Design Rules I Break Daily as an Interior Designer (And Why You Should Too)

Interior design has rules.

Lots of them.

And yes — I learned them, respect them, and then quietly ignore about half of them on a daily basis.

Because here’s the thing: some interior design rules are useful. Some are outdated. And some have been repeated so many times that people follow them without actually understanding why.

“Small rooms should always be light.”

“Everything needs to match.”

“Pick one interior style and stick to it.”

No wonder people get nervous about making the “wrong” choice.

As an interior designer, I don’t believe a beautifully styled home comes from blindly following a checklist. It comes from understanding why certain design principles work — and knowing when bending (or completely breaking) them will create a better result.

Because sometimes the thing your room needs most is for you to stop following the rules.

Here are five design rules I regularly break — and why your home might be better for it too.

1. “You Must Stick to One Interior Design Style”

Nope. Hard pass.

Homes that feel interesting are almost never completely one-note. They’re layered, personal and usually a little unexpected.

Most of us aren't walking around thinking, I am exclusively Modern Mediterranean and absolutely nothing else may enter my home.

You might love the simplicity of warm minimalism, the texture of Modern Cottage and that slightly battered vintage timber table you found years ago.

Good.

That mix is what gives a home personality.

What I do instead:

I mix interior design styles intentionally.

That might look like:

• Modern foundations
• Organic textures
• Warm timber
• Sculptural lighting
• A vintage or handmade piece
• Black accents for contrast

The important word here is intentionally.

Mixing styles doesn't mean throwing five completely unrelated aesthetics into a room and hoping they become friends.

Look for a common thread — colour, material, shape, proportion or finish — that connects everything.

That’s how you create a home that feels collected rather than copied from a catalogue.

Why you should break this rule:

Rigid style boxes can make a home feel flat.

Your home should reflect the things you genuinely love, not whether they technically belong under the same Pinterest search term.

And if you're mixing old and new? Even better. Those slightly unexpected combinations are often what make an interior memorable.

2. “Everything Has to Match”

Matching is safe.

Coordinating is elevated.

There is a difference.

Perfectly matching furniture suites, identical timber finishes, matching cushions and the exact same metal repeated on every fixture can make a space feel more showroom than home.

And we've all seen the bedroom suite.

Bed. Two bedside tables. Tallboy. Dresser.

Same timber. Same handles. Same everything.

We can do better.

What I do instead:

I look for connection, not sameness.

Think:

• Repeating tones rather than identical colours
• Complementary timber finishes rather than matching furniture
• Different textures within the same neutral palette
• Mixed metal finishes used intentionally
• Repeated shapes or materials to create rhythm

You still want cohesion — you just don't need everything wearing the same uniform.

For example, if you've chosen brushed brass in your lighting, you don't automatically need brass tapware, brass handles, brass door hardware and a brass mirror.

Repeat it somewhere? Absolutely.

Put it everywhere because someone told you metals have to match?

No.

Why you should break this rule:

Variation creates depth.

When everything matches perfectly, nothing gets the opportunity to stand out.

A well-designed room should feel connected without looking like you bought the entire thing as a package deal.

Related: If mixing finishes makes you nervous, read our guide to mixing metals in interior design — because yes, you absolutely can mix brass, black, nickel and bronze without creating chaos.

3. “Small Spaces Must Stay Light and White”

This one gets people every time.

Yes, light colours can help a small space feel brighter.

But that doesn't mean every small bedroom, powder room, media room or hallway needs to be painted white in the hope that it will magically gain another ten square metres.

Sometimes a small room should simply be allowed to feel intimate.

What I do instead:

When decorating small spaces, I'll happily use:

• Mid to darker paint colours
• Moody artwork
• Texture-heavy finishes
• Oversized pieces
• Layered lighting
• Strong contrast

The trick is considering the whole room.

If you're using a deeper wall colour, balance it with thoughtful lighting, mirrors, warm materials and enough visual breathing room.

And don't automatically assume small room = small everything.

One substantial piece of furniture or oversized artwork can often make a compact room feel more considered than lots of tiny pieces scattered around it.

Why you should break this rule:

Dark doesn't automatically equal cramped. Flat design does.

A small room with depth, warmth and atmosphere can feel incredibly luxurious.

I'd take a beautifully moody powder room over a tiny white box with one lonely hand towel any day.

4. “Black Is Too Harsh for Interiors”

If black feels harsh, it's usually not the black that's the problem.

It's the balance around it.

Black is one of my favourite tools for creating contrast in neutral interiors because it gives the eye somewhere to land.

It grounds.

It defines.

It can make everything around it look more intentional.

What I do instead:

I use black strategically through things like:

• Sculptural lighting
• Mirror frames
• Artwork
• Furniture details
• Hardware
• Decorative objects
• Window frames or architectural details

Then I soften it with warm materials — timber, linen, stone, ceramics and tactile textiles.

You don't need black everywhere.

In fact, please don't.

A few deliberate moments are often much more effective than turning every fixture in the house matte black.

Why you should break this rule:

Without enough contrast, neutral interiors can start to float.

Black adds structure and gives all those creams, taupes, warm whites and timbers something to work against.

It's essentially punctuation for your room.

And just like punctuation, you don't need an exclamation mark after every sentence.

Want to introduce more contrast? Start with something easy to change, like black lighting, a statement mirror, artwork or sculptural décor, rather than committing to permanent finishes throughout the entire house.

5. “Design Rules Are More Important Than How a Room Feels”

This is the biggest one. You can technically get everything “right” and still create a room that doesn't work.

The correct rug size.

The recommended furniture spacing.

The perfectly centred artwork.

The approved colour combination.

Lovely. But if nobody wants to actually sit in the room? 

We've missed the point.

What I do instead:

I design for how a space is actually used, not simply how it's “supposed” to look.

That means considering:

• Furniture that works for real life
• Layouts that prioritise movement and flow
• Lighting that suits how the room is used
• Storage where people actually need it
• Styling that doesn't make everyday life harder
• Pieces that feel personal rather than simply fashionable

This is also why I don't believe every surface needs to be perfectly styled.

Your coffee table is allowed to hold a coffee.

Your kitchen bench is allowed to look like somebody occasionally cooks there.

Your home is not a display suite.

Why you should break this rule:

Because good interior design has to function before it photographs well.

You live there.

Not Pinterest.

Not Instagram.

You.

So, Should You Ignore Interior Design Rules Completely?

Not quite.

There are design principles I use constantly — proportion, scale, balance, repetition, contrast, rhythm and spatial planning all exist for very good reasons.

The difference is understanding them rather than blindly following them.

That's where experience comes in.

When I break a design rule, I'm not ignoring design principles altogether. I'm looking at the room and deciding whether following that particular “rule” will actually create the best result.

Sometimes it will.

Sometimes it absolutely won't.

And knowing the difference is where good design happens.

The Real Design Rule I Follow

Know the rules. Then decide which ones actually serve your space.

Design isn't about perfection.

It's about intention, confidence and creating a home that feels like somewhere you genuinely want to come back to every day.

Mix the styles.

Use the oversized artwork.

Paint the tiny room dark.

Mix your metals.

Put black in your beige room.

If it creates better balance, function and personality, you've probably made the right call.

Because the best homes aren't rule-followers.

They're thoughtfully rebellious.

Want to Style Your Home With a Little More Confidence?

This philosophy sits behind everything I do at Mirra Interiors — from the pieces I select for our store to the spaces I design for clients.

If your home feels a little too safe, too matchy or simply unfinished, you don't necessarily need to start again. Sometimes one great piece, a little more contrast or a different approach to scale is enough to completely shift the room.

Explore our curated collections of lighting, mirrors, artwork, rugs and modern home décor to find pieces that add texture, contrast and personality without adding unnecessary clutter.

And if you're stuck between “I think this works” and “I need an interior designer to tell me whether I've completely lost the plot”, you don’t have to figure it all out yourself.

Whether you’re building, renovating or pulling together the finishing details of your home, our Interior Design Services take the overwhelm out of the decisions and give you a clear, cohesive direction for your space.

Because breaking the rules is much easier when you have an interior designer who knows which ones were worth following in the first place.