To turn a house into a welcoming home, you need to decorate it with pretty decors, pictures and colours. And for that you do not necessarily require spending a fortune. But for that you need to be specific as some decor can unknowingly make your space look cluttered, bulky or worse, cheap. There are interior designers and style experts who believe that it’s not the price but how things look together that matters most. On this note, let’s have a look at 10 common decor items that make your home look cheap.
Plastic Plants
Well, no offense but plastic plants are among the most frequent decor mistakes. People often put low-quality fake plants thinking that it will elevate the houses’ aesthetic but instead it ends up giving it a cheap look. Plastic collects dust easily and lacks the beauty that real plants have.
You can instead go for real indoor plants like snake plants, or peace lilies.
Massy Wall Art
Your living room tells a lot about you and your space. Avoid buying posters with generic quotes (e.g., “Live, Laugh, Love”), or tiny art pieces which are scattered randomly without making any sense. You can hang larger pieces at eye level or create a wall gallery.
You can also display meaningful photos and vintage finds.
Mismatched Hardware
Stop buying drawer handles or cabinet pulls which might look small details — but have a huge impact when it comes to visual effect. Mismatched hardware looks cheap and distorts your interiors.
Choose hardware with matte black, brushed nickel, or antique brass finishes.
Curtains that are short or too low
Take your curtains seriously. The window treatments are an extremely common but underrated decor mistake. Curtains that end several inches above the floor or are hung just above the window frame make ceilings look lower and rooms feel cheap and small.
A quick fix would be hanging curtain rods 4–6 inches above the frame and choosing panels that just “touch” the floor.
Too much matching furniture sets
Matching sets are nice but when it’s too much, it looks cheap! It’s like your sofa, chairs and cabinets, all came out of one box. Industry experts now consider them a sign of a catalog home rather than a home with personal touch. Touche!
Keep mixing styles and pair a modern sofa with a vintage coffee table. Try new things, give it your personal touch.
Cluttered bookshelves
Never stock your bookshelf with random items like hundreds of souvenirs and cheap items. These look cheap and untidy. It is like a visual war happening on your bookshelf. Go for a “less is more” approach and keep it organised.
Fake Finishes
This means vinyl plank floors that scream of fakeness, glossy furniture (fake, fake, fake), plastic picture frames, all fakes. Inexpensive imitations are a strict no, no.
Go for real stone and solid wood instead of cheap and fakes.
Exposed electrical cords and visible wires
Exposed electrical cords and visible wires make your house look messy. Visible cables from TVs, or telephones lower the quality of the house. Even beautiful furniture and decor lose impact if cords are everywhere!
Use cord covers and organize cables behind furniture. Tidy tech screams beauty.
Massive rugs
Experts say that scale matters more than style. A massive rug covering half of the floor and awkwardly in the center of a room makes the whole space feel unbalanced.
Your rug should elevate the look and make it look cheaper. Wall art should be proportionate to wall space.
Overuse of trendy decor
Some trends are not meant to be followed! Trends like barn door accents, or overly themed rooms (e.g., “jungle everywhere”) can quickly date your house giving it a cheap look.
Choose timeless basics and go for neutral paint to accentuate your house.
