As designers and home builders, we can definitely be a bit picky about the design, furniture and decor or our homes. Of course, everyone has a unique sense of style, but there’s a difference between differing design styles and cringe-worthy design choices. Here are a few of our biggest pet peeves in design (an ongoing list, for sure!)

Out of scale light fixtures 

It drives us crazy when there’s a light fixture that’s too big or too small for a space – or that’s super off-centered. Choose a light fixture that is an appropriate size for your room (here’s a helpful guide if you aren’t sure where to start!), and make sure it’s placed correctly! If you choose accent lighting over a dining table or island, be sure that you factor in the size of the table when placing your light(s).

Shower tile that doesn’t go to the ceiling

This one just looks tacky and can definitely make your home look cheaper than it is. Unless you have super high ceilings, take the tiles all the way to the ceiling if you can. It looks so much better and will make your bathroom feel bigger and taller, too!

When things are slightly off-centered from each other

We’re not saying everything has to be perfectly symmetrical or matchy-matchy, but when things are just barely off-centered, it looks weird. A good example of this is the sink and range hood in the kitchen. Either line them up, or make them intentionally off-centered, but be purposeful about your layout. This goes for furniture as well, and wall hangings – if you want them off-centered, make sure it looks like you did it on purpose, not as a mistake!

Vanity mirrors that are way too small

This goes along with the light fixture advice, but a bathroom vanity mirror that’s too small for the room just looks strange. A good rule-of-thumb is to make the mirror just a couple inches shorter than the width of the vanity, or slightly larger than the size of your sink basin. If you have double sinks, opt for two mirrors or a long enough mirror for the entire vanity.

Vanity mirrors that are hung to high or too low

While we’re on the topic of vanity mirrors, be careful not to hang them too high or too low. Don’t leave too big of a gap on the bottom of the mirror, or hang it so low that tall guests can’t see themselves fully! Ideally, you’ll have a mirror that’s the appropriate size anyways, so centering it would be a great way to ensure it’s not too high or low.

There are plenty of things that drive us crazy in the design world, but these are a good starting point! We’ll be sharing a few more pet peeves next week, so make sure to stay tuned! In the meantime, tell us about your biggest design pet peeves. Do you agree with any of ours, or are there any we forgot? Hop over to Instagram @AlmaHomes too, for more design tips and tricks!

Photography: Melissa Oholendt, Laura Rae Photography, Spacecrafting Photography, Sarah Olfelt Photo, Alma Homes