We have all done it. You see a gorgeous sofa online, the price looks right, the photo makes your heart skip, and two clicks later it is on the truck, headed for your living room. Then the truck arrives, and the sofa does not fit through the door, or worse, it fits the door but not the room. If you are wincing, you are in good company. Design is a craft, and every craft has a learning curve. The good news is you can borrow my lessons and skip the tuition.

Below are common interior design mistakes I see again and again, plus simple ways to fix them. Use these as guardrails, not handcuffs. The goal is a home that functions beautifully and feels like you.

Mistake 1: Buying furniture that does not fit the room

Why it happens: Shopping without a plan. Rooms are getting smaller, furniture is getting bigger, and stores are designed to make everything look perfect.

How to fix it

• Measure the room and draw a quick plan. Note windows, doors, traffic paths, and outlets.

• Target clear walking paths. Aim for about 36 inches on main routes and 18 to 24 inches around seating.

• Right size the sofa. As a starting point, choose a sofa that is about two thirds the length of the wall it sits on or near. Float it on a rug that lets the front legs sit on the rug.

• Check the door and stair measurements before you order. Note the height, width, turns, and railings.

Pro move: Mock up with painter’s tape or cardboard on the floor. Ten minutes of tape now saves thousands later.

Mistake 2: No sense of entrance

Why it happens: The first step into a room is an afterthought. Furniture faces away from the doorway or blocks the path, and guests feel awkward before they sit down.

How to fix it

• Create an arrival moment. Give the eye something pleasant to land on as you enter, like a console with art or a window view.

• Protect the path. Keep the first 36 inches inside the doorway clear.

• Turn seating toward the entrance or at least neutral to it. A tiny swivel chair near the entry can be a friendly signal that says come on in.

• Use a rug to show the route. The long side of a runner or area rug can guide people where to walk.

Mistake 3: Buying matching furniture sets

I understand the budget temptation. Four pieces for one price is efficient. It also flattens the personality of a room. These matching sets are everywhere: BEWARE! Two matching pieces are more than enough then throw in some variety.

How to fix it

• Mix shapes and finishes. If the bed has curves, choose nightstands with straighter lines.

• Repeat a color or material, not an entire set. For example, echo the wood tone of the bed on a picture frame and lamp base, not on every large piece.

• Use symmetry with variety. Matching lamps can be lovely, but pair them with different books, trays, or art.

Mistake 4: Lining every piece of furniture against the walls

Pushing everything out to the walls leaves a cold donut in the middle of the room. Conversation suffers, and the room feels like a waiting area.

How to fix it

• Float the seating. Pull the sofa or chairs in and anchor them on a rug.

• Build conversation zones. Two chairs, a side table, and a floor lamp can create a cozy corner even in a large space.

• Let the walls breathe. Save wall space for storage, art, and drapery rather than every single seat.

Mistake 5: Taking symmetry too far

Balanced is calming. Identical everything is lifeless. When every lamp, vase, chair, and candlestick mirrors its twin, the room starts to feel staged rather than lived in.

How to fix it

• Aim for balance, not mirrors. If you repeat a lamp on both sides, vary the books, frames, or greenery beneath.

• Use odd numbers when you style. Groups of three feel natural.

• In large rooms, you can use more pairs, but make sure not every pair sits directly across from its twin.

Also a warning in the other direction. If nothing relates to anything else, the room can feel like a garage sale on a windy day. Repeat colors and materials on purpose so the eye can rest.

Mistake 6: Disproportionate or misplaced lighting

Lighting is where many rooms drift off course. Too small, too big, too high, too low, or all overhead with no task or accent light.

How to fix it

• Layer it. Every room needs ambient light, task light, and accent light. A ceiling light alone is not enough.

• Dining chandelier height. About 30 to 36 inches above the table for an eight foot ceiling. Add a few inches for each additional foot of ceiling height.

• Dining chandelier size. A quick rule is to add the length and width of the room in feet, then use that number in inches for the chandelier diameter. A ten by fourteen room suggests about 24 inches in diameter. Another guide is one half to two thirds the width of the table.

• Pendants over islands. Usually 30 to 36 inches above the countertop. Space them so the edges are about two to three hand widths apart, often 24 to 30 inches between.

• Sconces. In living spaces, the center is commonly around 60 to 66 inches from the floor. In bathrooms, consider about 65 to 70 inches to center, and keep them near face level for even light.

And yes, friends do not let friends buy the classic boob light. There are better options at every price point.

Beautifully captured:

Mistake 7: Art and mirrors that are the wrong size or hung too high

Tiny art on a large wall looks nervous. Giant mirrors that reflect a ceiling vent are not doing you any favors.

How to fix it

• Height. Center most art between 57 and 60 inches from the floor. Lower if most viewers are seated.

• Over a sofa. The bottom edge should sit about 6 to 10 inches above the back of the sofa, and the art width should be roughly two thirds the sofa width.

• Mirrors with a purpose. Hang a mirror where it reflects something worth seeing, like a window, a pendant, or a pretty vignette.

• When in doubt, scale up or group. A gallery wall of medium pieces can beat one tiny frame trying to hold a ten foot wall by itself.

Mistake 8: Assuming the ceiling must be white

White can be perfect, but always white is a missed opportunity. Ceilings are a fifth wall and can quietly support the whole palette.

How to fix it

• In small rooms or low ceilings, use the wall color lightened for the ceiling or a soft tint of the palette to blur the boundary and lift the space.

• In a formal dining room or study, a deeper ceiling can be rich and enveloping, especially with crown to frame it.

• In airy kitchens or porches, a pale blue or gray green can be fresh and classic.

• If your trim is a crisp white, test ceiling options with large samples so undertones agree.

Mistake 9: Random accent walls

Accent walls should solve a design need, not simply shout look at me. When they lack a reason, they read like a surprise exclamation point.

When they make sense

• A natural focal point, such as a fireplace wall, a headboard wall, or a built in niche.

• The short end of a long room to visually balance the proportions.

• Behind a TV to make the black rectangle recede.

• Architectural texture, like paneling or applied molding, where the detail deserves a gentle highlight.

If you are forcing it, skip it and use art, lighting, or texture to create interest instead.

Mistake 10: Choosing paint first

Paint is powerful, flexible, and available in thousands of colors. That is exactly why it should follow the hard choices.

How to fix it

• Decide the big players first. Flooring, tile, countertops, major upholstery, rugs, drapery.

• Build a foundation palette from those items, then pull paint that supports and quiets the room.

• Test large samples in morning, noon, and evening light. If you want a deep dive on paint pitfalls, see my post on avoiding costly paint mistakes .

Quick reference guide

• Main traffic path: about 36 inches

• Space around seating: 18 to 24 inches

• Coffee table distance from sofa: about 14 to 18 inches

• Rug sizing: in a living room, at least the front legs of all seating on the rug, common sizes are 8 by 10 or 9 by 12

• Curtain height: hang high and wide to lift the room and widen the window

Final thoughts

Everyone makes design mistakes. The goal is to make them on paper, not in your living room. A simple plan, a tape measure, and a second set of trained eyes will save you money and stress, and help you love your home longer.

Ready for help

If you are stuck choosing sofa sizes, laying out a tricky room, or narrowing lighting and paint, I would love to help. I offer local in person consultations in Cabarrus, Rowan, Mecklenburg, and Iredell counties, and virtual e design and color consulting anywhere.

Email me at cindy@beeceeandcompany.com with a quick description of your space and your timeline, or use the contact form on my website. Tell me which mistake worries you most, and I will reply with next steps and a simple plan to move you forward. A one hour consultation can prevent a four figure do over. Let’s make your home work beautifully for the way you live. www.beeceeandcompany.com