01: Too Many Photos

You’re either a photo person or you’re not. Photo people feel very sentimental and have a hard time giving up the pictures on their walls and tables.

Solution Below: Gallery Wall

Display your favorite photos in a gallery wall and switch them out whenever you’d like. You can organize the rest of your photos in albums by decade or event, and keep them nicely arranged on a bookshelf.

02: Undressed Cables

A cluster of tangled wires clutters your home office and can be a hazard.

Solution Below: Organized Cords

Keep wires hidden at all times with these easy solutions:
1. Find a cord cover that matches your wall color.
2. If the furniture isn’t a valuable antique, drill a hole in the back for the cords to go through.
3. Keep unused wires in a labeled storage container in an easily accessible area.

03: Out-of-Place Themes

A home’s decor needs to be authentic and provide a sense of where you are. Decorating too much in the same print is overwhelming and tacky.

Solution: Stylish Accent Pieces

Use accents to incorporate the look you enjoy without being overwhelming. If you have a house in the mountains and love the beach, display a collection of seashells or coral in or on a bookcase or end table instead of designing an entire beach-style room.

04: Too Formal

While there’s nothing wrong with a very formal approach to a room, you should still make people feel comfortable in it. Too much furniture that doesn’t add comfort doesn’t add an inviting feel to the room.

Solution Below: Inviting Yet Elegant

If you have the space, use it. Give your room a function, make it livable and ensure it’s welcoming.

05: Uncomfortable Dining Chairs

Never have an uncomfortable piece of furniture, especially a dining chair.

Solution Below: A Comfortable Place to Dine

When purchasing a dining chair, sit in it and decide if you want to be there for a long time. Also, measure the height of your dining room table before you buy chairs to make sure they’re not too low or too high.

06: Visible Clutter

Unsightly clutter and disorganization not only contributes to a stressful life but also ruins the entire look of a space.

Solution Below: Hidden Storage

Invest in stylish storage baskets on a bookcase or shelf to keep small objects in their proper spot, or add an armoire for extra hidden storage.

07: Everything Matches

A room that looks like it’s a page from a catalog is a mistake because people don’t really live that way. It’s designed to sell furniture and give you an idea of what you might have in your house, but you shouldn’t be matching the look that closely.

Solution Below: Create a Lived-In Look

Make your room’s design eclectic — not like a showroom you can’t live in. As you look around the room, you should see different pieces and accents that capture the eye and add interest.

08: Furniture That Doesn’t Fit

Showrooms are much larger than your living room, so when you bring furniture into your home, the scale can be completely wrong.

Solution: Buy Right-Sized Furniture

Follow these tips to avoid buying furniture that doesn’t fit:
1. Draw a to scale floor plan or purchase a room design kit so you can find the best layout without moving heavy furniture.
2. Embrace “less is more”, and don’t try to put too much into any space.If 3. Measure the room before buying furniture pieces, and you’ll decrease the chances of making a mistake.

09: Too Many Color Patterns

you have too many colors or patterns in a house, it tends to look very busy, crowded and distracting to the eye.

Solution Below: Choose Patterns Wisely

Choose a fun pattern for a wall or bold piece of furniture, but keep other pieces solid to avoid a busy design.

10: Furniture That Doesn’t Fit

Showrooms are much larger than your living room, so when you bring furniture into your home, the scale can be completely wrong.

Solution: Buy Right-Sized Furniture

Follow these tips to avoid buying furniture that doesn’t fit:
1. Draw a to scale floor plan or purchase a room design kit so you can find the best layout without moving heavy furniture.
2. Embrace “less is more”, and don’t try to put too much into any space.
3. Measure the room before buying furniture pieces, and you’ll decrease the chances of making a mistake.