7 Accessories That Designers Say Make Living Rooms Look Tacky

After you pick out your couch, rug, coffee table and (maybe) media cabinet in a living room, it’s time to accessorize. But some decorate accents have become tacky and overdone, and it can be easy to go overboard with them on living room mantels, bookcases, end tables, and more.

To help you create a refined-yet-complete living room look, designers gave us the scoop on the accessories that they think make living rooms look tacky. Here are the seven styling, decor, and furnishing culprits—and how to avoid them during your last decorating step.

A Rug That’s Too Small

“If you choose a rug that’s only a bit larger than your coffee table, the rug will look like it doesn’t have a purpose,” says Zandra Zuraw, holistic design-focused author and podcast host.

To prevent this tacky design mistake, Zuraw shares her rule of thumb for choosing a rug for the living room: Make sure at least the front feet of all seating furniture is on the area rug.

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Artwork That’s Too Small

Victoria Holly, the founder of Victoria Holly interiors, says wall art that’s too small is also a no-go.

When you use art that’s too small, one of two things happens: The space looks bare, or people compensate for its insufficient size by supplementing it with additional pieces, which only looks cluttered.

Unconsidered Family Photos

Family photos make a house feel like a home, but the way they are displayed (and the photos selected) can be the difference between a personalized and a tacky living room.

For one, Zuraw says candid shots will always look more artistic than posed photos.

And she prefers cohesive frames and a curated gallery wall “rather than just scattering photos wherever they land,” she says.

An Overhead Light as the Only Source of Lighting

Zuraw shares that one of the most common mistakes people make is relying on a single source of light, specifically an overhead light.

“Overhead lighting is the least flattering on everyone’s faces, so either opt out of a ceiling fixture altogether, or buy one [with a] shape and material you really like, and keep the light on low using a dimmer,” Zuraw says.

Ideally, you should layer floor and table lamps—this allows you to control brightness and ambience.

An Excess of Accessories

“I am all for the eclectic look—mixing styles can be beautiful when done well, but too many competing design motifs can make a room feel disjointed and messy,” interior designer Tamera Gamble, owner of Arranged Space, says.

There’s also such a thing as too few accessories, but the goal is “to ensure every piece feels like it belongs,” Gamble says.

The designer says that an excess of accessories that range from modern to farmhouse to glam results in a space that loses its identity and becomes what she calls an “HGTV salad.”

“When in doubt, remove rather than add; The most sophisticated rooms are often the most edited,” Gamble says.

Faux Plants

Faux plants may require zero maintenance, but designers say they can make your living room look tacky.

Zuraw says even with the most expensive faux plants, you can immediately tell they’re artificial.

If you like the organic shapes plants introduce, instead of resorting to a tacky artificial plants, Zuraw suggests trying driftwood, dried grasses, cut branches, seashells, rocks, or crystals.

Artificial Materials and Faux Finishes

Speaking of faux materials, faux finishes like fake marble or spray painted gold for brass can look tacky.

“Fake stone, high-gloss laminate, and imitation finishes tend to read flat and dated because they lack depth and variation,” Holly says.

Additionally, Holly warns that using accessories with overly trendy finishes—such as uniform satin or brushed brass—can feel forced.

Instead, she suggests inviting warmth and authenticity into a living room through natural materials like wood, wool, linen, stone, and leather. She also recommends a mix of finishes and materials that develop a patina over time.