We’ve been all sucked into an Instagram ad or tempted to click ‘add to basket’ when a video with a message that is all too relatable appears on our social media homepage.
Advertising has just improved, or we have been stuck indoors for most of the last two years. We all have stories and regrets about things we bought.
These five designers reveal the items that they regret purchasing.
Abstract Line Art
It’s okay to have good artwork on your wall if you like it, if it fits your decor, reflects your personality, is affordable, and if you want it there for the long term.
For many, buying a work of art is a big decision. Mackenzie Rifkin – Senior Luxe Designer for Modsy – quickly realized this.
She says, “I bought a black-and-white abstract line art just a few months ago.” I love seeing pieces like this in other people’s houses, but it doesn’t feel the same. It has no meaning to me personally, and I would fill up my wall space (one-bedroom apartment here!) with more unique/one-of-a-kind pieces. “I’d rather fill my precious wall space (one-bedroom apt here) with unique/one-of-a-kind pieces.”
Sometimes, the latest trends need to be clarified for the apartment. Or, worse yet, they do not match you as an individual.
A “Selfie” Light
Christiane Lemieux, a designer at Anthropologie, knows all about Instagram ads.
She says: “[I purchased] one of those ‘Selfie Lights,’ for Zoom and Instagram Live,” and “I used it two times and then ashamed myself for being concerned about my virtual illumination.” Maybe I need to be more Canadian or Millennial to care! “It was large, ugly, and unwieldy for my office.”
A Wingback Chair
Bret Sundberg is the Director of Design for Guest House. She shares her regrets about buying a wingback Chair.
I recently purchased a leather wingback for my living area. She says that although it looked large and plush on the internet, it was too bulky, tall, and upright in real life to be an accent chair. It’s one piece that makes a fun statement and looks excellent in staging, but there are better choices for comfort.
Sundberg: “I wish I had gone with something like a large bench or ottoman to fill up the space and still allow it to feel spacious.” The wingback chairs also cut the room off dramatically.
Modified Glass Table Lamp
Karina Lameraner is a Creative Marketing Stylist for Modsy, and she shares her experience with a Lamp that didn’t fit in her room.
She says, “I was too quick to adopt the trend before I considered other elements in my house.” “It just felt ‘off,’ because I don’t have similar elements in my home such as curves or that’mod vibe’!”