In the words of Frank Sinatra, "Regrets...I've had a few!" Whether it was the paint you picked out that you ended up hating, or that sofa that looked great on the showroom floor but was a disaster in your living room, we've all experienced that sinking feeling of realizing we've made a big mistake. If we're lucky we can correct it, but sometimes even the best intentions end up becoming bigger issues than we anticipated. Here are my top five most common design mistakes and ways to fix or avoid them altogether.

1. Hanging your wall art too high

Now this one is a personal pet peeve of mine. I see it all the time and it drives me crazy! So often I see art work hung above the natural eye level and it looks...well, just wrong. As a general guideline, wall art should be hung so that the piece is about 57" to at most 60" from the floor, which is around eye level for most people. That said, in the case of exceptionally high ceilings you may need to tweak that rule, but you shouldn't have to crane your neck to see the piece. Luckily this is an easy fix.

2. Choosing an area rug that is too small

Another very common mistake is buying an area rug that is way too small for your space. A rug is a great way to define a space, add texture and up the coziness factor, but when the rug is too small is does the opposite, and makes the room look unbalanced and disjointed. If you've ever wondered why your area rug doesn't look as good as you expected, this is probably the reason.

When placing your area rug in your living or sitting rom, at a minimum the front legs of your sofa and chairs should all be on the rug. Otherwise the rug will look like a lonely little island of sadness aimlessly floating in space!

Similarly a rug placed under your dining room should accommodate all of your dining chairs by extending 24" in every direction. That way when you pull your chair out to sit down or get up, the chair is still on the rug.

3. Neglecting to measure your space before shopping for furniture

Okay this one I had to learn the hard way! When my husband and I bought our house I was 7 months pregnant and in a serious hurry to furnish our new home. We bought a sectional I thought would be prefect, but when they delivered it to the house it was way too big for the room and I had to put the chaise portion of the sectional in a whole other room. (Ugh!)

Don't make this mistake! Measure your room beforehand so you know how much space you have to work with. And take your tape measure with you anytime you go shopping. DO NOT NEGLECT THIS STEP. Trust me, you cannot eyeball the size of a room as well as you think and you will probably overestimate how much space you have. If you forget to measure, hold off on making the purchase until you can get home and get those measurements. If you absolutely cannot stop yourself from making that purchase before measuring, make sure there is a solid return policy.

4. Not being real about how you need your home to flow and function

Your home should function for your unique family's needs and not be constrained by outdated notions of how you're "supposed" to live. For example, when we first moved into our home I unconsciously set it up in much the same way my parents had my childhood home. I had a formal living room-where no one is allowed to sit, and of course a formal dining room that we only used during the holidays. For a family with two toddlers, teenagers and a dog, this layout made absolutely no sense! It was ridiculous to essentially have two whole rooms in our house that were off limits, especially when space was at a premium. I had a come to Jesus moment with myself and now what was once a formal dining and living room space is now one big family room that we all enjoy. So don't be attached to outdated notions of how you think you should live in your home. Do what works for you. Maybe that dining room would be better used as a home office. Maybe your formal living room makes more sense as a play room and home work area for your kids. Get real about how you live and let your home serve your actual needs.

5. Matching furniture sets

Walk into any retail furniture store and you're bound to see a bunch of matching sets of furniture for almost every room in the house. Don't do it though. I'm convinced this is a just a ploy be retailers to get you to buy more from them all at once. But unless you want your space to give cheap motel vibes, avoid the matching furniture sets, especially in the bedroom. Matching sets are honestly dated and boring. When all the furniture is basically the same, it takes all the opportunity for personal style out of the equation. Don't get me wrong-- I know it's tempting and I have certainly fallen into the trap myself (and quickly regretted it), but the matching furniture set is worse than basic. Don't be that girl, boo.

Instead of a matching furniture set, take your time in selecting pieces that compliment and play off each other. Be intentional with your selections. Have fun choosing items that bring you joy and reflect your personality and life story. A mix of pieces is not only more visually interesting, but it allows you greater freedom to rearrange or repurpose your furniture as your tastes or needs change.

So there you have it! These are just a few tips to keep in mind when creating a home you love. Of course if you need more support with decorating your home, you might consider hiring a designer to assist you in clarifying your vision and bringing it to life. At Steph Wilkins Interiors, we can help you create a home that is functional, beautiful and that delights your soul.