My Home Decor Regrets: Mistakes to Avoid in Your Own Space
Decorating our homes can be a wild ride filled with ups, downs, and a few facepalm-worthy moments. Who doesn’t love a good laugh at their own expense? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all one for a good laugh, but not when THOUSANDS of dollars are involved in house remodeling and I’m left huddled in the fetal position with a tear stained pillow. As someone who has made their fair share of questionable home decor purchases, I am here to share some not so thrilling tales of my home decor regrets to hopefully help you avoid some along your design way.
Home Decor Regret #1 – My not so cheap $10,000 floors!
Ah, let me regale you with the tale of my $10,000 floors—a decision that left me questioning both my sanity and my bank account almost immediately. In a moment of sheer brilliance (or utter madness), I convinced myself that splurging on exquisite light wash vinyl plank flooring would transform my home into a aesthetic, insta-worthy, dream home. Oh, how wrong I was! Little did I know that those beautiful planks would have me on my hands and knees cleaning up every spot that seemed to be a blank canvas for dirt and grime to showcase its art. My inner Cinderella was not feeling so glamourous.
When the company we first choose to purchase through and lay them originally came out we were charged an extra three grand to “level” the floor with cement before they would even begin! The newbies we were we had no idea what the heck that even meant or why the price jump but we trusted them and said “ok.”
From there it all went smoothly, except they left with the baseboards un-cocked, the trim not aligned in some corners, and within a couple months some of the planks were moving away from the baseboards exposing the floor underneath 😱. After reaching out to the company for repairs several times with no call back and little assistance we decided to eat our loss.
Luxury Vinyl Planks are not as cheap and I’ve since learned not as waterproof as people think. Though it’s water resistant, it does NOT protect your subfloor from moisture. This has become noticeable in several spots in our home that have began to “buckle.” If your wanting a low VOC (yes, because it’s man made many LVP’s give off an off gas leaching VOCs especially spots that are exposed to the sunlight. It can mess with hormones and is definitely not environmentally friendly. Sure they have low VOC options but at almost $9-10 a sq ft, no thanks!
Lesson Learned:
ALWAYS make sure you choose a reputable company with a money back guarantee or warranty that lasts longer than a year! Do your research on what your buying. Ask yourself, is this environmentally friendly? What’s gonna give me the biggest ROI? How healthy is it for my family? You get it..I would have totally just spent the extra money to get engineered hardwood if so many people hadn’t talked us out of it. You don’t want to end up like me and literally put yourself in Cinderella’s shoes before prince charming saves her for the sack of good photos.
Home Decor Regret #2 – The “Oops, That Doesn’t Match Anything” Rug
Ah, trends, those sneaky little devils that manipulate you. I once fell head over heels for a moroccan, patterned shag rug that was all the rage. Little did I know, it clashed with my existing furniture so much that it looked like a rebellious teenager crashing a fancy dinner party. Also a shag rug in a high traffic living room is definitely not the ticket. Our living room is right near the back sliding doors that lead to the backyard, getting people to take off their shoes is nearly impossible while they come and in out. Shag rugs may look and feel heavenly under foot for a month or two but when trampled on daily with shoes/dirty feet they take a punch.
Lesson Learned:
Just because it’s trendy doesn’t mean it’s a match made in decor heaven. Know your space. Going with a low profile rug or an indoor outdoor rug if your living room is near a back door or high traffic area is easier for maintenance. Home decor regrets like these are easily avoidable if you prioritize function over design in these situations. Next time I’ll stick to timeless pieces that won’t make my guests question my sanity.
Home Decor Regret #3 – Trying to Cut Costs: The “Bargain That Bit Back” Baseboards
Ok now let’s talk about my not-so-fabulous journey into the world of cheap baseboards. One would think cutting corners and costs with baseboards would seem like the way to go in home remodeling as they really don’t get that much attention anyway, but let me tell you why that’s just not the case.
Picture this: I thought I had stumbled upon the deal of the century, a bargain basement price for baseboards that promised to transform my humble abode into a mansion fit for royalty. Little did I know that these “discount wonders” were more like flimsy cardboard imitations. It was like I had installed glorified popsicle sticks along the walls, ready to crumble at the slightest touch. Not only were they extremely thin, the fine detail lines like these one have make them particularly difficult to clean as dirt and grime continue to make their homes in the crevices, rent free. To add insult to injury, they’ve began warping in some areas faster than a melting ice cream cone on a scorching summer day.
Lesson Learned:
My advice to you: if your doing a home renovation, save yourself the agony and invest in sturdy baseboards that won’t leave your guests wondering if a toddler got loose with a glue gun. If your investing good money in your floors already don’t try to cut corners by going cheaper with your baseboards, think quality. Opt for a higher paint gloss finish like semi-gloss for easier cleanup. A general rule of thumb is the “7 percent rule.” Choose a baseboard that is at least 7 percent of the overall height of the room. e.g. 8ft ceiling would = roughly a 7″ high baseboard. Trust me, it’s worth every penny to avoid living in a modern art installation gone wrong.
Other baseboard ideas: Recessed Base Boards like THESE, or
#4 – The “I’m Blue Da Ba Dee Da Ba Di” Staircase
When we originally moved into our little fixer upper and decided to tackle some home renovations, my first reaction was to BURN the ugly gray (early 1990s) carpet that was in EVERY room. Matted in years of wear and tear the stairs stuck out worse than a guest wearing an all white dress at a wedding. Because the cost of the floors was already way over budget and the quote on the stairs alone was $4500 (something about too many corners and all that jazz) we decided we’d save costs once again and go with carpet.
Well, in a moment of confusion (or perhaps temporary color blindness), we brought home some sample carpets and placed them against the dark wall we wanted it to match to bring in some contrast. It originally looked almost black with hints of gray. The day they brought it out and began to lay it, I was IMMEDIATELY terrified. Yes, my friends, my eyes and that tiny carpet sample had deceived me and I transformed my staircase into a kaleidoscope of blue wonder. Every step I took felt like I was ascending to the land of Smurfs or descending into the depths of the deep Titanic ocean. (Could my heart go on?) Also dark carpet with kids?! Who was I even kidding.
After reaching out to the company immediately to let them know, “hey this does not look like the sample AT ALL!” The only remedy they could give was to pick out another carpet and pay $800 to cover the cost of labor. So two years later…I’m still swimming up those blue stairs everyday.
Lesson Learned:
When deciding on any carpet, double-check the samples and maybe invest in some color-coordination classes. Always look for warranties and satisfaction guarantees on ANY large purchases. A lot of companies are banking on the fact you’ll overlook this. Though it will be cheaper for you in the beginning it’s important to always have a backup plan. Unless you’re aiming for a whimsical journey with every step, avoid turning your stairs into a vibrant blue adventure. Trust me, your eyes will thank you.
Home decor regrets can be embarrassing, but they also make for some hilarious stories and valuable lessons. Remember, home design is a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns. By learning from my comical mistakes, you can avoid some of these costly catastrophes, and questionable choices.
