Let’s face it: Designing the interior of our homes can be challenging. And scary too, because we could commit mistakes and interior design mistakes tend to be on the costly side of things. Still, somebody has to do it. We all just need a little confidence. Hopefully, the following tips about common interior design mistakes to avoid would leave you a bit more confident about designing your place.

Not having a plan and a budget

Impulse buying is exciting, but that piece of furniture or mirror may not work with your overall interior design the way you thought it would. You could also be spending more than what is sensible, and you could end up with an interior design project that’s more expensive than the house itself. To avoid buyer’s remorse and an interior design fail, you should have a plan and a well-established budget before buying anything.

Buying furniture without measuring anything

Sometimes, homeowners get so excited about a large and lovely couch they saw in the store that they never give any thought about whether or not it will fit through the door in the first place. Oversized furniture is fine. Just make sure your place has enough space to accommodate it. Large furniture in small areas will make the room even smaller, and that’s one big interior design mistake.

Choosing paint before fabrics and textiles

Finding fabrics and textiles before deciding on a paint scheme is so much easier than doing it the other way around. If you do paint first, good luck finding rugs, curtains, pillows, and upholstery that you love that will perfectly match the color of your walls.

Inadequate lighting

It’s true that lighting often takes a backseat to other interior design elements, and that is a mistake. Any home should have adequate lighting, and a set of overhead lights are simply not enough. Lighting should always be layered within any given space. With multiple light sources, you’ll be able to add depth and dimension to your home.

You should also let plenty of natural light into your home. Place curtains and accessories smartly, and install mirrors directly across your natural light source so all that beneficial sunlight can bounce around the room.

Not letting go of heirlooms

So your grandmother left you this grandfather clock. It’s been in your living room for years and still works fine. You are, however, about to embark on a redecorating project and your family heirloom doesn’t have a place in it. But because of its sentimental value, you keep it, and it ends up sticking out like a sore thumb. It’s hard to get rid of heirlooms, but if they don’t fit the style of your home, you should have enough resolve to let them go.

Not asking for interior design advice

Sometimes, we get too close to our work that we fail to notice our mistakes. This applies to our attempts at interior design, especially when we have already spent so much time on the project. If we can ask somebody to take a look at our work and spot any mistakes, then we should go ahead and ask for that person’s opinion. A friend can tell you honestly if there’s something off with your choice of fabrics or colors.

The best source of opinion about interior design, of course, is a real interior designer. If you can’t hire one full-time, you can consult one who charges by the hour. With the many design tricks up their sleeve, interior designers can effectively transform your home the way you want it.

Bio: Karen Ashworth is a freelance writer and blogger who enjoys staying on top of trends in architecture and interior design.