The Biggest Interior Design Mistake You Don’t Even Realise You’re Making
You know that moment when you walk into your living room, scan the scene, and think, “Yeah… it’s nice,” but your shoulders don’t drop, your heart doesn’t lift, and nothing inside you says, “This is so unapologetically me”?
That, darling, is your home quietly filing for emotional divorce.
It’s not the wrong white, the slightly-too-large sofa, or the throw cushions that look like they lost a fight with the dog. Those are amateur-hour issues. The real, gut-level interior design mistake most people make is far sneakier – and it’s choking the life out of your home.
The Real Problem: Designing by Default
The number one design mistake? Designing by default instead of by intention.
Designing by default looks like this:
Choosing beige because it “goes with everything” (translation: it stands for nothing).
Buying the full matching lounge or bedroom set because it’s easy and in stock.
Duplicating a Pinterest room and hoping the vibe will magically transfer to your real, messy, glorious life.
You end up with a space that technically “works” but has all the personality of a rental listing photo. It functions, but it doesn’t flirt, seduce, or tell your story. It’s a background, not a main character.
Why Smart People Fall Into This Interior Design Trap
You’re not making this mistake because you’re boring; you’re making it because you’re human. Interior design can feel high-stakes and high-pressure.
Here’s what usually pushes people into default mode:
Fear of expensive interior design mistakes, so you pick the safest, most resellable option “just in case”.
Overwhelm from trends, reels, and renovation shows shouting conflicting advice at full volume.
Time and energy fatigue, so you grab whatever is styled together in the showroom and call it done.
The result? Homes that are tidy, presentable, and instantly forgettable – even to the people paying the mortgage. Instead of feeling like a sanctuary, your home behaves like a well-behaved waiting room.
The No-Vanilla Solution: Intentional Interior Design
The antidote to designing by default is intentional interior design – the heart of the No-Vanilla Design Manifesto.
Intentional design is not about being louder, trendier, or more “Instagrammable”. It’s about:
Making conscious choices that reflect how you live, feel and dream.
Letting your home express your values, not the latest algorithm-approved aesthetic.
Creating rooms that work beautifully and also hit you right in the “feels” every time you walk in.
This is where interiors stop being “fine” and start feeling like velvet-wrapped contraband: a little bit dangerous, very deliberate, and absolutely yours.
How to Stop Designing by Default (and Start Designing on Purpose)
Here’s where we swap autopilot for intention – without needing a full gut-renovation or a lottery win.
1. Interrogate Every Purchase
Before you click “add to cart” or drag something into place, ask:
Why this piece?
What mood does it create?
Does it solve a real problem in the way you actually live?
If your only honest answer is “It was safe / on sale / what everyone has right now”, step away from the beige.
2. Prioritise Emotion Over Aesthetic
Instead of starting with “What style do I want?”, start with “How do I want to feel in this room?” Relaxed? Powerful? Playful? Seductive? Energised?
Then choose:
Colours that support that feeling, not just what’s trending.
Textures that make you want to touch them.
Lighting that flatters your life, not just your photos.
3. Break Up With Catalogue Rooms
Over-matching is one of the quietest interior design killers.
Mix leg shapes, materials, and finishes instead of buying one full set.
Bring in one or two “imperfect” or vintage pieces to rough up the edges.
Layer art, books, and personal objects that look like they belong to a specific, interesting human (you), not a generic “young professional couple”.
4. Make Your Home Biographical, Not Generic
Your home should read like a beautifully edited biography, not a bland CV.
Ask yourself:
Where in this room can someone read who I am – not just what I bought?
What stories are on display: travel, heritage, hobbies, obsessions?
If a stranger walked in, would they know anything about me beyond “likes neutral cushions”?
Impossible Scenario (That Happens Every Day)
Imagine this: you spend thousands on a new sofa, a designer rug, and “timeless” joinery, only to realise you’ve meticulously created the world’s most expensive beige waiting room.
It fits the floorplan, it impresses the in-laws, the agent says it’s “great for resale” – and yet you still curl up with a cup of tea and feel… nothing. That is the cost of designing by default, not by intention – and it happens in beautiful suburbs every single weekend.
Ready to Stop Playing It Safe?
If your home is whispering “polite” when you want it to roar “powerful and personal”, it’s time to step out of default mode and into intentional, No-Vanilla design.
Use this as your starting brief: no more background beige “just in case”, no more catalogue rooms, no more living in spaces that look acceptable but feel anonymous.
Your home deserves to be as bold, complex, and unforgettable as you are – and that only happens when every design choice is made on purpose.
Love, Penelope xx
Interior Designer - E-book Author ‘Don’t Get Ripped Off By Your Reno’ and ‘A Home With A Pulse’ - both available NOW for purchase + download.
