6 Subtle Décor Mistakes That Make Your Home Feel Cluttered

Everyone’s prone to a design fumble now and then. Sometimes it’s a paint color gone horribly wrong or perhaps a couch that looks great but is just awful to sit on. In some cases, that décor mistake can inadvertently make a space feel cluttered.

If your space feels busy and you aren’t quite sure why, one of these common décor missteps could be the cause. 

Using Too Many Small Items

A sweet figurine there, a small bowl there ... These small décor items are essential when outfitting a space and infusing it with a dollop of your own charisma, but too many tiny trinkets can lead to a cluttered feel fast, says interior designer Jennifer Pacca. "I like to edit my decor and accessories," she says. "I typically opt for fewer, larger items rather than a lot of smaller pieces taking up the same visual space. It creates a cleaner, more intentional look." 

Not Editing Your Surfaces

In that same vein, it’s important to create curated vignettes that account for scope, scale, and your own connection to pieces. Consistently edit your space to include only items that you truly love, and give them space to breathe wherever they’re placed. "Try styling with fewer items and be intentional about what you display," says interior designer Irene Navarro of Stearns Navarro Interiors.

When items have room around them, the whole space feels more designed. "A good rule of thumb is to group a few items together with varying heights and visual weights, like a vase and a small stack of books with a small plant on top," Navarro says. "Then, leave some open space around the grouping."

Not Having an Anchor

Scale comes into play here, too. The best-designed rooms incorporate items of all sizes and textures. A simple strategy for pulling this off is having a single anchor in the room and then designing around it.

Maybe it’s a gorgeous fireplace that stretches to the ceiling, a stellar couch with sculptural appeal, a piece of framed art, or a uniquely shaped coffee table. Whatever the case, the goal is to allow this focal point to shine above all else while incorporating other details that complement the feature. 

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Going Overboard with Symmetry

This may go against what you've heard in the past, but symmetry isn’t always the best path forward. Navarro says that when every piece of décor is in matching pairs, the space can feel forced, overly staged, and even a little sterile. And yes, it can actually make a room feel more cluttered. 

“The eye gets bored when everything is the same, and the room starts to feel busy in a very uniform way,” she explains. “A little asymmetry makes a space feel more natural, more relaxed, and more like a home that evolved over time instead of one that was decorated all at once from a catalog.” 

Hammering the Color Palette

Using too many colors (and over-repeating them) can cause visual overwhelm, which can read as clutter. For example, Pacca says that if your color scheme is cream, green, black, and grey, you shouldn’t make every item one of those hues. "Instead, let one main element like artwork or a rug tie everything together," Pacca suggests. "Then keep other decorative pieces simpler, using solids or patterns that feature just one or two of those colors, like a cream and black patterned pillow."

Filling Every Single Space

Designers understand how to incorporate the right amount of negative space, which gives the room the ability to "breathe" without feeling cold and empty. When mantels, consoles, shelves, and walls are packed with too many items, the space instantly starts to feel cluttered instead of styled.

Resist the urge to overfill. Pacca says, "You don’t have to fill every wall in your home with art or furniture. Negative space is just as important as positive space. The eye needs a place to rest as it moves around the room."