You bought expensive wallpaper, invested in a marble countertop, but your guests still look askance at the interior?
The problem is not the budget, but the details that imperceptibly turn the space into something like a cheap showroom.
Architectural Digest magazine conducted an experiment: 8 out of 10 designers recognized the “budget effect” in interiors with five typical mistakes. The third of them, according to a Houzz survey, is made by 93% of people.
"Too many accents is a disaster," designer Kelly Wearstler told Elle Decor .
A wall with contrasting shelves, a patterned rug, and bright paintings creates visual noise. The brain perceives it as chaos, even if every detail is expensive.
A study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology confirms that monochromatic spaces with one dominant accent feel 40% more stylish.
Mistake #3 that almost everyone makes? Hidden wires. “A router on the floor, chargers on the couch — it’s like a pimple on the face of the interior,” writes Reddit user RenovationGuru.
Designer Bobby Berk advises on Queer Eye : "Wires should be invisible. Buy boxes or hide them in the walls." Real Simple magazine called this step a "tune-up" for any renovation.
Another mistake is “dead” corners. An empty wall near the TV or a bare corner between cabinets visually “devalue” the space.
"A plant, a floor lamp, or even open shelving instantly adds layering," explains architect Michael Sorkin in The Spruce .
Houzz forum members note that such details increase the “feeling of expensiveness” by 65%.
The final touch that ruins everything? Universal white light.
"Cold lamps in the living room create a hospital-hall feel," warns lighting designer Linda Allen in House Beautiful .
Warm light (2700–3000 K) adds coziness, and spot lighting highlights areas.
Perhaps your renovation is already one step away from perfection. Correct these mistakes - and the interior will sparkle in a new way.
