If you’ve ever felt like designing your home was a sequence of trials and errors, you’re not alone. Light carpet in the living room? A white sofa with kids and pets? To really understand, some lessons have to be learned. Most of the time, design regrets are related to form versus functionality.
Even interior designers, with their trained eyes and vast experience, make design decisions in their homes that they ultimately regret. According to interior designer andy weirEach ‘regret’ can be considered a valuable lesson learned.
“It’s an honest look at lifestyle and endurance…weighing the aesthetic benefits against the disadvantages of maintenance associated with it,” he says. “Stay!”
Are you interested in seeing what the pros would do differently? We spoke to three interior designers to find out what they regret doing in their homes. Here’s what he had to say.
meet the expert
- andy weir Rockledge is the principal designer and co-owner of Design + Architecture, a full-service interior design and architecture firm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Noored Saeed is the owner and creative director of New Interiors, a full-service interior design and remodeling firm serving California and New Jersey.
- Julia Newman Julia is the founder and principal designer of Adele Design, a full-service interior design firm based in Los Angeles, California.
open cabinets in kitchen
Tony Anderson/Getty Images
open shelving has been one of the most enduring and controversial kitchen trends of the last few years. Although it looks beautiful and photographs well, in reality, open shelves in the kitchen often require more maintenance than homeowners expect.
“When I advise my clients about open shelving in the kitchen, I often tell them that I have some open shelving in my kitchen and that glassware gets dusty and needs to be washed regularly, ” says Nured Saeed of New Interiors. “So unless the items on the shelves are used every day, be mindful of the dust and cleanup involved with open shelving,”
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black grout in shower
Rockledge Design + Architecture
Interior designer Andy Weir and her husband and business partner, Patrick (the creative duo behind Pittsburgh-based Rockledge Design + Architecture), recently renovated their en suite bathroom. After living in the new place for a few months, Weir admitted that he had some minor regrets.
is the first black grout in showerWhile she says it was the right choice aesthetically, and both she and her husband love how it looks, the maintenance and upkeep has been more than she expected.
“Its Very It takes work to keep it clean and deal with the bloating,” he says. “The scrubbing keeps me from going to the gym.”
Waxed limewash walls in bathroom
Rockledge Design + Architecture
Weir has another bathroom regret lime washing the wallsShe and her husband applied two coats of wax sealer to keep the limewash intact in the bathroom’s humid environment.
Although necessary to protect the walls from moisture, the wax finish introduced an unexpected downside once I started using the bathroom regularly.
“If we don’t remember to close the toilet lid every time we flush, eventually some of the tiny droplets get deposited on the adjacent wall,” he says. What a flushing toilet adds to the ambiance of your bathroom . At least you don’t see this with regular paint or tile… although it may also much worse,
Ultimately, they still love the look of the walls, and we have to agree. Apart from a little fuss, they’re learning the waxed limewash walls in the bathroom as a design lesson.
fluted accent wall in bedroom
Rockledge Design + Architecture
Weir admits that he has one more regret related to the cleanup: fluted accent wall Installed in guest bedroom. Visually, the wall is stunning, creating a strong focal point in the space and beautifully setting off the arched built-in bookshelf-slash-side table.
However, dusting an accent wall is more labor intensive than anticipated. Unfortunately, the bedroom happens to be one of the dustiest rooms in the house, which means this chore is a regular on its list.
backyard wall
Rockledge Design + Architecture
plant walls This has become a huge trend, offering a great way to really add some life to any dull interior or exterior wall. However, the design and setup of the wall can make or break its ultimate appeal and functionality in the long run.
This backyard living wall is one of Weir’s biggest regrets in his recently renovated backyard space. While it’s a beautiful backdrop for outdoor dining and perfect for Instagram selfies, Weir says the cost and daily maintenance required to keep it green is more than he expected.
“The major downside is that hundreds of small saplings are planted each spring ($$$) then diligently watered All The summer is long so the flowers don’t ripen immediately in the sun,” says Weir. ”This requires using a long garden hose with an extension wand and slowly watering plant by plant. If the stream is too strong, it washes all the dirt out of the pockets and/or damages delicate plants. Still looking forward to this daily water ritual that feels zen and doesn’t seem like a big chore!”
large leather sofa
Carlina Teteris/Getty Images
Ultimately, Julia Newman, founder and lead designer of Julia Adele Design, says that a big purchase leather sofa At the top of the list of design regrets in your home.
“It was expensive and not functional,” she says. The leather is hot and sticky in the summer and freezes in the winter.
If you want to add texture and character to your space, instead of purchasing leather for your primary seating area, consider using it as an accent chair or ottoman. Then, choose something more comfortable and functional for your larger sofa. Efficiency first!
