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Whether you live in your first apartment or dwell in the same house for years, decorating interiors is quite a task. While some see it as a fun and fulfilling challenge, most people instantly feel overwhelmed by myriads of complex and, more importantly, expensive choices when trying to make their humble abode feel more put together.

Of course, there’s no arguing about taste being a matter of preference, and it’s great to make your home feel like you. But interior design is a tricky game to play, and certain solutions may not turn out as expected. So recently, TikToker Krishnan Rajaratnam, who goes by the handle @interiorbykrish, revealed several decor mistakes that might make your home look cheap, and people online are divided.

From crushed diamond mirror furniture to the "Live Laugh Love" type of decorations, we’ve gathered some common faux pas homeowners might want to steer clear of. So take out your notebooks, grab your pens, and decide for yourself whether you agree with them. Also, read on for our in-depth interview filled with handy tips from an award-winning interior designer Linda Merrill. Then if you’re interested in even more questionable home decor trends, then check out Bored Panda's previous piece about it right here.

The task of furnishing and decorating your home can be a daunting experience, especially when you realize how expensive it is. We reached out to an expert in the field, an award-winning New England-based interior designer Linda Merrill. She is a renowned author of the Surroundings blog filled with clever and creative solutions to help anyone lost in the design world to come up with stunning decors.

According to Merrill, there are plenty of simple tweaks for low and even no-cost decorating that are both beautiful and functional. For example, when searching for affordable furniture and accessories, the interior designer suggested looking at second-hand, consignment stores, or Facebook Marketplace — places filled with great pieces waiting for a new home.

"This is especially true if you live in an area with a mix of high-end homes and towns where more affluent people are redecorating more frequently and are more likely to be getting rid of better-quality furnishings," Merrill told Bored Panda. "Don’t be afraid of vintage pieces — they are better quality than low-cost items made today and with a little cleaning, painting or reupholstering, you could have a like new item for a fraction of the cost."

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Another inexpensive solution that can make your pad look and feel more put together is paint. "[It] is relatively cheap for the impact it offers and while it requires labor, touching up tired paint on trim and walls, or repainting entirely will freshen up a space significantly." If you’re in a rental, Merrill has recently written a blog post with some ideas on decorating that will work as well, so be sure to take a peek right here.

Merrill pointed out that fabric is a reasonably-priced decorating option that can instantly make a difference. "I’m a big fan of the magic of fabric. It helps to be able to sew, of course. But when I was young and on a no-money budget, I would use sheets to make curtains, bedding, shower curtains and pillows. They come in such pretty patterns and are available at all price points," the interior designer said.

Of course, there are also several no-cost solutions that can make your residence look more put together. "For no money, spend time re-organizing, decluttering and simply re-imagining how you’re using your rooms and can you move things around. We hang a picture and then stop looking at it. Moving things around will make them feel like new (or at least seen!)."

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Downunderdude
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This post is VERY subjective. The poster is entitled to his/her opinion, I suppose, even if he/she is wrong. Is tik tok now the arbiter of good taste? God help us.

hypoxia avatar
Hypoxia Smurf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Plain white cabinetry is fine for a 'clinical' look. We prefer birch for living spaces and dark oak for our shared office's formal 'barrister' look. YMMV.

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Bored Pangolin
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I gotta disagree. It's a cheap product in price by comparison but I find their white and minimalist design can make a space feel uncluttered, clean and simple in a modern way that looks the opposite of cheap to me.

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Cara G
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Agreed 100%. There's a difference between cheap and inexpensive.

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Krásnoočko
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ikea is cheap, that's the point of it. If I see a piece of basic ikea furniture, I can safely say it was cheap - not a very groundbreaking discovery. I only shop for furniture in ikea and I'm fine with it looking like ikea, because I can't afford expensive furniture and ikea has very good design for the price. Again, that is the whole point of the company. Cheap can but doesn't have to mean tasteless.

zaria74 avatar
Maureen Holloway
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

IKEA is full of young people, young families, all kinds of people buying the furniture they need to live within their budgets now. Not everyone inherits or wants “antiques”, nor wants to wait with semi-furnished homes until they can afford other furniture. Time to get over our obsession with luxury and looking expensive and focus on purpose here and now. BTW, I have IKEA pieces from over 40 years ago still great.

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Hypoxia Smurf
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thrift shops may be your answer. Or "going-out-of business" sales. Or yard sales. Meanwhile, we're unconcerned with brands. When we needed sturdy furniture, we hit discounters: Ross, Home Goods, Scandanavian Designs, and some suburban importers. From such a small shop, an awesome Tibetan cabinet looms over me right now, at the cost of a couple of fully-loaded Ikea Billy bookshelves. Bargains abound!

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Hypoxia Smurf
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As with any furniture supplier, you can buy cheap-looking crud or elegant delights. We call our shelving "the Swedish forest" -- all Billy cabinets with glass doors, of various heights and colors, filling four rooms. Good stuff!

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PMorrisHTX
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Billy cabinets can look nice in the right setup and settings. We used them in our home office and study to fill an otherwise empty wall and filled them with our book collection and accessorised them with some of our favourite things.

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Cara G
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And here we have the perfect example of the difference between "cheap" and "inexpensive". Cheap implies low quality for the amount you are paying whereas inexpensive means cost-effective without sacrificing all the quality of the item. This is IKEA's exact business model and the reason why it exists. They offer sturdy, mid-high quality, minimalistic pieces in neutral colors and styles at a reasonable price point. Granted, these aren't pieces you'll be passing down to your grandchildren as heirlooms. But in no way are IKEA products cheap. They are inexpensive and extremely practical in addition to being attractive usually.

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Joy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

C'mon, IKEA does make many good stuff, simple and tasteful

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Marta Gaj
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a lot of ikea stuff, my home look cosy, scandi and boho, not cheap 🤷🏻‍♀️

zaria74 avatar
Maureen Holloway
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

1. The furniture comes in many colours, not just white, 2. European film and TV production companies shop at IKEA which you notice if you too shop there. 3. I have a table that with leaves, will seat 10 that I paid $199.00 for 15 years ago. People still ask about me where I got it, and It is still available, The 10 chairs cost $345.00 each, but I bought those when I was old and retired., not whe Inwas raising a family.

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MoodyBlue
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hmm. I think I just don't share the same opinions with this TokTakker. I like the minimalistic style of Ikea furniture. Some expensive mahogany furniture would make my small apartment look even smaller.

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Janet Graham
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hmm, that sounds like a snob issue. I see drawers as a utility feature not a decorator's fashion statement. It is better to have Ikea drawers in your office than to have boxes of stuff with nowhere to put it.

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Andrew Keane
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So exposed wires are cheap, but good quality storage solutions that reduce clutter are cheap?

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Linda Lou Jett
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What's even better are all the people who think they can upgrade IKEA furniture and then flip it.

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Andrew Bridge
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah I wouldn't say cheap, but ikea furniture does say you tried to fit a 2 metre long box in a renault clio

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Kantami Blossom
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If someone invited you into their home and you judge them for shopping at Ikea then you're the one with the issues.

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Psycho Cat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Google Zlatan Ibrahimovic Ikea furniture and then come back to this statement.

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Kiki Boomboom
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey man!!! I looooove my IKEA Alex filing tower and desk...white, clean, minimalist, sturdy...and our Malm 6 drawer dresser, same features...jeeze...I have seen plenty of "high-end" furniture that is ultra tacky...at least most IKEA stuff will weather a lot of the passing trends.

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Lori Fuqua
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just very plain and basic looking and over produced, doesn't give you that unique fancy/posh look

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Joseph rick
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The trick is to trim them with chrome or stainless steel edgings and good quality chrome legs and drawer pulls.

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Rosemary Moreland
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As long as it’s comfortable to sit on and relatively pleasant to look at, I thin IKEA is fine.

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Carl Schultz
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dorm room dreary. Use antiques or well handpainted thrift store finds instead.

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Lucy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Their great if you have walk-in closets with no shelves again especially if you rent & can't alter the closets

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pinkytoes
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think IKEA is fine. I don't care for a house being done completely in IKEA< that looks kind of cheap to me. But mixed in with other stuff, hand me downs or thrift store finds or expensive stuff, it's all good. I just don't like everything matchy-matchy

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Darcy Marie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ikea is cheap but it's how you style it and dress it up. You could make it look amazing

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Van Chotimont
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

IKEA is pretty good to me. And people in my country (Thailand) love em too. The drawer on the right is very popular among the IT geeks in my country to put the top on it. They're above-average rich. And IKEA furniture is a decent choice for middle-class people here.

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Carlotta Müller
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No. Here someone really has a stupid taste and tries to spoil everything good for others.

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Kipper
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The good thing about Ikea furniture is that you can easily change it. A coat of paint or some stain and add some classy knobs and its totally different!

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Michelle Newell
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like these! Especially if you have kids, the one on the right would be great. The white is a bit plain but that can be changed. I had Sauder furniture as a teen, disgusting! Not only because my mom was/is cheap and selfish but because a lot of kids destroy their furniture. If I had kids the one on the right would be excellent for toys, Legos, etc., In a playroom.

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Lady Lava
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I own that left drawer, but then in a birch-like coloring. It's sturdy and durable; I have used it for years, and I will use it for more years to come. Nothing wrong with those affordable IKEA drawers.

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Aboredpanda
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It depends on which pieces and how the room is put together.

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Graham Chapman
Community Member
1 year ago

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IKEA, the millennials wet dream... cheap, and falls to bits in a few months..

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Na Schi
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to agree with Zuzana, have some of my IKEA furniture for like 15 years and they are tiptop fine. And my parents still have some pieces brought in the 70s. In contrast to some copycat furniture chains I genuinely think that IKEA actually sells high quality. (Edit: spelling of brought)

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The interior designer shared a few common decorating mistakes to have in mind when updating your space. First, she explained that old furniture that looks worn out should be repaired to give it a fresh look. "Rachel Ashwell marketed the Shabby Chic aesthetic, which is a feminine take on aged and used-looking items. It’s a gift to be able to turn chippy furniture and frayed fabric edges into a chic (and also expensive) brand. But in reality, nothing looks cheaper than chipped, tired-looking pieces," Merrill explained, adding that a bit of repairing and touching up will always up the whole look.

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Another mistake some homeowners make is bad lighting. "Regardless of how expensive, or inexpensive, an interior is, if the lighting is terrible, it will look terrible," she told us. "Overhead bright lights are reminiscent of being under investigation. Hard on the eyes and makes you look terrible. Don’t rely on just a single ceiling light wherever possible." Merrill suggested avoiding this by simply adding a few table and floor lamps is key. "Also, dimmers are your best friend when it comes to lighting. Switching out standard switches for dimmers is a relatively easy DIY project that will give all your rooms flexibility in the lighting."

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Thea
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one sounds entitled, this is a space saver for people in small spaces, shouldnt be considered anything else but practical.

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Sally Horrocks
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are there really people who, when visiting a house, stick their head in the shower and then pass judgement on it?

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Falcon dimi
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh no. People can see that I wash my clothes. The horror of having to put the machine where you have space for it.

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When it comes to timeless design choices that can instantly spruce up your home and require little effort, Merrill said that curb appeal is definitely something to consider. "Adding pretty pots of flowers, a fun doormat and a freshly painted front door will up the look overall. The author Edith Wharton said in her book The Decoration of Houses (pub. 1897) that the transition from outside to inside should be as smooth and easy as possible." According to the interior designer, the outside should set up what’s happening on the inside. "If the outside looks tired and lackluster, the inside will feel the same."

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Of course, one of the most important aspects of making your house look stunning is rather simple — declutter. A messy home takes away from the charming space that might be lurking below, Merrill said. "Decluttering and having storage systems in place (such as baskets) to contain toys, clothes, etc., will turn a space around immediately. In the same vein, collections of small items (collectible teapots or action figures) are not elegant unless housed and displayed with intention," she mentioned.

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Snorky The Pig
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, depends on the pattern, I know people with scrolly brocade carpet and it looks luxe in a carved-wood living room.

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If you’re in the middle of redecorating or feel overwhelmed by the daunting process of designing your own home, Merrill advised you to have patience and be flexible. "Everything is more expensive and is taking longer these days. Long-lead times are annoying but unavoidable much of the time. If you love something, it’s worth the wait. If it’s not worth the wait, you might not love it as much as you think."

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Downunderdude
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Huh? Aren't shelves for putting things on? Otherwise, what's the point of having them? Is this shelf 'cluttered'?

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AbenteurPirat
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dunno where you live mate, but i've frankly never been to a country where it seemed they hid them. These days interesting designs for your radiators are actually all the rage?!

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Moreover, when it comes to what you need vs. what you want, she explained that our needs must come first. "For example, if you need a decent sofa and want it to be leather (which can be very, very expensive), this is the time to consider the second-hand furniture route. Genuine aniline leather will last for years. Bonded leather, which comes on cheaper pieces, will not last very long because all it is are micro-thin slices of the leather scraps applied to a paper foundation."

"Try to buy the best quality you can on seating and items that will be well-used. Tables get less physical use (usually no one is sitting on them, moving them a lot, etc.) so cheaper stylish versions can be found that will work quite well," she added.

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Thea
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry that my room is so small that I cant fit it in in any other way, does this make me poor? Maybe. Does it make me cheap? Absolutely not.

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No matter your decorating budget, you want to create an aesthetically pleasing space that speaks directly to you. "It’s fun to follow trends, but be sure you really actually like it in the first place. Just because everyone is doing gray doesn't mean you will like it. Don’t spend money on things you don’t love." And, most importantly, enjoy the process but take it seriously. "Whether you’re rich or poor, you don’t want to waste money or time," Merrill concluded.

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Pizzagirl 91
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a place for thick rugs, there's a place for thin rugs. I won't put a thick rug in our nursery, because it's harder to clean and our twins have had diaper accidents sometimes. Similar with the hallways, why would you put a thick rug where people walk in with their shoes on? In our living room, go ahead, I'll take a rug I could lose my keys in.

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Jo Jones
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’d have to disagree on that to the extent . Fake well made silk flowers are beautiful , low maintenance and in a long run cheaper than fresh bought every week . Plastic tat is terrible though , I agree wholeheartedly

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