10 Renovation Mistakes You're Most Likely to Regret, According to Design Pros

Rushing Your Purchases

A successful renovation is all about playing the long game, and sometimes that means holding off on big purchases, despite sales or a holiday bonus burning a hole in your pocket. “One big mistake I’ve seen homeowners make when it comes to renovating their home is purchasing furniture without a design plan,” says Olivia Westbrooks of Olivia Westbrooks Interiors. “It’s so important to have a sense of proportion and a flushed-out design concept before making any big purchases. I’ve had clients buy pieces without a floor plan or a furniture layout drawn up, which can leave them with pieces that are too large or too small for their spaces.”

Not Swatching Your Paint Picks

As anyone who has ever tried to find the perfect white paint for their space before knows, not all shades are created equally. What looks great in a friend’s home or under the lights of your local hardware store can appear drastically different on your walls, which is why it's so important to swatch your paint picks in your home (preferably in multiple spots) before deciding on a shade. “People tend to think picking a paint color is easy, but it’s not as simple as people may think,” says Westbrooks. “There may be 50 different shades of black and they all have different undertones, which can also be impacted by the lighting in the room. Clients may want a true black, but if they pick a black with a green undertone, it will cast a green shade when the light hits the paint on the wall. It’s our job as interior designers to know the ins and outs of paint colors and how they will work in a space.”