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Homes & Gardens
Homes & Gardens
Julia Demer

I asked designers what they regret buying so far this year – these are the 2025 shopping mistakes they urged me not to make

Ashley Tisdale x Rugs USA blush toned wool rug anchors a sleek wooden dining table and modern chair set in a sunlit dining room.

Even the most design-literate among us get it wrong now and again. An of-the-moment sofa may have looked great – that is, until it met real life. Or a budget appliance that seemed like a smart save, unceremoniously sputtering out by week three. Taste evolves, pragmatism proves underrated, but sometimes regret gets there first.

So, halfway through 2025, I asked five designers: which home buys do they already wish they hadn’t made?

Their answers range from common interior design trend traps to the surprisingly superfluous – proof that even the pros sometimes fall for the wrong thing. But these aren’t just cautionary tales. Think of them as course-correctors, nudging us toward what actually works.

You don’t always know what you want until you live with what you don’t. Lucky for us, they already did. Below, the home decor pieces designers say didn’t deliver – and what they wish they’d bought instead.

Pale, precious ottomans

(Image credit: Jonathan Adler)

‘I ordered a linen slipcovered ottoman in a pale oatmeal tone for our bedroom, thinking it would bring some softness and texture,’ explains Jade Joyner, principal designer at Metal + Petal, an interior design firm headquartered in Athens, GA. What it brought instead? ‘Stress,’ she quips.

‘It showed every footprint, crumb, and dog’s wet paw within the first week. Beautiful? Yes. Livable? Not even a little.’ Jade wishes she had gone with an ottoman in a darker performance fabric, 'or better yet, something vintage with a little patina already baked in,’ she explains.

Foreign-made teak tables

(Image credit: Terrain)

‘I don’t typically shop at RH, but we made an exception for a teak outdoor coffee table that was exactly the right size for our seating area. Big mistake!’ says Jennifer Jones, principal designer at San Francisco-based design firm Niche Interiors.

‘This table looked terrible just weeks after purchase,’ she laments, ‘with stains and uneven fading,’ adding, ‘Next time, I would invest in higher quality teak from products manufactured in the United States.’

Cheap vacuum cleaners

(Image credit: Bissell)

Conventional wisdom would suggest that luxury appliance brands like Dyson are hyped for a reason. We’ve all heard the legends – and deep down, we know better. But when it’s time to buy, do you really want to shell out hundreds on something as mundane as a vacuum? As the saying goes: buy it cheap, buy it twice.

That’s exactly what happened to Jacu Strauss, creative director at Lore Group. ‘I bought a cheaper vacuum cleaner and I regret it, so I am now getting a replacement Dyson. The best vacuum cleaners are worth the money!’ he says.

Insubstantial sofa upholsteries

(Image credit: Simon Brown)

‘I purchased a mohair velvet effect sofa that has sadly been ruined over time,’ shares Franky Rousell, Founder and CEO of Jolie, a firm that focuses on sensory design to enhance wellbeing.

‘Sure, it looks beautiful, but it just isn’t worth the investment in my opinion. Sometimes, it is better to go for a sturdy, tried and true fabric option for furniture that gets such frequent use!’

Custom-made rugs

(Image credit: Nordic Knots)

‘One of my biggest regrets this year was ordering a custom-made rug,’ shares Niki Cheng, NYC-based designer and co-founder of 18th Street Design Collective. Custom, as she learned, is a gamble. ‘While the idea felt exciting and tailored, the reality was less glamorous,’ she says. ‘The lead time was long, the price was steep, and worst of all – there were no returns if it didn’t work in the space.’

The risk is all yours. ‘In hindsight, I’ve found that many pre-made rugs are just as beautiful, far more affordable, and available without the wait,’ she says. ‘Unless it’s for a highly specific need, I’d choose ready-made every time.’

Sterile garden furniture

(Image credit: Future)

The outdoor furniture trends of 2025 are similar to the indoor ones in that everyone is loving a more lived-in, vintage style. So when Jacu Strauss purchased a brand new stone bench for his backyard, hoping to create a natural, weathered look, he knew he had made a mistake.

‘I bought new stone garden benches, and while they’re fine, I think I’d have preferred weathered, vintage ones instead,’ he notes. If you are after a vintage look, you can find plenty of outdoor pieces at thrift stores that can save you money and look the part. Stone is classic, but look out for wrought iron furniture too, this is very on trend this summer.

Hopefully, you’ve cleared the cart and made space for what actually works. While you’re still in a deinfluencing mood, discover the things designers say you don't need to buy on Amazon – and what’s worth checking out instead.

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