You walk into a room and finally think, “That’s it. I’ve had it with this room: it’s time for a makeover.” So you eagerly head to the home décor section of Pinterest and start a frenzied pinning all of the beautiful rooms that you are drawn to. Then that terrible moment of realizations hits – you are not, in fact, a millionaire, and can’t afford to dump your life savings into a room redesign. But you don’t have to. By avoiding these mistakes, you can create a budget friendly space the first try and avoid expensive redesigns.

1.Buying an Uncomfortable Sofa

It sounds crazy right? The idea of an uncomfortable sofa, but guess what? They are out there. Don’t assume that a couch will be comfortable. Make sure that you take a moment to sit in it first. Does it have the right level of firmness that you desire? What about arm rests? Are you for or against them? A sofa can be one of the most expensive pieces of furniture you’ll ever buy so it is important to get it right. If you must buy online, then be sure to look for reviews from previous buyers.

Protip: Make sure you measure the couch before you purchase. It would be a shame to buy the perfect couch and not have it fit through your doorway.

2. The Wrong Wallpaper

We’ve all seen it. Wallpaper gone wrong. I’m sure that orange and brown flower pattern was all the rage in the 70’s but now, not so much. If you decide that flower pattern is a little too groovy for you and you want to replace it, make sure your new selection works in the room. Just because you love it in the store does not mean that it is a good fit for your particular space. Wallpaper can be quite expensive to purchase and if you don’t like it, pricey to remove. If you decide to remove it yourself removal can be a long, painful process. It can be between 55 cents to $1.50 a square foot to remove, so choose carefully. Don’t blow your budget on wallpaper that might go out of style.

Protip: You don’t need to do an entire room in wallpaper. Sometimes a single accent wall can be a more cost effective way to achieve a similar look.

3. Poor Lighting

Not having enough light can cause any home to feel like a cave, but there is more to it than that. Having poor lighting is not just an issue of ambiance but can also lead to eye strain, headaches, low mood, and poor concentration. Your home should be a haven, and not a place that causes you stress. So when considering lighting don’t just go for the fixtures that look nice. Consider all your needs for that particular room, not just how it will affect your décor.

Protip: Mix different types of lighting for the best feel. Try using ambient, task, and accent lights to complete your room.

4. A Bad Paint Color

A cheaper alternative to using wallpaper in a room is paint. Yes it can be more cost effective, but not if you have to repaint due to a poor color choice. Don’t fall in love with a specific shade that is hard to match. Find a few signature furniture pieces that you like first, then find a paint color to match them. It saves on the trauma of painting the walls a specific color and then not being able to find any furniture to match. Select paint chips and bring them home to determine the best choice for your style.

Protip: Bring the paint chips home and leave them on the wall all day. Lighting changes throughout the day and this will help you make sure they you love the color all day, in all lighting.

5. Choosing the Wrong Fabric

So you have that one piece of furniture that you love, but it just won’t fit with your new room. After a little research, you find an upholsterer near you and decide it’s the perfect solution to your furniture problem. Now the fun part, deciding on fabric. Be sure to look at the material you are choosing and whether it matches up with your lifestyle. Yes that white tufted reading chair would look stunning, but maybe not the best choice for a family with 4 small children. Reupholstering can cost just as much as buying a new piece of furniture so make sure the fabric you choose is something you will love for a while.

Protip: Be sure to check the finish on your upholstery fabric. Many have chemical finishes that will tell you about the durability of the fabric.

6. Rushing the Process

Redesigning a room can be a lengthy process. Don’t settle for items that you don’t love just to have your room finished. You’ll just spend more money on replacing those pieces in the long run. Great design takes a while and often requires some refining before you have the perfect combination.

Protip: When searching for items to place in your room don’t buy everything from the same store. It can be much more expensive than finding pieces from different stores and cultivating your own design.

Now that you have your design ideas (thank you Pinterest,) and a plan to avoid some common mistakes, you can get to the fun part. Don’t forget to only buy products you love, be sure to test what you can before you purchase, and take as much time as you need. Take these helpful tips and confidently dive into your room redesign.