Have you ever stood in the middle of your home and thought: 'Why does this look... blah?' Nothing is out of place, the renovations are long complete, yet the space you once felt excited about now feels flat, uninspiring, and a little off.
Perhaps you can relate, but after the joy and chaos of Christmas, I've found myself feeling a little despondent about my own home this January. Luckily for me, I have top designers on tap to help us.
Before we all pull some drastic redecorating stunt, I've asked the experts which questions they think you ought to ponder to help your home get its spark back. The good news is, this isn't a time to start over (or even start frantically shopping); all that's needed is a thoughtful reset to make your home feel more unique.
Here are five questions designers want you to ask yourself when your home isn't feeling as stylish as it once was.
5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Your Home Feels Uninspiring
When a home feels uninspiring, it’s tempting to jump straight to solutions – a new paint color, a different sofa, a late-night scroll that somehow ends in a full cart... but, by stepping back and asking a few pointed questions, the experts say you can uncover what’s really missing.
Designers agree that when a home stops feeling exciting, it’s rarely about a single bad decision and more about a mismatch between how you live, how your tastes or needs might've evolved, and what your space is reflecting back to you.
Consider the five questions below a check-in with your home, designed to help you see things more clearly before making any rash changes.
1. How Do I Want This Space to Feel When I Walk Into It?
Before thinking about room color ideas, layouts, or finishes, designers suggest starting with a far simpler question: What do you want to feel the moment you step inside?
Jeanne Hayes, founder of Camden Grace Interiors, recommends beginning with emotion rather than aesthetics. 'If you're feeling uninspired in your spaces, first ask yourself: How do you want this space to FEEL when you walk into it? Is it calm, energized, cozy, creative, or welcoming?'
Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group also encourages homeowners to pay close attention to first impressions. 'When you walk into your home, what is the first thing you notice? Does it set the tone for the home?'
'Allow each piece to support your nervous system in the right way,' she advises. 'For the bedroom, you might want it to feel calmer and relaxed. Whereas the powder room should be like a big “HELLO, I’m a statement” and fun.'
2. Is My Home Telling MY Story?
If a home feels uninspiring, it may be because it’s stopped feeling personal. Spaces that lean too heavily on safe choices or trend-led decisions can quickly lose their uniqueness, leaving you with rooms that look nice enough, but don’t say much about the person living in them.
Jeanne Hayes suggests taking stock of what your home is actually communicating. 'Is this space telling YOUR story? Do you have art, photos, books, or travel finds that are unique to you – or does it feel generic?'
Alexis Vitale echoes this, adding: 'Does the home make you feel like you? Does it tell the story you want it to? Homes should change as you change and as your style changes. Sometimes the home is not who you were when you first decorated, and it’s time to really evolve.'
But, rather than assuming everything in your home needs to be replaced, Sean Symington suggests starting with an inventory of what you love. 'When a home stops feeling inspiring, I always suggest asking yourself whether you truly love what’s around you, which pieces hold real sentimental value, and what could simply be tweaked. Often moving things around, introducing something contemporary, or mixing old and new can give the space a completely fresh perspective.'
3. Does the Space Feel Flat Because it’s Missing Layers?
The bones of your home may be good, the furniture may even be beautiful, but without enough texture, contrast, and depth, a room can feel unfinished rather than intentional. And that's all created with layers.
Cath Beckett, co-founder of Yellow London, suggests starting by looking at how you’re using color and pattern. 'Something to consider if you feel your home is lacking a sense of inspiration is whether you are using pattern and color imaginatively,' she suggests.
'Opting for upholstery on sofas and armchairs that feels exciting and is visually interesting can lift a space that feels stagnant. In bathrooms and kitchens, it’s worth asking if there’s scope to introduce color through cabinetry, tiles, or textiles to create greater interest,' Cath advises. 'Key elements to look out for that can help your space feel inspiring are contrast, texture, and a sense of balance, which together can prevent a room from feeling flat.'
Jeanne Hayes also suggests that rooms often feel uninspiring when they’re missing key layers altogether. 'Are you missing layers? Rooms often feel uninspiring if they're under-layered and missing texture, lighting, color, art, window treatments, etc.'
4. Is the Problem the Room Itself – Or What I've Put Inside It?
When a space feels off, it’s easy to assume the room itself is to blame – the ceiling is too low, the layout is awkward, the proportions just aren’t right. But designers say the issue is more often what’s been placed inside the room, not the architecture itself.
Kailee Blalock of House of Hive Design Co. encourages homeowners to step back and reassess the fundamentals before assuming a bigger problem. 'Is it the foundation of the space, or is it what’s been placed inside it?', she asks. 'In many cases, the “issue” isn’t the architecture or the home itself, but rather the furniture, layout, and layering.'
She suggests asking yourself: 'Is the furniture the right scale for the room? Does the layout feel functional and balanced? Does the space feel finished, or does it still feel empty and unstyled?'
Scale, in particular, is a recurring culprit. Amy Courtney of Amy Courtney Design notes that rooms often feel “off” due to their size. 'Does the scale feel right?,' she asks. 'When a room feels off, it’s often not because the furniture is wrong – it’s because it’s too small for the space. This goes for rugs, too! Rooms feel their best when they’re properly filled and thoughtfully layered, rather than a space that feels sparse, even if the individual pieces are beautiful.'
Instead of writing off a room entirely, a few thoughtful changes like a larger rug, a reworked layout, or better-scaled furniture may be all it takes to make the space finally click.
5. Am I Being Fun Enough?
Designers often say that our homes are playing it too safe. When everything coordinates nicely but nothing truly stands out, a space can start to feel flat – pleasant, sure, but forgettable.
This is where the experts encourage everyone to have a little more fun, and avoid the things that are making your home look boring, such as matching furniture sets, a lack of color and personality, or cookie-cutter off-the-shelf decor that bears no personal meaning to yourself or your family.
For Molly Torres Portnof of DATE Interiors, bringing personality into a space can be as simple as allowing a sense of humor to show through. 'Ask yourself, how can I bring humor into my space? We love infusing humor into our work, adding little touches of personality to our clients' spaces,' she advises.
'Do your walls speak for themselves?' adds Alexia Vitale. 'Your walls should be alive with art pieces, pictures, and mirrors that bring the right energy to every room.'
Shop Characterful Home Decor
With its soft, on-trend lacquered finish, balloon feet, and tall, elegant proportions, this five-drawer dresser brings instant character to a bedroom. It’s the kind of piece that feels classic yet playful.
Printed on fine art paper to closely mimic the texture of the original painting, this expressive art print adds playfulness and mood to a space. It’s a great example of how art can inject personality and a sense of story into your home.
This softly scalloped metal frame adds a subtle decorative edge to your favorite snaps without overpowering what’s inside. Designed to hang vertically or horizontally, it’s an easy way to elevate photos or handwritten notes.
Upholstered in a soft gingham fabric with a tailored ruffle skirt, this accent chair by Shea McGee for Target blends comfort with character. The swivel base makes it as functional as it is charming for reading corners or bedrooms.
Hand-painted exclusively for Terrain, this enamel matchbox is a small but charming accent that adds personality to coffee tables or shelves. Filled with natural wood matches and finished with a side striker, it’s both practical and decorative.
A small artwork with big personality, this vibrant tomato piece by California-based artist Kenna Norris adds warmth, charm, and a lived-in feel. The texture of hand-embroidery adds extra depth to a kitchen wall.
Once you step back and ask the bigger questions about feeling, function, and personality, the smaller grievances tend to come into focus more clearly. As Jeanne points out, frustration can stem from very fixable issues – 'What consistently annoys you in the space? Lack of storage, poor lighting, awkward layout, or just “meh” vibes? All of these can be fixed!'
And if there’s one reassuring takeaway here, it’s that feeling uninspired by your home doesn’t mean you’ve failed at decorating – it usually means your space is craving a little more attention.
