The interior design mistakes I've made so you don’t have to

woman hanging lights above pictures on a wall

(Image credit: Lara Winter)

Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.

We all love a good “before and after,” but no one talks enough about the messy middle - the questionable decisions, the cheap shortcuts, the moments you stare at a wall and think, 'Why on earth did I do that?' So, in the spirit of honesty (and saving you time, money, and sanity), here are the interior mistakes I’ve made over the years… and what I learned from each one.

1. Using Wallpaper and/or the Wrong Paint (aka The Bathroom Disaster)

You’d think paint was simple. You pick a colour, slap it on, admire your handiwork and move on with life. Spoiler: It isn’t that simple.

Years ago, I decided to repaint our bathroom. I chose a gorgeous matt interior paint. The kind that looks cosy and soft and very grown-up. Unfortunately, matt paint in a bathroom will betray you. It bleeds, streaks, discolours and within days you’re left with walls that look like they have not been painted for decades. In my case, every shower added a new drip mark and the whole room depressed me, given how much time I put into painting it.

And while we’re on the subject of things that don’t go with moisture: cheap wallpaper. Please, learn from me. It will bubble. It will peel. It will make you question every life decision that led you to standing in a steamy bathroom with a smoothing tool, whispering “please flatten… please.”

What I learned: Bathrooms need durable, wipeable, moisture-resistant finishes. Spend the extra money. Your future self will thank you.

2. Buying Rugs That Are Too Small

country living room with a rug that is too small

If I could go back in time, I would shake younger me not so gently by the shoulders and shout: “Buy the bigger rug.”

Let’s be honest: rugs are not cheap. And I don’t like spending money. I thought I could get away with the smaller sized rug. But - surprise! - I was wrong. The sofa wasn’t on it. The chairs weren’t on it. The whole vibe was off.

I tried to convince myself it was fine (it wasn’t), and to this day I regret not investing in the size I actually needed. Also: if you have kids, pets, messy hobbies, or a partner prone to knocking over every drink they touch, go for a washable rug. Trust me.

What I learned: Bigger is nearly always better. Rugs ground a room - literally and visually. So choose the size you actually want… not the one your budget tries to nudge you into.

3. Avoiding Electricians (and paying for it later)

There was a period of my life (it might have been until last month…) when I truly believed I could “work around” not having enough plug sockets and poorly placed light switches. I bought battery-operated lamps, extension cables and clever little stick-on lights. And there is definitely a place for them, just not as a main light source that you rely on to work.

It took me years to finally accept that some jobs aren’t DIY-able. And moving a plug socket or adding a wall light is almost always worth the cost. The room works better. You feel better. And all the workaround clutter disappears.

What I learned: If something affects the functionality of a room daily, fix it properly. Don’t let battery lamps rule your life.

4. Putting Things Off for Too Long

This one is my specialty.

For years, I lived with things I didn’t love - the wrong layout, the wrong flooring, the wrong garden setup. Because changing them felt intimidating or expensive or messy. But you know what? Putting things off doesn’t make you appreciate the space. It just leads to the well known “I wish I had done this sooner” conclusion.

When I finally sanded the floors, rearranged entire rooms and even added that pergola I’d always dreamed about, everything changed. My home instantly felt more “me” and I wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner.

What I learned: If something isn’t working, don’t wait seven years. Go for it. Be brave. Do the thing you’ve been dreaming about. It probably isn’t as difficult or messy as you think.

Homes evolve. We learn as we go. And sometimes the biggest mistakes lead to the biggest improvements… once you’re willing to fix them.

Lara is originally from Germany, where she studied Special Educational Needs before moving to England in 2016. She now runs the instagram account What A View Cottage which has over 240,000 followers, who tune in to be inspired by her modern take on rustic style.

Lara has always had a creative streak and the urge to experiment with colours and different layouts made her rearrange the furniture of her childhood bedroom constantly. These days she lives with her husband, their two sons and their fluffy, ginger cat Gizmo in a modern cottage in Wiltshire. She loves to create cosy, lived in spaces with lots of texture and the use of colour. Her specialty is to give rooms that cottage feel with a modern and sometimes unexpected twist and she's not afraid to mix interior styles.