Interior Designer Shares What She Would Never Have in Her Home

Greg Stevens
  • Insider asked an inside designer about what points she would not have in her house.
  • Small extras or gallery walls with compact pieces can incorporate muddle to rooms. 
  • Rather of wall-to-wall carpet, opt for hardwood flooring throughout your space.

Insider spoke with Cathy Hobbs — a celeb inside designer and operator of property-staging business Cathy Hobbs Structure Recipes — to come across out which tendencies and variations she’d never have in her very own place.

Dried, artificial bouquets can make a home experience dated 

Dried, gray-ish fake flours in lit up shelf

Other dried vegetation can operate far better.

Dzmitry Kaprusynka/Getty Visuals


Even though greenery — which include fake possibilities — can incorporate existence to your room, Hobbs stays away from synthetic dried flowers when designing her residence. 

“These typically come to feel dated and previous-fashioned in a modern decor plan,” she instructed Insider.

She as an alternative suggested opting for artificial palm leaves, grasses, or succulents. 

The designer stays absent from framed posters

When incorporating artwork into your residence, you should not simply just frame inexpensive posters. In accordance to Hobbs, that seem can convey down your house.

She mentioned you can decide for an reasonably priced wall hanging or framed photograph if you can not afford canvas artwork. 

You will not likely find acrylic or plastic decor parts in her dwelling

Hobbs stays away from acrylic and plastic home furniture or accessories, even while they are inexpensive.

“Not only do these components normally crack, but they also are inclined to glance ‘milky’ in excess of time,” she advised Insider.  

She recommended looking for a strong substitute, these as a product which is suited for both of those indoor and outside use.  

She avoids gallery partitions whole of modest items

A neutral-toned living room with a gallery wall of art

Gallery walls aren’t often terrific for anchoring your place.

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock


Whilst building a “wall of tiny factors” — or an eclectic gallery wall — might be an quick way to fill up blank room, you will never discover this decor decision in Hobbs’ house.

In its place of a wall with frames and mirrors of many sizes, the designer suggested heading for significant, bold parts to far better anchor your room. 

Tiny pieces and components can glance like clutter

Similarly, home add-ons, accents, and other items that are much too tiny often develop visible clutter, in accordance to Hobbs. 

She in its place suggested buying out much larger decor parts that’ll enable to ground your house without the need of becoming a visual distraction. 

Hobbs isn’t going to overcrowd her bookshelves

Living room with sofa, art, and clean wooden bookshelf

Maintain space open up on your bookshelf for a minimalist appear.

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock


Even however bookshelves are great for storage, don’t overfill them with all of your guides and trinkets. 

Hobbs advised leaving some cabinets empty for a minimalist seem.  

She avoids the ‘overworked’ glimpse in household offices

According to the designer, you can find no motive to leave your workspace cluttered when you are not working with it. 

“Very clear the clutter, and decide for a workspace in which work can be tucked absent when not in use,” she explained. 

You can opt for a desk with drawers or stow your objects in bins.

Blank partitions in extensive hallways are a squandered decor chance

Hobbs would make confident to include style and design features to very long hallways and will from time to time use mirrors to elongate them. 

“Hallways rarely have home windows or get a great deal mild,” she explained. “Incorporating mirrors can help make these narrow spaces come to feel wider.” 

She swaps out wall-to-wall carpeting for hardwood floors 

White kitchen in home with hardwood floors

Hardwood floors are a preferred option.

Breadmaker/Shutterstock


The designer avoids wall-to-wall carpeting, inspite of how it can build a seamless appear.

“The actuality is that for many, wall-to-wall carpeting sends a visible signal of ‘outdated,'” Hobbs explained to Insider. 

She claimed it is really in your finest fascination to choose for hardwood flooring given that most homebuyers prefer it. 

Vibrant and fashionable furnishings can go out of design and style

Even though shiny colours are undoubtedly enjoyment for main home furniture items, Hobbs explained to Insider that it’s ideal to continue to be neutral. 

“Rather of picking out furnishings that might sense fashionable, decide for those people that will stand the exam of time,” she said. “Gray and product are good foundational shades when picking out principal parts these types of as sofas.”

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