WHEN it comes to renovating, it's all too easy to splash the cash achieving your dream look – and before you know it, you've spent a small fortune.
So if you're looking to decorate your home any time soon, you may just want to take note…because according to an interior designer named Holly Cotton, there are six things you should definitely not be spending your money on.
Here, she's spoken exclusively to Fabulous Digital and revealed what's really a waste of money.
And it's not good news if you've snapped yourself up a white rug or bargain towels…
White rugs
Holly, who is the in-house interior designer at Terrys, explains that unless you’re a household which is religious about taking shoes off at the front door, a white rug is a "recipe for disaster."
She continues: "A hallway runner will undoubtedly accrue all the usual muck of people coming in from outside, a living room brings with it the risk of red wine and the bedroom runs the risk of make up stains.
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"Irrespective of how clinically you clean your home, there will always be wear and tear – and nothing shows it like a white rug."
Instead, she recommends purchasing a colourful, patterned rug that will help to conceal any marks much more effectively.
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Flimsy curtains
Holly explains that in her experience, thin and lightweight curtains are only a wise choice if you’ve also used blackout blinds on the same window.
The interior design whizz warns that otherwise you’ll never be able to block out light, which she says can be annoying in living rooms (watching your own reflection as opposed to the latest BBC drama) and bedrooms (dawn wake ups beckon).
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She adds: "I much prefer a statement curtain – whether you go for texture with velvet, or pattern with a contemporary floral, a dependable pair of curtains will last you decades – whether you move on to a new home or just switch them between rooms."
Porous plant pots
The interior design guru notes that on several occasions she's bought stunning plant pots home to discover that they leak.
"This has resulted in stained kitchen worktops and coffee tables, which are a really expensive inconvenience to resurface, or replace outright," she says.
"Cement, ceramic and terracotta plant pots are often actually porous – so even if there isn’t a hole in the base of the pot, water can still get through."
She goes on to say that prolonged contact can result in the discoloration of wood and stone, and even warp laminate flooring.
Beautiful but uncomfortable furniture
"The chaise lounge might look incredible, but do you ever actually sit on it?" Holly asks.
"Unless you live in a palace, choosing furniture for the aesthetic alone just isn’t practical."
The interior design whizz goes onto advise that if you want to make a design statement, add bright scatter cushions and cosy throws to accessorise a comfortable couch.
Holly adds that it's a much better option than forking out on something you’ll never be able to snuggle up on.
"So choose comfort first and thank me come winter," she adds.
Designer paint
Whilst many designer paint brands boast a gorgeous selection of colours, they can also be very expensive.
Holly explains that obviously, if you’re painting a small area or a piece of furniture, this doesn’t pose a huge issue.
However, she points out that spending a lot to paint your hallway, kitchen, bathroom or a similarly high-traffic, high-mess room is a complete waste of money.
"You’ll spend hours retouching and a fortune replacing tin after tin," the home interior pro explains.
"It’s far savvier to choose a shade and get it mixed by a more affordable brand – plenty of which offer this service now."
Cheap towels
The interior design guru warns that: "Buy cheap, buy twice."
She explains that after a few washes they’ll dry hard, fade and feel the opposite of the fluffy hotel towels we all love.
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"Investing in quality towels might seem a pricey commitment, but they’ll last years and make a beautiful addition to your bathroom," Holly says.
"If you want to upgrade your bathroom, without the cost of redecorating, a gorgeous set of designer towels can make a great difference to the look and feel of your bathroom, without any decorating hassle."
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