7 Design Mistakes That Make Your Home Feel Less Inviting

Too Much Clutter—or Too Little

Yes, there is a happy medium in the clutter department. Too much clutter—especially a jumble of shoes, boxes, and coats in the entryway—can make your home feel a bit unkempt. But too little clutter (think empty shelves in a built-in or completely barren surfaces) can make it seem like you don’t even live there.

Quick fix: Create some “intentional” clutter if your home looks especially spartan. (Think meaningful and beautiful items, a well-edited selection of books, and a few pieces of artwork.) Make sure that you have some blank spaces on the shelves or coffee table so it doesn’t seem overwhelming.

If you’re currently erring on the side of more is more, then decluttering is the name of the game. Make sure that everything on a shelf or counter needs to be there, and keep only the items that truly bring you joy.

Not Enough Seating for Guests

Making sure there’s comfortable seating for everyone can be a tricky proposition—especially if you have limited space to arrange for yet another chair in your living room. But obviously, perching on a chair arm—or on a hardwood floor—isn’t going to feel comfortable for anyone. (Though generally, when you’re entertaining, it’s likely you’ll get the short end of the stick and the lousy spot.)

Quick fix: Find ways to sneak in temporary seating that you can pull out for a party. Think small stools or ottomans, which can be hidden beneath a console table and pulled out when they’re needed, Helft says. An ottoman coffee table can also be put into service as a bench, and of course, you can always pop in some dining chairs. (It helps if they’re upholstered and in a complementary color scheme to your living room.)

Uncomfortable Seating

Comfy chairs ensure that guests want to linger in your house—so even if a chair looks stylish, it should pass the comfort test, Helft says. Stiff, high-backed chairs or hard chairs can make your guests feel less than relaxed.

Quick fix: Test out chairs before you buy—and make comfort part of the decision (instead of just looking good). Consider upholstered dining chairs or chair cushions to make dining chairs more comfortable for your next dinner party.

A Lack of Window Treatments

Sometimes, you definitely want to enjoy the view—especially if your living room overlooks a gorgeous bit of landscaping. But window treatments are essential for ensuring the light is always just right when you’re entertaining.

Quick fix: “Adding window treatments to any design softens the space and makes it feel custom and complete,” Goldberg says. “A great window treatment can control the light, so you can keep the sun glare out of your eyes while still letting the natural light inside.” Consider layering a few different window treatment elements—like a shade with curtains—so you can easily customize the lighting as you see fit.

Too Many Pillows

Decorative pillows can help make your sofa look cozy and welcoming—but overindulging can leave people sitting on the edge of their seats (not in a good way), or wondering where to put those extra cushions so they can sit.

Quick fix: Give your pillow collection an edit. Helft recommends limiting the number of cushions on a standard 7- to 9-foot sofa to three 20-by-20-inch pillows, plus a pair of smaller pillows or lumbar pillows. You can save any additional pillows and swap them in for the others to give your decor a change-up.

A Museum Vibe

Spindly-legged chairs and delicate, breathe-and-you’ll-break-them trinkets can make guests feel afraid that they might break something irreplaceable. And while a museum-like (or as Helft puts it, a “hotel lobby vibe”) may be beautiful, it may not make people feel relaxed in your home.

Quick fix: Pull back a little on the fragile elements in your decor. “Layering in textures with durable materials and surfaces makes the homeowners feel at ease when entertaining, making the guests feel comfortable,” Goldberg says.

Harsh Lighting

If you have bright, cool white lighting and use overhead lights exclusively, you’ll give your home the look and feel of an interrogation room, not a cozy spot to hang out.

Quick fix: Fortunately, it’s easy to solve this one: Invest in a few table or floor lamps that bring the lighting down closer to you, and swap out cold light bulbs for warmer hued ones (or best yet, opt for smart light bulbs so you can change the lighting scheme as you see fit). Dimmer switches can also help you soften the light, and can be easily installed for your light fixtures.