5 Design Mistakes That Are Making Your Home Look Boring
There was once a time when perfectly matched furniture and white walls felt like the pinnacle of interior style. Today, however, that same strive for perfection can leave a home feeling flat, forgettable, and well, a little boring.
And designers agree that spaces that play it too safe or follow the ‘cookie-cutter’ approach often end up lacking personality, no matter how polished they look. As someone who loves interiors with character, I wanted to find out exactly what the experts think is draining our homes of charm.
So I asked them – and the results were eye-opening. From overused materials to blank space, there are surprisingly common mistakes that are making our homes feel uninspired. Here are 5 things designers say are making your home look boring, and how to fix them to make your home feel so much more unique.
5 Things Making Your Home Look Boring
The good news? None of it is irreversible or too hard to fix. With a few clever tweaks, you can transform a flat space into one that feels intentional, collected, and utterly yours.
1. Playing it Too Safe
(Image credit: Mendelson Group / Photography Tim Lenz)
Minimalism, quiet luxury, and all neutral homes used to feel aspirational – but when every choice is a safe one, the result can be surprisingly uninspiring.
Jennifer Davis of Davis Interiors explains, ‘As a designer, I’m the first to say there’s nothing wrong with playing it safe. Safe choices exist for a reason: they’re familiar, approachable, and often marketed as “timeless.” But when too many safe decisions stack up, a home can quietly lose its personality. What starts as calm and neutral can quickly feel boring.’
So what does she note as the culprits? It turns out, some top kitchen trends are top of the list.
‘Quartz is popular for good reason. It’s durable, low-maintenance, and accessible, which makes it appealing for busy households. But the most common version, bright white with faint gray veining, has become so ubiquitous that it’s lost its impact,’ Jennifer explains.
‘When I walk into kitchens across the country and see the same countertop paired with the same cabinets and hardware, the space stops feeling intentional. It starts to feel like a default setting,’ she continues. ‘Depth, movement, and warmth matter. Surfaces should contribute to the story of the home, not fade into the background.’
On a similar note, Jennifer also sees shaker cabinetry as a culprit. ‘When they’re paired with neutral countertops, simple hardware, and minimal contrast, the entire kitchen can read as one-note,’ she explains. ‘As designers, we’re craving more architectural interest. We want cabinetry that feels considered, details that suggest craftsmanship, age, or a furniture-like quality. When everything is clean-lined and understated, nothing stands out.’
The fix, thankfully, doesn’t have to be dramatic. Designers suggest looking for surfaces and materials with more depth, color, and movement, mixing cabinetry styles or finishes, and layering in pieces with patina, texture, and a story.
AnthroHome
Icon Sun Knobs, Set of 2
Give an old or neutral cabinet some added pizzazz with some new statement hardware, like these playful sun knobs from Anthropologie. Perfect for a boring nightstand or living room cabinet.
McGee & Co.
Auburn Marble Tray
While replacing your white and gray quartz with rich red marble is going to earn you some serious style points, it’s a hugely expensive and disruptive process. So instead, you can look to introduce bold stone in small pieces, like this chic auburn tray.
Zara Home
Irregular Wooden Cutting Board
Just like with stone, sure, replacing your white kitchen with wood cabinetry is going to create an immediate impact, but it’s a bit of a task. So instead, pick up some vintage or unique wooden pieces that you can accessorize with instead to add some age and warmth.
2. A Lack of Personality
(Image credit: Mylands x Beata Heuman)
A home can tick off every principle of interior design, and still feel bland if it doesn’t reflect the people who live there. Designers say this often happens when interiors lean too heavily on interior design trends or symmetry, resulting in spaces that look polished but generic.
As Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group puts it, ‘When a home looks like it was designed by an algorithm, it loses its identity. Trend following without personal perspective creates spaces that feel forgettable. We encourage clients to choose pieces with story, materials with soul, and colors that feel lived-in. That’s where individuality lives and where boring disappears.’
This lack of personality is felt the most in rooms with overly matched or carefully coordinated schemes, with little variation in scale, texture, or storytelling.
Michelle Murphy of DEMI RYAN points to ‘too much matching, incorrect scale, lack of texture, default builder grade choices, and avoiding color’ as common mistakes that drain a room of uniqueness.
Designer Benji Lewis echoes this, noting that spaces can feel incomplete when they merely follow a formula – like a sofa paired with an undersized coffee table. ‘Injecting personality into a room doesn’t necessarily mean cluttering things up,’ he explains. ‘Go for a streamlined look by all means, but include something that showcases your character.’
Without something unexpected or meaningful, the room fails to spark curiosity. Art, objects collected over time, items that hint at hobbies, travel, or heritage – or even just a single standout piece – when thoughtfully chosen, can anchor a room and give it a sense of identity.
Chairish
Mid-Century Vintage Asian Chinoiserie Ginger Jar
An authentic antique Chinoiserie piece is always going to trump anything newly produced. Found on Chairish, this unique hand-painted ginger jar has been finished in a high-gloss cornflower blue. Use it to add new, unexpected tones to your space.
Anthropologie
City Matchbook Wall Art
Celebrate your memories with wall art that tells your story. These hand-painted matchbook sketches, by young artist Larsen McDowell, are available in iterations from across the globe and will give you nostalgia every time you walk past.
Maison Flaneur
The Lovers Ceramic Matchbox
Create vignettes with small yet unique pieces that elevate the everyday, like this stylish box of matches. Made meticulously by hand, each unique ceramic box features a striker strip and 40 colorful matches.
3. Walls Without Character
(Image credit: Yellow London)
In most homes, we use our walls as a neutral backdrop, but designers argue they’re one of the biggest missed opportunities. Flat, white walls may feel clean and safe, yet without texture, contrast, or detail, they can leave a space feeling unfinished.
Alexis Vitale is firm on the point: walls need personality, and personality comes from wall decor. ‘Instead of keeping your walls naked, the walls need personality – and personality is art,’ she explains. ‘Let your personality shine through curated pieces that bring your space together.’
Jeanne Barber, founder of Camden Grace Interiors, agrees, adding, ‘No artwork is boring! Blank walls = missed opportunities. Add something that tells your story.’
When walls are left bare or treated too cautiously, a room can feel impersonal, no matter how carefully curated the furniture may be. Jennifer Davis adds that without texture, architectural detail, or contrasting millwork, they can leave a room feeling unfinished.
‘When there’s no variation, no trim, no texture, no contrast, the space can feel flat, even when the furniture is beautiful,’ she explains. ‘Walls should support the design, not disappear entirely.’
This might mean introducing artwork, adding paneling or contrasting millwork, or experimenting with room color ideas. The goal isn’t to overwhelm, but to create depth and interest.
Wayfair
Egg and Dart Decorative Trim Molding
If your home is lacking in original features, fake it till you make it with this characterful egg and dart decorative molding from Wayfair. Made from wood and resin, it’s ready to paint in whatever hue you choose to color-drench your room in.
Lulu and Georgia
Poolside Play Wall Art by Eli Franz
Fill your walls with color and whimsy with large-scale art like this statement piece by artist Eli Franz. Whether you’ve been on vacation to somewhere similar or are manifesting a trip, this is sure to bring joy to your walls.
ABASK
Animals Hand-Painted Ceramic Plates (Set of 8)
Hanging plates on the wall is a great way to add color, texture, and uniqueness to a neutral space. Exclusive to ABASK, these simple yet whimsical animal plates have been hand-painted in retro tones that are too good to hide away in a drawer out of sight.
4. Forgetting Details and Small Fixtures
(Image credit: Studio Duggan)
It’s often the smallest details that let down or date a home. Designers agree that when these elements are forgotten or treated as an afterthought, a room can quickly slip into “nice, but forgettable” territory.
Bethany Adams suggests that lighting is one of the most common misses, particularly in newer homes. ‘If you live in a newer home, with drywall as far as the eye can see, you need to work a little harder to add character to your space,’ she suggests.
‘One thing that really makes your home a snooze is builder-grade light fixtures (think the dreaded “boob light” or “crystal” chandeliers),’ Bethany continues. ‘The great news is that lighting is very easy to replace and makes a huge difference.’
The same thinking applies to hardware, switches, and finishes. When every detail is neutral and understated, nothing has the chance to shine. It’s the tiny details that are often overlooked, but that you touch every day that should be rethought. Whether that’s an antique sconce, decorative cabinet pulls, or unique outlet plates.
Urban Outfitters
Maura Squiggle Shape Light Switch Cover
Designed to cover and elevate a standard rocker switch, this squiggly switch plate is sure to upgrade your boring white plastic covers. Cast from aluminum and painted by hand, each one is unique and may vary slightly from piece to piece.
Pottery Barn
Janus Iron Wall Candelabra
The candle sconce trend is doing the most this year, with a myriad of styles available to suit your space. This unique new drop from Pottery Barn has been made from solid iron with a bronze finish to house five taper candles.
MG & Co.
Ribbon Aged Brass Shelf Bracket
Designed by cult London brand Matilda Goad, these solid brass ribbon-shaped shelf brackets add intrigue to the most boring display. Use them in a bedroom, living room, or on open kitchen shelving for extra charm.
5. Sticking to One Style or Era
(Image credit: Sean Symington)
When every piece in a room comes from the same period, style, or showroom, the result can feel overly curated – and not in a good way. But, mixing decades and interior design styles to create unexpected style combinations is a designer trick that is hard to muster without guidance.
Designer Sean Symington explains that ‘when eras and styles are too perfectly matched, it is a surefire way to make a home look boring.’
‘Spaces feel far more interesting and personal when pieces from different periods are layered together, creating contrast, character, and a sense of evolution rather than a showroom finish,’ he continues.
When vintage and contemporary pieces coexist, they help to give a home the sense that it has grown over time rather than been completed all at once.
‘Homes with character tell a story,’ adds Jennifer. ‘And that story almost always includes pieces with patina, imperfections, or a sense of having lived another life. When every piece feels fresh off the showroom floor, the space can lack soul.’
‘The most interesting interiors feel collected, not completed,’ she adds.
Serena & Lily
Scallop Handwoven Wicker Chandelier
Designed for coastal spaces, this handsome (and handmade) woven wicker chandelier has been given a Serena & Lily signature look with a delicate scalloped edge. Suspended from a brass bracelet chain, it’ll also work in traditional or cottage homes, too.
CB2
Derrico 46″ Acacia Wood Coffee Table
With a rustic meets Mid-Century Modern look, this rounded coffee table by Caleb Zipperer features a pedestal base and bold proportions to help balance out more kitsch design pieces or eras with a rich grain and hue.
Anthropologie
Norris Camille Swivel Chair
Really lean into Grandma chic with the Norris swivel chair, seen here in a pretty yet bold traditional floral print that is perfect for romantic bedrooms, a cozy living room, or a home office that wants a little something special.
Ultimately, a home doesn’t become interesting by chasing trends or ticking off a checklist of “timeless” pieces. ‘A beautiful home doesn’t have to be bold or trendy, but it should feel personal,’ Jennifer adds. ‘When too many safe choices come together, a space can lose what makes it memorable.’
‘The homes that feel the most exciting aren’t the ones that avoid risk altogether,’ she continues. ‘They’re the ones that embrace texture, depth, and a little imperfection. That’s where the character lives and where a house truly starts to feel like home.’
Your home should reflect the people who live there, not a formula or design trend. When spaces move beyond the safe and predictable, they become memorable, meaningful, and full of character.
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