12 Ways to Make Your Home Look Cheap—and What to Do Instead

Hi Everyone,

No one has ever asked me.

 

Laurel, why does my home look cheap?

 

It’s not that I expect them to. No, not at all. However, a lot of us choose certain elements that do nothing but make a home look tired, dated, unsophisticated, and well… yes, cheap.

I am not going to include things like matchy-matchy furniture sets, signs reminding one to EAT, PRAY, LOVE, having too many pairs, and a lot of other decorating faux pas we all know.

If you somehow missed 21 Common and Hideous Decorating Mistakes, please read it here.

 

21 Common and Hideous Interior Design Mistakes

 

Now, many of you will know some or all of what’s on my list of ways to make your home look cheap. However, some of these might be elements you never considered.  These are not in any particular order.

One thing to consider is this. There is nothing I love more than a great bargain: items one finds at a tag or estate sale, or inherited furnishings.

In fact, I have devoted numerous posts in the last 14+ years to “getting the look” for less. AKA, the ever-popular cheap series.

What I’m trying to say is that Inexpensive doesn’t always = Cheap. No, not at all. In fact, expensive items can easily make a room look cheap.

 

Time to Look at 12 Ways to Make Your Home Look Cheap.

 

You already know that too many pairs are not a good idea. And also matched sets, and everything the same brown tone.

 

1. Well, our first way to make your home look cheap is using too many singles.

 

And especially when most of it looks like it came from a consignment shop or flea market.

 

Let’s call this “Yardsale Chic.”

 

Although some people might like this. In fact, there’s a peculiar charm to actually not giving a shit, and just using what you:

 

• have (from two blended marriages)
• were given
• found on the curb
• inherited with the house.

 

However, some of the items above are quite expensive. Bunny Williams’ table lamp, when new, sells for about $1,200!

 

2. Cheap, shiny polyester fabric.

 

This one should be obvious, but I can’t tell you the number of new clients’ homes I’ve walked into where the owners had inherited a tacky, shiny, swaggy abomination on the window.

Awful fabric and tacky window treatment.

Another cheapening element with fabric is using a low-quality, poorly rendered (clashing or garish) print that comes across as tacky or ditzy.

There’s a glut of this in the marketplace.

 

There are also cheap fabrics that look expensive. (Note: this is an old post, but it’ll give you a good idea.)

 

3. Wall-to-wall carpeting in the living areas.*(With some exceptions).

 

Above, this isn’t one of the exceptions- and pinky-beige, no less.

 

Okay, before you get your knickers in a twist, hear me out.

 

Please, none of the likes of the above cut pile in living rooms, dining rooms, family rooms, kitchens, and yikes, bathrooms!

Yes, I have seen wall-to-wall carpeting in bathrooms. However, as I recall, there was a sign on the door that said, No men or children. ;]

This prohibition against wall-to-wall carpeting doesn’t include bedrooms and small offices, where it can be perfectly fine.

 

Now, I know that some of you will object vehemently to this. However, let me ask the naysayers this:

 

If you open up any top shelter magazine such as House Beautiful, Elle Decor, or Architectural Digest in the past 30+ years, have you ever seen a living room with cut pile nylon wall-to-wall carpeting?

No, you have not.

 

*Let’s get to the exceptions because I see some frothing at the mouth. ;]

 

 

You can use the following materials for wall-to-wall installations almost anywhere. (No kitchens or bathrooms.)

 

• seagrass
• sisal
• jute
• apple matting (above)
• Or, in some areas, a well-made nylon woven to look like a natural-fiber rug.

 

However, I used to do this mainly in basements and once or twice in a family room.

 

Another beautiful product that I won’t object to wall-to-wall is a tightly woven flat-weave carpet that’s made of wool and is more like a thick woven blanket.

 

 

I’m talking about the likes of the Master Series by Elizabeth Eakins.

However, you will need deep pockets. This stuff is mega-expensive!

Please check out their gorgeous Insta account. 

 

Laurel, what if there’s no finished floor underneath? 

 

Well, then… I recommend that you move.

No, just kidding. But that is another post.

 

4. Arranging items on square or rectangular tables on an angle.

 

Cleaning services often do this. They want you to know they cleaned, so they move items around. However, when they put things back on an angle—I mean, EVERYTHING on the coffee table—it drives me nuts until it all goes back to being squared off.

Why does this make your home look cheap?

It goes against the geometry of the square or rectangular table.

Please know that I’m not talking about the odd book left open. And, of course, I’m not talking about anything with an irregular shape.

 

What about round tables, Laurel?

 

Well, obvs within the table itself, squaring off is not possible. However, if the table is in front of a sofa, I would orient objects perpendicular or parallel with the sofa.

 

5. The wrong artwork can definitely make your home look cheap:

• Too small, ditsy, cheap, or cutesy.  Well, actually, anything that’s too small, ditsy, cheap, or cutesy.

 

• Boring, bad, bland art. Anything would be better than this. (Plus, could that wall be any uglier?)

 

There are so many gorgeous prints and downloadable prints available.

 

What on earth? The above “art” is a trip to the ER waiting to happen.

 

Below is art that’s too small for the wall.

 

Please save the above graphic on Pinterest.

 

Please do not hang art in this fashion above and below. Both will cheapen your home.

 

I know many people do this, but it can make whatever you have hanging there look less valuable. If you need to fill out the wall, then you’ll need more art.

There are numerous posts about art walls!

 

This is a beautiful art wall I photographed in a Boston restaurant a few years ago.

Wall art, if more than one piece and they are the same size, always goes horizontally or vertically, in a line or a grid. Otherwise, you can do an art wall design in a grouping of five or more. Get some free art templates here.

 

Please check out how to get exquisite art for free or nearly free.

 

How To Get Gorgeous Free Art That Looks Expensive

Below is a terrific post about how to hang art.

 

How To Hang Art – Little Known Ways + Mistakes to Avoid

 

6. Horribly Mismatched Photo Frames Displayed on a Tabletop, Shelf, or Piano

 

 

Look, we know you love your family and want to remember your daughter’s beautiful wedding and your grandson losing his first tooth.

 

But, unless you truly wish to cheapen your home, do this instead:

 

• Please make a grand, glorious black and white photo wall —thought out, artistic and coordinated.  If that’s not your thing, maybe find a talented family member or hire someone if that’s in the budget.
• Get some Pottery Barn frames and put them in a more private part of the house, such as a hallway in the bedroom area.
• Or, how about a gorgeous photo album that is out for anyone who’d like to look.

Now, I have zero problem with two to three thoughtfully placed photos– Your dearly departed dog, parents, etc.

However, the tacky tabletop family photo gallery in hideous mismatched frames you received as wedding gifts…

Again, always remember.

Have I ever seen this in Architectural Digest or House Beautiful?

 

7. Lace doilies, scarves, and curtains.

 

Of course, there are exceptions, and there’s old fine lace, and then there’s lace from Michael’s.

 

Self-portrait with Lace Jabot (ca 1751)-Maurice Quentin_de_La_Tour

 

Lace goes on clothing like this handsome gentleman is sporting, and beautiful wedding dresses.

Maybe there are some exceptions, but right now, I can’t think of any. ;]

 

This is a lace mantel scarf. (That’s what they call it.)

Huh? Don’t they realize that a fireplace is where one puts a burning fire?

Oh wait. It’s okay; the fireplace is fake, too.

 

The lace doily, the photo in the contemporary steel frame, and the table shoved into the corner are all wrong.

Also, please note the glass top. I guess that’s an added layer of protection for th- table.

I have two pairs of vintage end tables and a vintage coffee table. All of them offered a glass top. I declined. I am fine if you disagree with that one, but two hundred years ago, nobody did this. In fact, glass wasn’t used for coffee tables for any reason, until the mid-20th century.

 

Back to lace.

 

Yes, they used it in Victorian times, but it looked nothing like the drek below.

 

Neon-white, polyester lace against stained wood with the wood showing. So bad.

It reminds me of a slip. Does anyone actually wear a slip these days? Several years ago, I walked into a Victoria’s Secret looking for one, and the sales lady looked at me as if I had said, “Do you carry napalm?”

 

As for window treatments…

 

Oh, I could do a month of blog posts about hideous window treatments that are guaranteed to cheapen your home.

We need to stop here for now. To be continued…

Since there are five more ways to make your home look cheap, please feel free to comment about what’s been written so far, but all I ask is not to introduce a new one, because chances are, it’ll be in the follow-up post.

xo,

 

 

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