Home Decor Choices HGTV Stars Can't Stand Seeing In Homes

There are just some decor choices that HGTV stars can't stand seeing in homes. Sometimes the dislike is just a personal pet peeve. After all, we all have things we don't like the look of just for the sake of it. However, most of the time, the designers don't like certain choices for very valid, practical reasons. For example, some materials are more trouble than they're worth to take care of, and you're better off with something else. Other times, specific styles of furniture and kitchen hardware can make even the most high-end spaces feel tacky and cheap.

By staying away from these decor faux pas, you will not only avoid having a home that is out of style but may enjoy one that's easier to live in and is more functional, too. Luckily, the likes of Erin Napier, Drew Scott, and Egypt Sherrod also offer their viewers plenty of easy swaps to make. For every "don't," there is a "decor do" that is just as easy to put into practice.

Fans of David Bromstad know he loves adding color to spaces. So enhancing a space with plenty of greenery is right up his alley, but there's one catch. The plants have to be real! "Vases and pots filled with fake flowers and plants. One of the things I despise," he told The Huffington Post. "Real flowers and plants bring life into a space and for very little investment." Unless they're done very well, faux plants can look very obviously fake and even collect dust, making them look worse. So they are the one floral decor accessory Bromstad will always avoid.

The reason most folks reach for fake plants or flowers is that they might have trouble maintaining real ones. So, they think it's better to have fake plants than dead plants. Luckily, there are a lot of houseplants that are easy to keep alive. In general, succulents like aloe vera or snake plants are great for beginners because they can tolerate a less-than-perfect amount of water and don't tend to be as temperamental as more delicate plants. They are also lush and green, adding welcome pops of color to a space. 

Shag carpets are a thing of the past as far as Jasmine Roth is concerned. Including any fuzzy textiles in your home is one of the design mistakes she thinks you should avoid. "I can't even tell you how many times I've bought a really cozy shag rug, moved all my furniture to get it in place, then found myself regretting it because IT SHEDS!" she warned readers of her blog. "If I wanted another pet, I would get one. Make sure your rugs don't shed before buying." While these rugs often appear fluffy and cozy, they quickly become a lot more work, as you will constantly be vacuuming the space and picking their fibers off your clothes, much like you would dog hair.

Instead, Roth recommends purchasing a jute rug, like the SAFAVIEH Natural Fiber Collection Area Rug, because they don't shed. "I have yet to meet a jute rug that's gone out of style," she wrote. "My suggestions: get a large inexpensive jute rug and layer it with fun, colorful rugs in a smaller size. This way, you spend less and have more options." If you prefer, you can also combine these two tips by simply purchasing a colorful jute rug, like the Handwoven Jute Chindi Area Rug, which has a unique multi-colored design.

Well known for her bold opinions on "Love It or List it," Hilary Farr isn't quiet about the fact that she can't stand a popular cabinet upgrade. "I rarely want to make kitchen hardware a feature, especially if it's open concept, because it becomes distracting," Farr told Apartment Therapy. While some designers prefer more muted cabinets and use bold hardware to add a touch of personality to a space, Farr thinks this is a faux pas. Instead, she thinks that the cabinets and drawers should speak for themselves.

She also practices what she preaches, as the designer told the outlet she doesn't have kitchen hardware in her own home. This is possible by using things like integrated wood lips on your drawers and push-to-open mechanisms on the cabinets. If you must have hardware, Farr concedes that it should be "lean and very linear hardware that will blend in with the cabinetry." 

For example, if you have dark cabinets, then the Alzassbg Matte Black Cabinet Pulls are perfect as they would blend right in. Thin options that match your stainless steel appliances, like homdiy 15-Pack Brushed Nickel Cabinet Pulls, can work well on other colors of cabinetry. They are less noticeable because of their slender width, but will still get the job done.

Buying a matching furniture set might be tempting because of how quickly you can set up a room, but Nate Berkus advises against it. He can't stand seeing these sets in homes because they don't have any personality. In fact, this practice is one of the interior design mistakes he wants you to avoid. "It's really tempting to create an instant interior and say, 'This set of bedroom furniture is a great deal, and I can finance it. It's easy, I'm done, and I can move onto other areas of my life,'" he told Oprah.com. Yet if you do things this way, you are going to end up with a cookie-cutter space that looks more like a lifeless model home rather than somewhere people really live.

Instead, Berkus advises clients to take time sourcing pieces they really like and that suit both their style and personality. "Take a beat and drown out the noise from all those makeover shows," he continued. "The best interiors — the ones that look, function, and feel the best—are the interiors that are assembled and collected over time." This doesn't mean you have to sit on camping chairs in the meantime. But avoid impulse buying statement pieces like your bedframe or a chest of drawers until you are sure it's something you'll want for years. Or, consider using Facebook Marketplace to shop for furniture at lower prices. 

Hanging family photos or art that you enjoy on your walls can be a great form of self-expression. However, Martha Stewart doesn't like it when the frames are hung without a plan in mind. In fact, when she hangs prints in her own home, she even hires professionals to come and do it for her. On her blog, she described her experience hanging antique Japanese screens in her home. "We consider height, width, and placement next to any moldings," she wrote of the precision that went into the location selection. Because she prefers to have things placed just so, Stewart explained, "Art and photos should always be hung after other decorations have been decided. The height and width of pieces will always affect the hanging of any print or painting."

While you don't need to hire a professional service to hang your frames, you can still take a note from Stewart's book and approach the task with an overall plan. Even if you have a maximalist-style gallery wall in mind with heaps of different frames, you need to know their measurements and consider their placement beforehand so they will all still fit. It's always good to start with heavier frames, as their hooks should be nailed into the studs for more support. You can use a tool like the Stud Finder Wall Scanner to locate them more easily.

Painting older furniture to give it new life is quite the trend, but it's something Erin Napier simply doesn't love. "I hope we'll finally see people stepping away more from painted furniture and toward the warmth of natural and stained wood," she told PopSugar. "The organic movement in wood grain is art!" And she's right! Embracing natural finishes reflects a larger design trend that favors authenticity and sustainability. Unlike paint, which can mask the character and history of a piece, a stained or natural wood finish highlights the craftsmanship and materials that make vintage furniture special.

If you already have furniture that is painted or you come across a darling flea market find that you can't live without, all hope isn't lost! All you need to do is purchase some paint stripper, like Citristrip Stripping Gel, which will lift the old paint from the wood. When paired with a LEVEL5 9-In-1 Painter's Tool, you will be able to easily scrape off the paint without damaging the wood underneath. Then, lightly sand the wood's surface to get rid of any rough spots. Be careful not to oversand, as you don't want to cause damage. Finally, you can use something like Minwax's Clear Polycrylic Water-Based Finish to show off the natural wood while also protecting it.

Glass with patina tends to do well in restaurants. It can make a space look larger through its reflection, but its cloudiness helps prevent it from being too distracting. However, it's something Drew Scott hates seeing in homes because they aren't useful for everyday life. "Hanging patina mirrors," he told Good Housekeeping when asked about design mistakes to avoid. "People like doing something fancy with their mirrors — like patina mirrors that have some sort of an aged look. But I say, stop doing that for mirrors you use in your bathroom." Though the black smudges and darker glass might look very cool, you won't be able to see much. So, it won't be very functional in your bedroom, bathroom, or anywhere else the mirror is meant to be more than just artwork.

Instead, try using the frame of the mirror to accomplish a similar goal. You can look for valuable things at estate sales like aged frames to hold newer glass. If you would like to buy things as a unit, try an Irregular Asymmetrical Wall Mirror, which appears frameless but has a unique shape that can add personality to a space and is sure to be a conversation starter.

While kitchen appliances aren't decor choices in and of themselves, how you choose to display them certainly is. You can have a microwave and a Kitchenaid mixer sitting on your countertop, or you can have them hidden away. For Egypt Sherrod, she wants them out of sight! "I'm a little bit obsessed with all of the hidden appliances and hidden functions of kitchens where you don't even see the stovetop, or you don't see the sink because the actual countertop elongates over top of it and you've got to press the button and everything retracts," she told House Digest in an exclusive interview. "I'm sure if you ask my husband, he's going to say everything's smart and technology-driven too."

Her point is something that is an all-too-common mistake in home decor: Treating kitchens as purely functional rather than as integrated, aesthetic spaces. Visible appliances can disrupt the clean lines and flow of a thoughtfully designed kitchen, creating clutter and diminishing the overall style. This is especially true for older, mismatched appliances and storage containers sitting on the counter. By embracing hidden appliances, you can allow your kitchen to be both practical and visually pleasing. You can even hop on this trend without a major reno, as you can hide your microwave and gain extra kitchen storage by building a hidden cabinet.

After a few professional setbacks in recent years, Alison Victoria was feeling stuck. Then, she regained inspiration after realizing what is missing from the decor in many homes: Pieces with character. At a flea market in Paris, she was struck by the history of the furniture and decor available there. "When I walk in the homes, most of the history has been stripped out," she told People. "For me, it feels like it's my job to put it back in." 

Where possible, Victoria believes that restoring historic decor is the best option for a space. "And so, it's like taking these really historic pieces from wherever I find them, breathing new life into them and then, in turn, breathing new life into the spaces and creating a new history for the pieces," she continued when describing her passion. Victoria's perspective here taps into a growing design philosophy that values the story, soul, and sustainability of decor. Pieces like these are real conversation starters that root a home in time and memory, instead of just being the same as everyone else. For homeowners, that might mean sourcing a reclaimed fireplace mantle, restoring heirloom cabinets, or even just mixing in antique hardware to balance the new with the nostalgic.