What Are the Biggest Interior Design Mistakes People Regret the Most?
When I looked through hundreds of real responses about interior design mistakes, one thing became clear very quickly: most regrets don’t come from bad taste. They come from rushing decisions, ignoring scale, or trusting trends more than the space itself.
These are the mistakes people mention over and over again, often years after living with them.
Choosing Paint Without Understanding Undertones
Paint is by far the most common regret. Not because people hate color, but because undertones are easy to miss.
Colors that look neutral on a swatch can turn pink, yellow, or muddy once they’re on four walls. Even white paint can clash with flooring, cabinets, or trim if undertones aren’t aligned.
Many people said they lived with a bad paint color for years, even though repainting would have been cheap and relatively easy. The stress of seeing a color you hate every day adds up.
Following Trends Instead of the Space
Trends came up constantly as a source of regret. Gray floors, dark walls, busy backsplashes, and ultra-trendy finishes often looked great online but aged quickly in real homes.
The biggest issue wasn’t that trends are bad. It was choosing them without considering how long they’d be hard to change. Flooring, tile, and cabinets were the most commonly regretted trend-driven decisions.
People were much happier when trends stayed in decor, lighting, or accessories instead of permanent finishes.
Buying Furniture That Doesn’t Fit the Room
Scale mistakes were everywhere. Sofas too big for the room. Lamps too small to make an impact. Rugs that floated awkwardly instead of anchoring furniture.
A lot of this came from buying furniture online without seeing it in person or checking dimensions carefully. In photos, everything looks proportional. In real life, it often isn’t.
Many people said they would rather live with fewer pieces than fill a room with furniture that feels wrong.
Not Testing Materials in Real Light
Paint samples, tile samples, flooring boards, and fabrics often look completely different once they’re home.
Lighting, ceiling height, and the direction of windows all change how materials read. People who skipped testing often ended up with floors that were too gray, tiles that looked pink, or finishes that clashed once installed.
Those who took time to test samples at different times of day were far more satisfied with the final result.
Using Too Many “Statement” Elements at Once
Another common regret was trying to make everything stand out.
Busy countertops paired with busy backsplashes. Patterned wallpaper combined with bold trim colors. Multiple focal points fighting for attention in one room.
Several people described this as having “too many bossy things” in one space. The rooms felt chaotic rather than layered or intentional.
Rooms worked better when one element led the design and everything else supported it.
Ignoring Lighting (or Using the Wrong Bulbs)
Lighting mistakes were subtle but deeply frustrating.
Using bulbs that were too cool made kitchens and bathrooms feel clinical. Too few light sources left rooms dim and flat. Fixtures that were too large or too small threw off proportions.
People who fixed lighting often said it completely changed how they felt about the space, even without changing anything else.
Rushing Design Decisions Right After Moving In
One of the most consistent pieces of advice was simple: don’t rush.
Many people regretted painting, buying furniture, or committing to finishes before they truly understood how they lived in the space. Decisions made after a few months of living there tended to last. Decisions made in the first few weeks often got undone.
Living in the “blank slate” helped people understand flow, light, storage needs, and what actually mattered day to day.
Trying to Save Money in the Wrong Places
Cheap rugs, low-quality furniture, and bargain tile were frequently mentioned regrets.
In contrast, people who invested in a few high-quality pieces and filled in slowly with temporary or secondhand items felt much better long term. Rugs, seating, and flooring were repeatedly described as investments rather than decor.
Forcing Yourself to Live With a Mistake Too Long
One of the most honest regrets was emotional, not technical.
Many people knew something was wrong but delayed fixing it because of cost, indecision, or fear of making another mistake. Living with a bad choice often caused more stress than the fix itself.
When they finally changed it, the relief was immediate.
The Common Thread Behind Most Mistakes
Most interior design mistakes weren’t about color, style, or budget. They were about decision-making.
Rushing. Not testing. Ignoring scale. Designing for photos instead of daily life.
The homes people were happiest with weren’t the trendiest ones. They were the ones shaped slowly, with fewer regrets and more intention.
If you’re starting with a blank slate, learning from other people’s mistakes might be the smartest design move you can make.