beyond each side of the bed. Check out my post on the choosing the right rug size for queen beds and king beds for more guidance.
3. Matching Furniture Sets
Bedroom sets, living room sets, dining table sets…when everything matches perfectly, your room can feel dated and lifeless. Your home will look more like a showroom than a designer-curated home.
Here’s a design tip – mix, don’t match!
Pair a wood dining table with upholstered chairs. Mix a leather sofa with fabric accent chairs. You can even mix the wood tones of your furniture and decor by coordinating the tones rather than matching them exactly. This is a great way to give your home a natural, curated look that feels elevated and stylish.
4. Curtains Hung Too Low or Too Short
Hanging your curtains too low, or using curtains that are too short can instantly make your home look cheap. This mistake is SO common, and it dramatically affects the overall feel of a room…not in a good way.
Mistake 1: Hanging Curtain Rods Too Low
When rods are installed right above your window frames, the ceiling looks lower and the it can make the entire space look smaller.
Mistake 2: Curtains That Are Too Short
Any curtain that stops several inches above the floor looks unfinished—like pants that are too short!
What to do instead:
- Mount rods 4–6 inches below the ceiling line
- Use curtains that just touch (“kiss”) the floor
- For tricky sizes, buy longer panels and hem them
This small change is a simple way to make your home look more custom, polished, and MUCH more expensive.
5. Too Many Small Knick-Knacks (Clutter)
A shelf covered in tiny decor items makes even a beautiful room feel messy. Your eyes don’t know where to land, which creates visual chaos.
Instead, go for fewer, larger pieces. Check out the major impact that some thoughtful decluttering made to this living room.
By removing many of the small items that were visually overstimulating, the room feels more calm, sophisticated, and luxurious.
When it comes to decorating shelves, less is more! Style your bookshelves with:
- Books
- Baskets
- Sculptural objects or vases of different sizes
- Faux plants or greenery
Give your shelves blank spaces so items have room to breathe. This is one of the best ways to create a high-end, intentional look.
6. Words on the Walls
We all know the “Live, Laugh, Love” signs. Vinyl quotes, farmhouse wall phrases, scripted wood letters… these can instantly date your home and make it look cheap. You won’t find this type of mass-produced art in a luxury home.
Instead, swap out your overly literal wall decor for real artwork, photography prints, abstract paintings, or framed textiles. Artwork gives your home a sophisticated, grown-up feel and will complement your decor style so much better.
7. Art That’s Too Small
Speaking of art, a tiny frame on a large blank wall can make a room feel unfinished—like you didn’t fully commit. This is another one of the most common mistakes homeowners make when decorating their home.
It will make your home look much more balanced and elevated if you use larger art or create a gallery wall, depending on your wall size. Here’s a helpful guideline:
- Art should be ½ to ⅔ the width of the furniture it hangs above
- Big walls need big art, or multiple pieces!
Don’t be afraid to size up—larger artwork makes a huge difference in the overall look of a room. Check out my wall art size guide post for more tips.
8. Bedding That Lacks Layers
If your bedding consists of a flat comforter and two pillows, your bedroom could end up feeling more like a dorm room than a cozy retreat. A luxury bedroom includes layers of bedding that add dimension, pattern, color, and texture to the room.
Turn up the style volume in your bedroom with this winning combination:
- A main comforter or a down comforter with duvet
- Quilt or coverlet at the foot of the bed, in a different color than the main comforter
- Multiple throw pillows (at a minimum, use two large pillows and a smaller accent pillow)
- A throw blanket
Layering your bedding adds warmth and visual interest, and instantly gives your room a high-end, boutique-hotel vibe.
9. No Wow Factor in the Room
When everything in your home is safe, simple, and neutral, the space look can feel bland and uninspired (even if you’ve technically done everything right with your decor). Some rooms naturally have great wow factor – a beautiful ceiling detail, a fireplace, or a gorgeous view out the window. If your room is missing wow factor, you’ll need to add it!
An easy way to bring wow factor into your room design is to choose ONE bold element from this list:
- A dramatic light fixture
- Picture frame molding on the walls
- Large artwork
- A bold paint color on the walls (or an accent wall)
- Patterned drapery
- A statement piece of furniture
Having a visually-stimulating focal point in your room adds personality and will make your home feel much more luxurious.
10. Visible Electric Cords
Dangling cords from TVs, lamps, or electronics instantly cheapen a room. It signals that things weren’t installed intentionally. If you have cords creeping along your walls, it is making your room look cheap. The best thing you can do is hide them, which will make your space look less messy overall and more sophisticated! Clean lines = clean design.
Here are some simple tweaks for tidying up your cords:
- Use cord covers
- Try cable channels
- Zip-tie organizers
- Run cords through the wall (whenever possible, and safe to do so)
Final Thoughts
Remember, you don’t need a big budget to improve the feel of your home. Most of these updates are simple, affordable, and make a surprisingly huge difference. Whether you’re decorating small spaces, updating your living room, rethinking your coffee table, or refreshing your dining room, the goal is to make intentional choices that give your space a polished, high-end look.
If you want even more decorating tips and tools to transform the feel of a room, I’ve got something special for you…
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