8 Design Choices That Make Your Home Look Cheap
If you’re struggling to achieve a “high end” look in your space, these simple design mistakes could be to blame! Luckily, you don’t have to break the bank to fix them.
1. No Window Treatments, Or Window Treatments That Are The Wrong Length/Size
Sometimes it makes sense to forgo window treatments if a room has a massive wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, or the style of the home is super contemporary. But in the average Pittsburgh home, skipping shades and curtains can make a space look cheap.
Choosing the right length for your draperies is also important. Too short and they end up looking like a pair of flooding pants! To achieve a more high end look, a good rule of thumb is to install curtain rods a few inches above your window trim (in rooms with normal ceiling heights), or a few inches down from the ceiling (in rooms with high ceilings). Select a drape length that barely kisses the floor.
If you’re not going with custom length and none of the stock options are perfect, just be sure not to let the panels "break" or pool on the floor. This is an outdated trend that hasn't come back into fashion. Drapery that is too long will look better than drapery that is too short, however!
If you find that your room has smaller windows, you can also install your curtain rods 4-5" past the window trim on either side, allowing you to choose fuller, wider width panels. This creates the illusion of a larger window in the space, and also give you a more high end look.
2. Area Rugs That Are The Wrong Scale
PHOTO: The Spruce
An area rug that is too small for the space, or under scale in comparison to the furniture pieces you have situated on/near it is one of the biggest offenders in making a space look cheap!
For rooms where you want a large area rug to fill the entire space (dining room, bedroom) choose the rug size based on the size of the room, aiming for 8-12" smaller in both length and width. Go with the nearest standard rug dimension if you can't get this exact!
In large or open spaces where you want a smaller rug to help you define a "zone", there are two different approaches you can take:
First, you can select a rug large enough that all furniture sits fully on the rug with 8-12" of margin on all sides (think a desk plus the chair in a home office).
Second, you can opt for a smaller rug as long as 4-6" of rug spans behind the front legs of whatever furniture surrounds it (a living room rug with sofa, side chairs, TV console, etc. on all sides).
If you have a statement rug that you absolutely love but find it too small to use in your desired room, try layering it over a larger rug in a neutral color or material — like a sisal!
3. Generic Art, Art With Words, Poorly Sized Art
PHOTO: Jason W
In a designer space, a single piece of artwork can be the inspiration for an entire room's palette. They're often statement making, one-of-a-kind pieces, and are large enough to stand up to both the scale of the room, and any adjacent furniture. Skip purchasing artwork with inspirational or kitschy messages, and anything generic that you might find in a dorm room.
With the exception of a purposeful gallery wall, artwork that is too small is also guaranteed to make a space look cheap. Stick to the "2/3" rule when selecting a piece of artwork — go with something that is roughly 2/3 the length of a sofa, the width of a bed, etc. And hang the piece 8-12" above the back in order to anchor it with the furniture. Artwork that appears to be floating in space looks cheap, or accidental.
4. Too Much Open Storage
PHOTO: David Griffiths
That “Cluttercore” trend from a few years back isn’t a good excuse to show off your mess! If your room includes too much open shelving or unconcealed storage, it can quickly look cheap. Think of flatpack DIY-assembly furniture from Ikea, etc. This style of storage makes a space look cluttered and unorganized.
If you have a lot of stuff (that you truly cannot part with), go with TV/Media consoles with closed cabinets and drawers, or bookshelves with a lower cabinet section that allows you to hide your hoard. In kitchens, a few open shelves for displaying your heirloom cookware pieces, cookbooks, plants, etc. can be charming and add visual interest. Not quite the same effect when it's stacks of mismatched food storage containers and orphaned lids.
The same thing applies to your other living spaces! Save the open shelving for your books, photos, and your other favorite keepsakes or decor items — not your old Blu-ray collection and WiFi router. And if you find that you're overflowing with items with no real place to conceal them, consider streamlining with some stylish baskets or lidded boxes to your space.
5. Matching Furniture Sets
For a more high end look, select complimentary furniture pieces in lieu of matching sets. This goes for upholstered pieces, as well as dining room or bedroom sets. Just because this style of furniture is still being manufactured today doesn't mean they are a good choice! It's a dated approach, and will quickly make your space look unstylish.
If your sofa came with a matching ottoman, try it with a coffee table in a contrasting material to help break things up. In your dining room, use a different chair at the heads of the table (armchairs) than on the sides (armless). This mix-and-match approach results in a more curated feel, and will help your space look more expensive— even if the pieces come from the thrift store, or Facebook Marketplace!
6. An Absence of Texture / Soft Surfaces
PHOTOL: Paul Weaver
Even the most minimalist of homes can benefit from a variety of textures and the addition of a few throw pillows or cozy throw blankets. If a space is totally void of soft surfaces, it ends up not only feeling stark and cold, but it also looks a bit cheap (AirBnB vibes).
Adding a few pillows to your sofa or a nice throw draped over the end of your bed can help your space look and feel more luxe. This is in the same vein as window treatments, and will help soften the overall look of your home.
7. Walls That Lack Color, Pattern, Or Texture
PHOTO: Taylor Flowe
Unless they're textured with something interesting like limewash, micro-cement, or Venetian plaster, plain white or "Builder Beige" walls throughout an entire home can feel like an afterthought.
If using those sorts of wall of finishes feels outside the realm of your budget and/or capability (or preference), some simple paint and wallpaper can work wonders! Don't skip the opportunity to inject some color, texture, and personality into your space, or it might end up looking like a cheap college apartment.
8. No Plants / Flowers (or Cheap Faux Ones)
PHOTO: Shank
Plants and flowers are another great way to soften your space and make it look more expensive. Just don't opt for cheap or overly synthetic faux options, which an have the opposite effect!
If you must go with faux due to a lack of light in your space (or a black thumb), there are many quality options these days from sites like The Sill, Afloral, and Nearly Natural.
Need some help with your space?
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