10 Things That Are Making Your Home Look Messier, According to Interior Designers

By Madeline Buiano | Published on May 26, 2024

From choosing the perfect color palette to selecting beautiful décor and furnishings, it takes time to curate a home you're happy with. But if you've put in the work and still feel like there are areas of your home that don't align with your vision, you may be making some common mistakes that are contributing to this feeling. Something as subtle as a stray wire from your TV or just one too many frames on the wall can take a room from stylish to cluttered.

Even if your aesthetic is eclectic or maximalist, there are things you may be doing that make your home look unpolished. To help you avoid these common pitfalls, we spoke to interior designers who shared a few things that make your home look messier.

• Lauren Lerner, CEO and founder of Living with Lolo, an interior design firm in Scottsdale, Arizona.
• Laura Tribbett, principal and founder of Outline Interiors, an interior design firm in Chicago, Illinois.
• Kerrie Kelly, FASID, NKBA, former ASID National Board Chair and owner of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab, an interior design studio in Sacramento, California.

Leaving Wires and Cords on Display

While it can sometimes be hard to avoid, leaving cords and bulky power strips on display can throw off the final look of a design. Laura Tribbett, principal and founder of Outline Interiors says the best way to avoid this is to plan ahead. "Once you realize it's a problem, it can be too late to remedy. Installing floor outlets under desks, ensuring you have wall outlets at proper heights next to the bed, or even sourcing furniture with integrated power will set you up for success," she says.

Crowded Countertops

It's easy to leave your most-used appliances and pantry staples out on your countertops for easy access, but this can make your kitchen look messy and eliminate space for meal prep. To avoid this, think about which appliances truly need to be on the countertop and which can be stored in an accessible way. "Appliance garages, concealed coffee station roll-outs, and magic corner cabinets are our basic recipe for minimizing countertop clutter," says Tribbett.