Mistake: Foregoing zoning.
In large, open rooms, bring order by establishing zones for different activities: a seating arrangement for conversations and TV-watching, and a work area with a desk or table for homework, paperwork and art projects, for example. Set up your space according to your needs, rather than the labels a builder may have assigned.
Mistake: Beds that partially block a window.
A bed that peeks over a window frame looks odd from the street and can lead to uneven fading. However, what if it’s the only place for your bed? Make it look better with these tricks: hang floor-length curtain panels that fall behind the headboard and block the back of the headboard from the window, or install top-down, bottom-up shades, which will allow light to come in but be a backdrop for the protruding headboard edges. If your style is modern, go with a platform bed with a headboard that’s low enough to fit beneath the window trim. You can also install an entire wall of curtains as a fabric backdrop.