6 Things in Your Home That Instantly Give Designers the Ick

Design choices are highly personal, and what turns one person off might not bother another. But there are some that are so bad that they instantly give designers the ick.

With this in mind, we turned to a few of our favorite designers to find out which elements give them this feeling, and what you can do to fix it. Fair warning: you might have at least one of these in your own home (and that's okay!).

Wallpapered Accent Walls

Plenty of people love an accent wall—that one wall in your room that has a splash of color or pattern that isn’t shared by any of the others. But according to designer Benji Lewis, a wallpapered accent wall is a surefire way to give him the ick.

“Please think about its effect,” says Lewis. “It mostly suggests to me that you didn’t have enough money to paper the whole room rather than looking cool.”

According to Lewis, using wallpaper on just one wall can often look low-effort and lazy, leaving the remaining walls looking sparse and left out. However, if don’t go tearing down your own accept wallpaper just yet. If done correctly, Lewis admits this look can work.

“It comes down to the pattern on the wallpaper as much as anything,” he says. “If, for example, you’ve got papers which tell a story and set a scene, then a single wall can look fantastic.”

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Generic Wall Art

If you want to decorate your walls, designer Sarah Brady says she can’t help but get the ick as soon as she sees generic wall art that lacks personality and originality. 

“Especially with phrases like 'live laugh love' or 'in this kitchen we dance,'” she says. “It's just too forced.”

Another contender? Giant clocks that are randomly hung as obvious space-fillers.

“Typically, it doesn’t even work!” Brady says.

Beds Pushed Into the Corner

If you’re planning out a bedroom, interior designer Lauren Farrell warns against squeezing your bed into the corner. 

“There’s just something about it that feels so claustrophobic and awkward,” she says.

While Farrell understands sometimes it comes down to a small bedroom layout, she still says it’s rarely the best option.

“Some designers like doing this for space-saving, but it just ruins the rest of the room's flow,” she says. 

Even if you can’t fit a nightstand on either side, consider pulling your bed away just enough to create a path of entry from each side, or at the very least, room for a floor lamp to balance out the room.

Poorly Scaled Features and Furniture

Interior designers often point to the importance of scale when planning a room, so it’s no surprise that badly scaled details are a major turn-off for Lewis. 

“When scale hasn’t been considered it’s highly likely that the composition of a room—meaning the manner in which items are arranged—will fail,” says Lewis. 

That’s why it’s important to measure and understand both how large or small the space is as well as how the furniture in question will work in said space. Working this out calls for proper measuring, which Lewis explains might not be what you think.

“Unquestionably measure your floor space but not wall to wall,” he says. “Run the tape measure from skirting to skirting so you really understand what you’re working with.”

One of the biggest ick culprits, Lewis says, is a badly sized rug. This can lead to a confusing space, as well as functional issues.

“Think about the irritating wobble you’ll get if you don’t plan things out properly and end up with one foot of a side table on your rug and the other three feet off it,” he says.

Also pay attention to your curtain poles so that they’re the proper length, as well as the length of your curtains once hung. These can all majorly affect the overall look if you’re not careful. 

L-Shaped Sofas

This one might be a shocker, but Lewis says L-shaped sofas are a total turn-off in his mind. But for him, it all comes down to functionality—and might be a problem if you use it in a space meant for entertaining rather than lounging. 

“I’ve never really understood them,” he says. “Who, for example, gets squashed into the corner and then how do they converse with the people who are hemming them in either side? I can feel a panic attack coming on just thinking about it.”

Of course, if it’s only for family TV viewing, corner sofas are great. But Lewis says to think twice if you’re opting for one in the name of saving space. 

“People assume that due to their size trillions of people can sit on them but they can’t,” he says. “They’re shocking space guzzlers and highly antisocial.”

Shag and Faux-Fur Area Rugs

While plenty of people love a fluffy area rug, especially in a cozy space like the bedroom or sitting room, Farrell says all she can see is a dust trap. That alone makes them a major ick.

“They look impossible to keep clean!” she says.

Of course, adding fur accents to a room can be especially cozy in the colder months, consider instead a blanket or throw pillows—something that can be easily washed or dry-cleaned, and won’t sit on the floor collecting debris.