Furnishing a home without a design? It could cost you dearly!

Furnishing a home without a design is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when setting up a home.

That is because the result may not be what you desired, aesthetically and, more importantly, functionally!

And this could cost you dearly, financially, but mainly in terms of well-being!

Let’s go through together the most common mistakes made when not planning.

– LACKING A BIG PICTURE VISION

By “big picture vision,” I don’t mean knowing precisely which elements you want to have, but rather the mood you want to create in the house.

It’s essential to start gathering some images that inspire you about environments!

You can create a folder on Pinterest or your computer.

Once you’ve collected them, use programs like PowerPoint or Canva to see them all together and see what you like or don’t.

What do the various images have in common? It could be the color palette or the style.

If the feelings you experience when looking at those images are what you want to feel in your home, then you’ve found your general idea and can delve deeper into the details!

The big-picture vision is also helpful for the future.

In fact, for a thousand reasons, you might decide not to buy everything at once, but with this big-picture vision, you’ll always stay focused on the “goal”!

Starting from this perspective, as you find the items you would like to purchase, you will create a specific mood board, placing those items close together to see whether or not they meet the initial vision.

(credits: viverelostile; Knoll)

– NOT TAKING MEASUREMENTS.

I’m sure you’ll take the room’s main measurements, like the length, width, and height.

And you’ll also measure the encumbrances of doors and windows or any architectural elements. However, what is not always considered is how to relate the elements to each other afterward. Let me explain better: it happens that if a three-meter sofa fits on paper, one might not think about how well it will work once other furniture is added!

I say this from personal experience: in my first home, I bought two sofas, one three-seater and one two-seater.

On paper, I could have placed them in an L-shape, but in reality, the space became cramped and poorly usable.

I resolved it by placing them facing each other, but if I had taken better measurements, maybe instead of one of the sofas, I could have gotten armchairs!

It might have even cost me less, but more importantly, I would have created the conversation area as I wanted and wouldn’t have been forced to put the TV in the corner!

The space would have felt lighter and definitely more usable.

It’s also paramount to see where the outlets are to avoid covering any of them!

There are other vital measurements to consider as well, which I’ve discussed here.

How can you ensure buying proportionate elements and maintaining good use of space?

Obviously, there are design programs like SketchUp or Homestyler, but it could become lengthy and complicated if you’re not skilled with them.

As mentioned other times, the best, simplest, and cheapest way is to draw the dimensions with paper tape!

You’ll immediately see if you can move comfortably between the various elements!

(credits: optimaproperties.com; thesunnysideupblog.com)

– MAKING IMPULSIVE PURCHASES

It happens to see a piece of furniture or an accessory in a store, fall in love with it, and, on impulse, buy it.

Then, you bring it home only to discover that it doesn’t fit with the rest or doesn’t fit because it’s too big.

That can happen if you skip the two previous points!

But once you’ve bought it, what do you do? You can’t always return things!

When you see something you like, look at your mood board and see if it fits well with the rest.

If something doesn’t quite match, ask yourself what it is: the shape or the color?

Then look if there’s something similar that actually makes sense with the rest.

After doing this, don’t forget to check the measurements: think about where you’d like to place it and see not just if it fits but if it risks suffocating the space or, conversely, getting “lost”!

(credits: camillestyles.com; leclairdecor.com)

– BUYING IN HASTE

The urge to have everything immediately is a bad advisor.

You risk buying something because it’s “necessary,” like a sofa, but in the end, it’s not the right one for a thousand reasons.

Don’t buy something just because you need it without being absolutely convinced and without checking, as mentioned earlier, that it aligns with your vision!

Once you’ve made the purchase, especially if it’s significant, you won’t change things immediately, and you’ll end up with a home that doesn’t fully represent you.

I know you can’t wait to have the house of your dreams, but take your time to make conscious purchases that are functional and represent you.

Only then will the house truly support you!

(credits: at_lucys_house; westwing.fr)

– BUYING EVERYTHING BEFORE LIVING IN THE HOUSE

That ties back to the previous point of wanting to have everything immediately!

Apart from the risk, as mentioned earlier, of buying things that don’t fully represent you, it could lead you to buy “unnecessary” or less functional items!

There’s nothing like living in the house to understand what you REALLY need absolutely!

While a bed and kitchen are essential, paradoxically, the rest can be acquired even after you’ve moved in!

It might sound extreme in the opposite sense now, but the reasoning should be: what can I absolutely not do without?

Start from there, looking for items that align with your mood board and the measurements of the house.

Then, enter the home, live in it, and furnish it by truly tailoring it to you!!

(credits: urbanoutfitters.com; obsessed4interiors)

I hope this article has been helpful and enjoyable for you. If so, let me know in the comments!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested, I would be honored, and it will help me gain more exposure.

If you feel that your home, or any specific area of it, doesn’t reflect your personality enough, don’t wait any longer and book your consultancy!

This post is also available in: Italian