Joanna Gaines Urges You To Avoid This Common Design Trap

Designing your home — whether you're building from scratch, remodeling, or just updating a room — can be intimidating. No one understands this better than design guru and HGTV personality Joanna Gaines. Whether she's using tile instead of paint to liven up an accent wall or finding budget-friendly ways to enhance a living space, Gaines is known for developing modern designs that speak to a homeowner's personal tastes. So, when it comes time to get cracking on your renovation, there is one common design trap Gaines urges you to avoid.

In an interview with Domino, Gaines states: "It's fun to get inspired when you're looking online or in magazines, but I also think it's important to recognize, 'Hey, none of this should look like my home,' because who we are, authentically, and what we love should look different from everyone else." The trap, as Gaines sees it, is trying to force a home into a single, specific style. In reality, that approach ignores the fact that everyone has their own evolving design preferences. 

"It makes it feel more like you if your home has three or four different styles," she says. Ultimately, the goal is to design a home that tells your specific story — and that means a willingness to break the rules a little.

There are many different ways to bring a modern and fresh look to your living spaces. For Gaines, however, you don't need to play by any rulebook to achieve the designs you want. Writing for her Magnolia blog, she explains: "Whatever home you find yourself in now, I want you to own it. Dream about it. Make it matter for everyone you share it with ... [make] it a place that celebrates the personalities of everyone who lives there."

To do this, Gaines recommends starting with the basics. Small changes here and there can make a huge impact. Choose a different paint shade for your kitchen cabinets to make them look luxe, or add throw pillows or blankets to your couch or armchairs. These small choices can make an entire space look refreshed. Gaines also suggests surrounding yourself with meaningful objects. Use your grandfather's old travel trunk as a side table. Hang photos of family members on the walls. But don't succumb to adding meaningless decor just to fill a space — that only creates clutter.

These two suggestions alone can help you realize that your home design doesn't need to conform to a single style. More than anything else, Gaines emphasizes that home design can be a personalized blend of multiple styles. So run with that idea and see where it leads.