Like fashion, good style at home doesn’t come down to budget — it comes down to taste. In fact, we strongly believe that you can easily create a unique, luxurious home on a Home Goods budget with a little digging and a vision (and maybe a good DIY or two).

But, a few common faux pas can hold your aesthetic back — even with the best of intentions. Our designers believe that certain cookie-cutter items and design mishaps have a way of cheapening a home, regardless of actual money spent.

Ahead, Havenly designers get candid about what not to do if you’re looking to create a luxe, design-forward space — keep scrolling for their candid thoughts on cheap faux pas.

1. Builder-grade lighting

Let’s face it: builder-grade light fixtures are just begging to be upgraded, from kitchen island pendants to bathroom vanity fixtures and beyond. Swapping the plastic Home Depot drum light for something more eye-catching will help you create a more personalized, high-end look in your home. Don’t leave the $10 boob lights up for eternity — even a simple IKEA lantern pendant can make a space look more design-forward for as little as $5.

2. Too small area rugs

In our humble opinion, a four-by-six area rug floating between a sofa and accent chairs just screams “college house.” Thanks to brands like Wayfair, Overstock, Rugs USA, and more, you can get a beautiful eight-by-ten rug that will properly fit your space for just a few hundred dollars. Investing in a properly-sized area rug will ensure that your space feels cozy, warm, and most importantly, finished.

3. Matching furniture sets

We’ve said this before, and we’ll say it again: matching furniture sets — whether in the living room, bedroom, or basement — can easily make a room feel like a furniture superstore. Skip the matching sofa and accent chairs combo in favor of pieces that offer different shapes, silhouettes, and materials, like in the above living room. This contrast makes a space feel artful and unique, as opposed to cookie-cutter, and you can easily bring the look to life on a budget.

4. Cliche word art

5. Too small furniture

When decorating a home or apartment for the first time, the impulse to fill each room with smaller pieces of furniture is strong. For whatever reason, the plush accent chairs and sprawling sectionals just feel intimidating. But this approach often creates a problem with scale in which the furniture is disproportionately small compared to the size of the room. To solve the problem — and create a space that feels more lived-in and design-forward — we recommend investing in three properly-sized pieces of furniture instead of five small to medium-sized pieces, for example. The latter will always feel underwhelming and unfinished.

6. Small knick-knacks everywhere

Scale is important when buying decor, too. When styling a console table, for example, investing in two to three oversized pieces is a better use of your funds than buying up 10 cheap knick-knacks from the clearance table. Less is more! Practicing restraint when decorating will make each surface look elevated and thoughtful, as opposed to cluttered.

7. Faux materials and unnatural finishes

Yes, there is an inexpensive faux version of everything today, from marble bowls to wooden coffee tables and more. But unsurprisingly, some of these replicas look just as cheap as their price tag suggests. While we’re never above a good budget gem, the key is to find items that look expensive, but aren’t (hello, Home Goods and Target). While this requires a bit of digging, it’s 100% doable and always worth the extra time. Try to skip the gray faux-wood finishes and painted-on marble veining, and you’re golden.

Want expert advice on your own space, straight from an interior designer? Get started today with our style quiz.