Unnecessary Decor Items that Interior Designers Advise Their Clients to Discard
Engaging an interior designer might seem daunting and expose your vulnerabilities. You might fear they'll urge you to discard everything you own, starting fresh. But this isn't typically the case. Designers often advocate for preserving distinctive and sentimental items, such as your grandmother's vintage hutch or your purchased statement mirror.
However, there are items designers frequently suggest removing, and they're usually those that don't fit the space, style, or functional requirements of the home's occupants.
"Designing a home from scratch is a luxury most of us can't afford," points out interior designer and HGTV star Shay Holland. "We often make hasty or trend-driven purchases to fill out our spaces, holding onto insignificant items to ward off emptiness, despite needing space to shape our creative vision."
If you're aiming to upgrade your home design and eliminate items that do not serve your space, here are the most common things designers advise their clients to dispose of:
Coordinated Furniture Sets
Although a coordinated sofa, sectional, and loveseat set might be a good deal, it doesn't guarantee it's the ideal aesthetic choice, Holland explains. "Homes exude a cold, sterile feeling with matchy-matchy furniture sets obtained straight from the showroom," she states. "You want your home to mirror your personality—not the retailer's—so replace the uniform sofa, loveseat, and chairs with mixed pieces that create visual interest and character."
Mass-Produced Decor and Artwork
Mass-produced decor and artwork lack originality and fail to enhance your home, according to Holland. "Even with pets and unruly children, mass-produced, inexpensively made decor is not suitable for your home—and the environment," she explains. "Donate, discard, or give away as many generic, plastic, and MDF items as possible."
Builder-Grade Selections
Designers dislike builder-grade selections the most. If you're unfamiliar with this term, builder-grade generally refers to the finishes found in most homes and condos, such as basic cabinetry hardware and laminate countertops. Builders often purchase these items in bulk to lower costs. However, this is far from a creative choice.
"Nothing transforms a home more than getting rid of builder-grade selections," Holland advises. "Upgrade your space from ordinary to exceptional with easy DIYs, such as updating cabinet hardware, replacing switch plates and outlet covers, adding window treatments, and repainting walls, without making major structural changes. Even renters can profit from simple, reversible cosmetic improvements."
High-Maintenance Pieces
While you may appreciate a delicate chair or a sofa made from a material that won't withstand your children's rough play, they are often more trouble than they're worth. "We're often swayed by trends and luxury options that are impractical to maintain, like mirrored or reflective pieces popular during the Art Deco trend, for instance," Holland notes.
These items need too much care. "Unless you're committed to continuous dusting and wiping off smudges, these surfaces aren't worth the hassle," she goes on. "Considerations like high-pile carpet in a beach home or a square-edged glass coffee table in a house with young children are impractical. Evaluate how you wish to invest your time and discard anything that doesn't align with your vision or lifestyle."
Poor Window Treatment Choices
Ashley Macuga of Collected Interiors says that one of the most common items she recommends removing from her clients' homes are shutters. "I know you invested a fortune in installing them during the early 2000s, but they obstruct natural light and hide the aesthetics of interior windows," she notes. "It's amazing how different a room appears when they are eliminated."
Upon removing the shutters, Macuga prefers to incorporate pattern and texture using Roman shades or drapes.
Lindsie Davis of Blueberry Jones Design tells clients to eliminate poor window treatments frequently. "Skimpy panels, inappropriate lengths, or misplaced hardware do not just affect your windows—they negatively influence your entire space's proportions," she says. "Regard drapery as the frame for both your room and the view beyond; when executed correctly, it elevates. When executed poorly, it's the first thing noticed."
Deflated Throw Pillows
While you may love your throw pillows, they have a limited lifespan. "Those flat, flattened cushions are not doing your sofa any favors," Davis says. "When in question, it's likely time for an upgrade—whether that's with new covers, down-filled inserts, or both. Even this simple update can completely change the atmosphere of a living space."
Tattered items aren't doing your living space any favors, as per Carly Filbin from Blue Jay Interiors. "This category encompasses sofas that your cat has transformed into a clawing toy, tables that your dog has utilized as chew toys, and even your grandmother's couch that you find yourself avoiding," she mentions. "If something is beyond repair or simply uncomfortable, it's no longer serving its purpose. It's high time to swap it out for something that brings you joy and gets regular use."
Size Matters
Size is a significant factor in creating a charming and cozy home. This principle extends to not only furniture but also decorative pieces. "We advise getting rid of any objects that lead to a congested area," Filbin suggests. "Cramped spaces hinder viewers from locating a spot for their gaze to rest. This usually happens when every inch of a wall is adorned or when trinkets are scattered haphazardly. Instead, we recommend carefully and thoughtfully grouping items together," explains Filbin.
The same principle applies to fixtures like lighting. "If the fixtures are either excessively large or too small, they will draw unwanted attention for all the wrong reasons," Filbin concludes.
If you're looking to follow RealSimple's advice on home decorating, they suggest avoiding coordinated furniture sets as they often create a cold, sterile feeling. Instead, opt for mixed pieces to add visual interest and character to your home.
Another item designers suggest disposing of is builder-grade selections, such as basic cabinetry hardware and laminate countertops. Upgrading these areas can significantly transform your home, making it feel more personalized and exceptional.
