According to experts
These things in your home are a waste of money
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Quality has its price. Some things are worth investing in – others are not. Two design experts reveal what we often spend too much money on within our four walls.
Your first apartment is often a more or less well-matched mix of bargains Furniture discounter and discarded pieces from mom and great aunt Gerda. The older we get, the more we discover our own living style. We know what type of furniture, what colors and what materials we like and ensure that we feel comfortable in our rooms. We start to spend more money on a piece of furniture, maybe even save up for something special.
But there are some pieces of furniture and home accessories for which it’s not worth opening your bags wide. Interior designers Amanda Foster and Marcia Bryan explain to “Apartment Therapy” what is usually not worth its price.
3 things in your home that experts say you spend too much money on
1. Trend furniture
Anyone who is interested in interior design often follows the latest interior trends with interest. However, according to Amanda Foster, we should think carefully about which pieces we rely on short-lived trends for: “This neon green fake fur chair may be very Instagrammable today,” says the living expert. “But will it also fit into our facility in the long term?” According to Foster, we should prefer timeless pieces, especially when it comes to larger pieces of furniture, and live out our love of trends with accessories that we can replace regularly.
2. Custom-made window privacy screens
A big nuisance, especially when we rent an apartment or house, can be individual window dimensions. Because they often literally force us to buy custom-made pleats, roller blinds or blinds. According to interior designer Marcia Bryan, this investment is often not even worth it. “Windows can look great even with inexpensive privacy options,” says the interior design expert. “Online shops like Amazon often offer good options that are suitable for most window dimensions.” And if we do it ourselves, the roller blind or pleated blind can quickly fit into our windows with special dimensions.
3. Mass produced images
Very few of us can afford expensive works of art when we are young – and probably later. But we usually still want something nice on the walls. Images that fit well with our interior, that mean something to us, that trigger something in us. According to Amanda Foster, many of us make the mistake of resorting to mass-produced prints, which often don’t cost that much. “This generic standard image is probably hanging on half the walls in your neighborhood,” says the interior design expert. “Our home should tell a unique story, not the same story as everyone else.” Foster recommends saving up for more customized pieces and using personalized images that don’t have to be expensive, rather than spending our money on the tenth standard print.