8 Interior Design Mistakes to Avoid in Your Home

Josie Fratantoni • October 23, 2024

Essential Tips To Prevent Common Interior Design Faux Pas

When it comes to luxury interior design, the details can make or break your space. Whether you’re remodeling or designing a home from scratch, there are common pitfalls that can detract from your ideal living environment. As a global luxury interior design firm, Fratantoni Interior Designers has seen it all. Here are the top 10 interior design mistakes to avoid for a truly elegant and functional home.

luxury interior design tips to avoid mistakes

1. Ignoring Scale and Proportion

Choosing furniture and decor that don't fit the scale of the room is one of the most common mistakes. For example, placing an oversized sectional in a small living room can make the space feel cramped, while small furnishings in a large room can make the space look empty and awkward. Always consider the size of the room and the items you’re incorporating.

Pro Tip: Use a mix of different-sized pieces to create a balanced look. Ensure your furniture fits comfortably within the space and allows for ease of movement. For this project, we used area rugs to map out different areas of this grand room that feel intentional and in proportion with the scale of the space.

2. Poor Lighting Choices

Lighting plays a crucial role in the atmosphere and functionality of a room. Using only one source of light, such as a central overhead fixture, can leave your space feeling flat and uninspired. Layered lighting that includes ambient, task, and accent lighting can significantly enhance your interior.

Pro Tip: Incorporate various light sources, such as floor lamps, wall sconces, and pendant lights, to create a well-lit and inviting atmosphere. This luxurious bedroom features recessed lighting, table lamps, a fireplace, and a floor lamp to create a relaxing ambiance.

3. Choosing Paint Colors Before Furniture

Many homeowners make the mistake of painting walls before selecting furniture and decor. It’s much easier to match paint to fabric than vice versa, so finalize your furnishings first. This ensures that your color palette is cohesive and complements the style of your furnishings.

Pro Tip: Take swatches of fabric, flooring, and upholstery to the paint store to find the perfect shade. Creating a mood board like this one is also a useful way to feel confident about your choice. Many online paint stores have apps you can use to upload photos of your space and play around with different colors and hues! Download the Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio® app by clicking here!

4. Pushing All the Furniture Against the Walls

While it may seem logical to push furniture against the walls to create more space, this arrangement can make a room feel disconnected and lacking in intimacy. Furniture positioned away from the walls encourages conversation and adds warmth.

Pro Tip: Try floating your furniture arrangements. For example, place seating in the middle of the room and use area rugs to define the space.

5. Ignoring Focal Points

A room without a focal point can feel chaotic and disorganized. A focal point anchors the design and draws the eye, whether it’s a fireplace, a piece of artwork, or a statement chandelier.

Tip: Choose one main feature and design the rest of the room to enhance or complement it. Make sure that the focal point fits with the room's overall style. Take for example the stunning ceiling in this luxurious master bedroom — show stopper!

Luxury master bedroom with a stunning ceiling focal point

6. Overloading on Trends

Trends come and go, and while it’s exciting to incorporate the latest styles, overloading on trendy items can date your home quickly. Instead, choose timeless pieces that won’t go out of style and use trends as accents.

Pro Tip: Dark moody cabinets that are all the rage in 2024 can easily be refinished, light fixtures swapped out, and open shelving replaced with classic cabinetry for a whole new look. This French-inspired country kitchen is the perfect blend of trendy and timeless!

luxury kitchen with black cabinets and wooden countertop

7. Not Testing Paint Colors in the Room

Paint colors can look vastly different depending on lighting conditions, existing colors, and the time of day. Selecting a color from a sample chip without testing it in the room can lead to disappointing results.

Pro Tip: Test paint colors on a small section of the wall in different lighting conditions to see how they appear. This ensures that the final result matches your expectations.

A woman is standing next to a stool holding a paint brush.

8. Overlooking Storage Solutions

A beautiful home that lacks adequate storage can quickly become disorganized and cluttered. Custom cabinetry, built-in shelving, and multifunctional furniture can provide elegant storage solutions that complement your interior design.

Pro Tip: Incorporate storage into your design plans from the beginning. Custom built-ins can be designed to match the aesthetic of your home while offering practical functionality. This kitchen has storage galore!

Custom kitchen cabinetry providing elegant storage solutions

Conclusion

Avoiding these common interior design mistakes can help create a more cohesive, elegant, and functional living space. Whether you’re designing a new home or updating your current space, consider these tips to elevate your interior style. At Fratantoni Interior Designers, we specialize in creating luxury interiors that are both timeless and uniquely tailored to each client.

Contact Fratantoni Interior Designers Today!

Ready to transform your home into a luxurious and elegant space? Contact Fratantoni Interior Designers to schedule a consultation. Our team offers worldwide services, bringing high-end interior design expertise to your doorstep.

For more home design inspiration follow us on Instagram!

[email protected]

(480) 621-7878

Photo Sources: Fratantoni Interior Designers & Pinterest

Contact Us

< Older Post

Newer Post >

How Luxury Interior Designers Coordinate With Architects and Builders

By Josie Fratantoni • February 6, 2026

Designing a luxury custom home requires more than selecting furnishings or choosing color palettes. True high end residential interiors are the result of close collaboration between interior designers, architects, and builders working toward a shared vision. When these disciplines operate in alignment from the earliest planning stages, the finished residence reflects cohesion, functionality, and long term livability rather than disconnected decisions made in isolation. For homeowners investing in a custom estate, understanding how a luxury interior designer coordinates with architects and builders provides clarity and confidence throughout the design journey. This collaborative process ensures that interior layouts, structural planning, and construction execution all support one another rather than compete for space or resources.

Working With a Nationwide Luxury Interior Design Firm From Concept to Completion

By Jessica Fratantoni • January 28, 2026

Designing the interiors of a custom luxury home is a deeply personal and highly detailed process. For homeowners building or renovating high end residences, choosing a nationwide luxury interior design firm provides both creative vision and logistical confidence. A firm that operates across state lines brings experience, structure, and the ability to manage complex projects while maintaining a consistent standard of excellence from the earliest design conversations through final installation. A nationwide luxury interior designer is not simply selecting furnishings or finishes. The role extends into space planning, material selection, custom millwork coordination, lighting design, furniture sourcing, and the overall lifestyle functionality of the residence. When executed properly, this process transforms a home into a cohesive environment that reflects the homeowner’s identity while supporting long term comfort and usability.

Luxury kitchen with arched brick ceiling and marble island

Why Interior Design Should Begin at the Architectural Planning Stage

By Josie Fratantoni • January 21, 2026

When most people think about interior design, they imagine furniture, finishes, and final styling. In reality, the most successful luxury interiors are shaped long before any of those decisions are made. For custom homes and high-end renovations, interior design should begin at the architectural planning stage , not after construction documents are complete. When interior designers are involved early, they help shape the very framework of how a home functions, feels, and lives for decades to come. This early collaboration is one of the most overlooked advantages in luxury home design, and one that discerning homeowners increasingly prioritize.

What Defines True Luxury Interior Design in 2026?

By Jessica Fratantoni • January 12, 2026

Luxury interior design in 2026 is no longer defined by excess, trend saturation, or price alone. Today’s most discerning homeowners are seeking something far more refined: intentional design, expert execution, and spaces that feel deeply personal while remaining timeless. As expectations rise, the definition of true luxury has evolved into a balance of craftsmanship, lifestyle alignment, and thoughtful restraint. Understanding what genuinely defines luxury interior design is essential for homeowners building or renovating custom homes, especially those investing at a high level. In 2026, luxury is not about what is added, but about what is curated, refined, and designed with purpose.

Luxurious kitchen with marble counters, gray velvet chairs, and a textured ceiling.