{"id":853,"date":"2025-08-14T20:54:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T20:54:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/?p=853"},"modified":"2025-08-14T20:54:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T20:54:52","slug":"controversial-home-design-choices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/?p=853","title":{"rendered":"5 Controversial Design Choices I\u2019d Make Again (and Why You Might Want to Too)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Every home tells a story \u2014 and sometimes the best chapters are the ones that break the so-called \u201cdesign rules.\u201d
Over the years, I\u2019ve made a few choices that might make a \u201creal designer\u201d clutch their pearls\u2026 but here\u2019s the thing: these decisions have brought so much function, personality, and joy to my home. And I wouldn\u2019t change a single one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever felt torn between following design trends and following your heart (and budget), I hope this inspires you to make your space truly yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Installing a \u201cPut-It-Together-Yourself\u201d Murphy Bed<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Custom Murphy beds can cost thousands, but I opted for an IKEA-style version I could assemble myself. Not only did it save a ton of money, but it completely transformed my guest room\/home office. It\u2019s functional, beautiful, and has allowed the room to work double duty without sacrificing style.
Why I love it:<\/strong> Maximum functionality for a fraction of the cost, plus it\u2019s renter-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click Here to Shop my Murphy Bed<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click Here to Shop My Murphy Bed<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Click Here to Shop the Rest of the Room<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Black<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Black<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2. Building Outdoor Furniture from Free Pallets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Instead of buying a pricey outdoor sectional, I repurposed free pallets into a cozy corner seating area. With a little sanding, staining, and some comfy cushions, it\u2019s become one of our favorite hangout spots.
Why I love it:<\/strong> It\u2019s been durable for years, cost almost nothing, and feels like a true DIY win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click Here to Shop My Porch<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\"DIY<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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3. Using \u201cWood Paint\u201d on a Particle Board Bench<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This sad grey particle board bench in our entryway wasn\u2019t fooling anyone\u2026 until I gave it a faux wood makeover with paint. Now it looks high-end, and most guests don\u2019t believe it\u2019s the same piece.
Why I love it:<\/strong> Budget-friendly transformation that instantly elevated the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click Here to Shop the “Wood Paint”<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\"Brown<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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4. Switching Out Wall D\u00e9cor Seasonally<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gallery walls aren\u2019t just for permanent art! I swap mine with the seasons \u2014 from cozy fall prints to light and airy summer scenes. It keeps the space feeling fresh and lets me showcase more of the art and thrifted finds I love.
Why I love it:<\/strong> Small change, big impact \u2014 and it scratches my itch for seasonal decorating without overhauling the whole room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click Here to Shop my Living Room<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\"Cozy<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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5. Choosing Laminate Countertops in My Kitchen<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Would I love marble? Absolutely. Could I afford marble? Not so much. Laminate gave me the look I wanted at a fraction of the cost, and it\u2019s been incredibly easy to maintain. Plus, it freed up budget for other home upgrades.
Why I love it:<\/strong> Thousands saved, zero regrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click Here to Shop my Kitchen<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\"Neutral<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, your home should be a reflection of you<\/em> \u2014 not a set of outdated design rules. If a choice makes you happy, works for your lifestyle, and fits your budget, it\u2019s the right choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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budget-friendly home design, DIY furniture ideas, Murphy bed for small spaces, pallet outdoor furniture, faux wood paint project, seasonal gallery wall ideas, affordable kitchen countertops, laminate countertop pros and cons, cozy home decorating, eclectic home style.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every home tells a story \u2014 and sometimes the best chapters are the ones that break the so-called \u201cdesign rules.\u201dOver the years, I\u2019ve made a few choices that might make a \u201creal designer\u201d clutch their pearls\u2026 but here\u2019s the thing: these decisions have brought so much function, personality, and joy to my home. And I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":662,"featured_media":854,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[891,892,870,341,45,894,886,872,873,860,877,890,869,857,875,864,853,859,863,882,38,887,861,865,874,866,880,653,881,858,897,9,889,888,868,855,4,895,856,862,899,900,898,871,893,867,896,879,885,65,854,884,878,876,500,901,883],"class_list":["post-853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shop-my-home","tag-affordable-countertop","tag-affordable-countertops","tag-affordable-home-design-hacks","tag-amazon-finds","tag-amazon-home-finds","tag-bookshelf","tag-budget-friendly","tag-budget-friendly-decorating","tag-budget-friendly-home-improvement-ideas","tag-budget-friendly-kitchen-design","tag-cheap-home-makeover-ideas","tag-coutnertops","tag-cozy-home-inspiration","tag-cozy-living-room-decor","tag-diy-furniture-makeover","tag-diy-murphy-bed","tag-diy-murphy-bed-ikea-hack-ideas-diy-pallet-furniture-diy-outdoor-sectional-painted-furniture-makeover-faux-wood-paint-project-gallery-wall-ideas-seasonal-wall-decor-laminate-countertop-makeover","tag-diy-outdoor-sectional","tag-diy-pallet-furniture","tag-easy-weekend-home-projects","tag-eclectic-home-style","tag-entryway","tag-entryway-organization-ideas","tag-faux-wood-paint-project","tag-functional-home-design","tag-gallery-wall-ideas","tag-home-decor-on-a-budget","tag-home-decor-wishlist","tag-home-projects-to-increase-functionality","tag-ikea-hack-ideas","tag-interior-design","tag-kitchen","tag-laminate-counter-tops","tag-laminate-counters","tag-laminate-countertop-makeover","tag-multifunctional-guest-room-ideas","tag-murphy-bed","tag-murphy-bed-bookshelf","tag-outdoor-living-spaces","tag-painted-furniture-makeover","tag-pallet-couch","tag-pallet-furniture","tag-porch","tag-rule-breaking-interior-design","tag-seasonal-decor","tag-seasonal-wall-decor","tag-sliding-bookshelf","tag-small-home-decorating-tips","tag-small-rooms","tag-small-space-guest-room-tips","tag-small-space-solutions","tag-space-saving","tag-space-saving-furniture-ideas","tag-stylish-storage-solutions","tag-traditional-home-decor","tag-viral-amazon-finds","tag-wall-bed"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/662"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=853"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":865,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853\/revisions\/865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}