Buying cheap furniture tops list of interior design choices homeowners regret
British homeowners have shared the top 10 interior design choices they regret, with buying cheap furniture that later broke being the biggest mistake.
Other design decisions they wish they hadn’t made include mixing too many colours and choosing a colour scheme that was too plain, like all-white or all-beige.
Painting the ceiling, covering an entire room in bold wallpaper, and filling the living room with oversized furniture are other creative choices they weren’t happy with. As a result, one in six (16 percent) choose the “safe” option when decorating their homes to avoid future regrets.
The same number lack confidence in making bolder choices, and 12 percent want to avoid any design mishaps that might require more work to fix.
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The survey of 2,000 adults was commissioned by furniture retailer DFS, which partnered with design and confidence expert Tiwalola Ogunlesi.
Ogunlesi said: “Making a decision on your home decor doesn’t need to be make-or-break styling is a journey of experimenting, and discovering your personal preferences.”
“You’ve got to be unapologetic about your choices. One person’s “bold and adventurous” might be another person’s “too busy and over-the-top” what matters most is that your choices feel true to you and your own personal taste.”
“If you do feel like you’ve made a bad move, like overcrowding a room, give yourself permission to go back to the drawing board and try something new or different. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn about your personal taste through experimentation.”
“To stop playing safe and be bolder, there are steps we can take to feel more confident in our decor decisions, and curate a space that works well for us.”
However, it also emerged that four in 10 of those polled often have grand designs when it comes to refurbishing their home, with 26 percent keen to use more colours in their home, while 21 percent want to be more creative with their lighting.
And more than a fifth (22 percent) would choose a bright colour for their sofa, if they were to make a bolder interior design choice.
Exactly three-quarters of respondents believe it takes real confidence to make bold choices when designing the interior of a home.
And only 16 percent of the homeowners polled go as far as to say they love their interiors with 23 percent ambivalent, neither particularly liking or disliking their home style.
Three in 10 (31 percent) don’t think their personality is reflected in the way their home is decorated but 40 percent of people admit they’d feel more relaxed if it was.
A survey by OnePoll.com reveals that 13 percent of people have chosen practicality over style in their homes, while 10 percent haven’t put much effort into their decor. However, a significant 37 percent confess they are envious of those with bold interior styles.
Kellie Wyles, head of upholstery at DFS, said: “Decorating your home is not just about furniture and colours it’s a canvas for your personality, a place to bring to life “your thing”. When it comes to following trends, your home should tell your story, not anyone else’s.”
She added: “Home decor is not a one-size-fits-all, so have confidence in your unique style mix patterns, experiment with textures, and watch your home transform into a true reflection of your taste.”
