The Secrets Your Interior Designer Won't Tell You (But Should)
After countless years of transforming bland spaces into dream homes, here's what I wish every client knew from day one.
Image credit: Villa Styling
Last week, I walked into a client's living room and immediately knew we had a problem. Despite spending thousands on gorgeous furniture, the space felt cold, cramped, and completely unwelcoming. The culprit? They'd made the same mistakes I see in 90% of homes I visit.
Here's the thing about great interior design, it's not about having an unlimited budget or knowing which trendy paint colour to choose. It's about understanding a handful of fundamental principles that can transform any space, whether you're working with $500 or $50,000.
Lesson #1: Your Lighting is Probably Terrible (And That's Killing Your Vibe)
Walk into any magazine-worthy room and count the light sources. I guarantee you'll find at least three different types: ambient (your overhead fixtures), task (reading lamps, under-cabinet strips), and accent (candles, picture lights, that gorgeous table lamp that makes everyone look amazing).
Most people rely on one sad overhead light and wonder why their space feels like a dentist's office.
The fix: Add lamps. Lots of them. Table lamps, floor lamps, wall sconces. Mix warm and cool tones, play with heights, and always put lights on dimmers. Your Instagram photos will thank you.
Image credit: Villa Styling
Lesson #2: Size Matters More Than You Think
That tiny rug floating in the middle of your living room? It's making everything look smaller and disjointed. Your coffee table that's too low for your sofa? It's throwing off the entire room's proportions.
Here's my golden rule: Go bigger than feels comfortable, then go a little bigger still.
Rugs should fit under at least the front legs of all your furniture
Coffee tables should be about two-thirds the length of your sofa
Artwork should take up roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the wall space above a piece of furniture
Lesson #3: Your Walls Are Crying for Help
Beige walls don't make a room feel bigger, they make it feel boring. But here's what might surprise you: you don't need to paint everything fire engine red to add personality.
Try this instead: Paint your ceiling a soft, unexpected colour. Sage green, dusty pink, or even a rich navy can add incredible depth without overwhelming the space. Or consider an accent wall in a textured wallpaper that adds visual interest without commitment.
Colour psychology is real, people. Blues and greens calm us down, warm tones energise us, and deep, rich colours make spaces feel intimate and cosy. Use this to your advantage.
Image Credit: Sarah Yarrow | Nat Spada Photography
Lesson #4: Mix It Up (Your Grandmother's China Cabinet Doesn't Count)
The fastest way to make a room look like a furniture showroom? Buy everything from the same collection. Matching bedroom sets, anyone?
Real talk: The most beautiful rooms I've designed always include pieces from different eras, styles, and price points. That vintage brass mirror from the flea market looks incredible next to your modern white dresser. Your grandmother's antique chair becomes a statement piece when surrounded by contemporary furniture.
The key is finding a common thread. Maybe it's all warm wood tones, or everything has clean lines, or you're mixing metals in an intentional way. Harmony, not matching, is the goal.
Lesson #5: Function First, Pretty Second
I don't care how gorgeous that velvet ottoman is, if you have kids and a dog, white velvet isn't going to work. The most beautiful room in the world is useless if it doesn't serve your actual life.
Before you buy anything, ask yourself:
How do I actually use this space?
What activities happen here daily?
What are my biggest frustrations with this room?
Image Credit: McCabe Building | Nat Spada Photography
Lesson #6: Personality Can't Be Purchased
The most memorable rooms I've created aren't the ones with the most expensive furniture, they're the ones that tell a story. Your vintage concert posters, your kid's artwork, that weird sculpture you bought on vacation in Morocco, these personal touches are what make a house feel like home.
The secret: Curate, don't accumulate. Choose pieces that genuinely make you happy, not things you think you should have. And please, for the love of good design, lose the generic "Live, Laugh, Love" signs.
The Bottom Line
Great design isn't about perfection. It's about creating spaces that make you feel good. Trust your instincts, invest in quality lighting, and remember that your home should reflect who you are, not what you think will impress your neighbours.
Your space doesn't need to look like a magazine spread to be beautiful. It just needs to feel like you.