A home doesn’t really become YOUR home until all the bits and bobs that’s uniquely yours are added – it might be that cute tile set that you found on sale or that adorable coffee table from the flea market. However, you may want to be careful about willy nilly cramming everything you want into your home – you might regret them later.

Here are 12 furnishing and finish ideas that you could end up regretting, if not hating, in the near future.

Painting before matching

You got the ultimate paint colour… so why does it look like spew on the wall? Often what looks good at the showroom could end up looking bleh at home. Fixing thing is easy: bring home paint swatches. Then you can see if your chosen colours match the room and everything else in it.

Custom tile designs

Before you add those super cute and in-vogue custom tiles, consider this: tiles are very VERY permanent additions to the home. Go for timeless instead of trendy. You’ll be glad you did in the years to come.

Exposed open shelving

Sure, ye ol’ farmhouse looks and works great. All your stuff up on display and easily to grab – no pesky doors in the way. But you know what else those doors do? Keep out dust. Unless you like dusting every single bit of kitchenware, stick with cabinets.

Too many built-ins

The best thing about built-ins: they streamline and save space like nobody’s business. The problem: they’re fixed in place. Keep them to a minimum so that you can accommodate a growing family or in-laws moving in… or both.

Sliding door seepage

Great for saving space. Not so great at sealing smells out… especially if it leads to the toilet. Stick with the good ol’ swing door if you can help it. Your sniffer will thank you.

Starved for storage

Guess what happens when you run out of places to store stuff. They spill out into the rest of the house. Piles and piles of stuff. Everywhere. Cram as many drawers into your home for easy access, and shelves for the bulky and heavy stuff.

Cabinet-less shoes

Not the first thing you look at but you’ll definitely notice it’s absence. Without one, you’ll have two undesirable choices left; leave footwear outside at the mercy of shoe-nappers, or inside where you’ll be at the mercy of their smells.

High-maintenance materials

Nice things look nice (duh)… until you forget to look after them. High-maintenance materials take work to keep them looking great. Things like high-gloss surfaces, tiny tiles, white cabinets, wood, and leather. Go with the easy-to-clean to avoid going insane later on.

Day AND night curtains

Sunlight. Some light. Or no light. Having both day and night curtains is the way to go if you like options for natural light. However, there is a little compromise – space, and a big compromise – double the maintenance work keeping them clean. For a home where space is a premium, decide what you really need instead of forcing it.

Over- or under-sized furniture

“That couch is going for how much?! Get it!” 

Now hold on. Will it fit the physical space AND design of your room? Many hasty homeowners have bought furniture that have no business in their new homes. If you really need to get the best value for your buck, pre-measure your room for furniture

Obsolete tech cabinet

Tech changes so quickly it’s pointless to invest specific spaces for gadgets. Choose those that can serve multiple purposes.

Mind the small things

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Your little eccentricities, lack of self-control, or poor planning, may leave you with a home that… well… could have been better. Forever. Think everything through, make use of lots of references, and don’t rush anything. 

Posted on 22nd of September 2023

Written by Kenny

SIXiDES Editorial Team