Why Do We Repeat Design Ideas Over and Over?

Based on your own tastes, you can try out some different designs to serve as inspiration or models for the rest of your home!
Why Do We Repeat Design Ideas Over and Over?

Last update: 02 December, 2020

In the world of interior design, we usually resort to pre-established patterns and incorporate them into our homes. But it’s time to consider this age-old question – why do we repeat design ideas over and over?

Nowadays, we’re continually influenced by the internet, social media, magazines, advertising, and television. We see all kinds of examples on how to furnish a home, what accessories work well, which colors to use, and how to organize spaces.

Throughout your life, you receive information on different styles of decoration. Therefore, it’s not surprising that you imitate designs you’ve seen before in one way or another. These styles stay in your memory permanently.

Why don’t we innovate?

Innovative design ideas can add life to your living room.

As humans, we generally avoid innovation, but why? It’s a risk – which is something that we typically like to avoid. As a result, we stick with design ideas that we’re already are familiar with.

We leave it to the professionals to try out new ideas and dynamically change the aesthetics of interior design. However, people who don’t have training in this area don’t usually have the qualities to guarantee the success of new ideas.

Usually, we stick to traditional, conservative concepts. In other words, what we already know serves as a basis for how we decorate our homes. This is most likely due to a sense of comfort and conformity.

The familiar gives us a sense of security, leading us to avoid taking risks.

We like familiar design ideas

Adding color can spice up an old design idea.

However, socially, there’s no risk in decorating your home how you want. It’s also not a question of criticizing repeated design ideas, but there are some original ideas that can help open your aesthetic horizons.

Familiar design ideas can be perfect for your home. It gets interesting when you try to apply them though. Let’s see how some of these patterns play out.

  1. Living rooms usually have similar patterns in all homes: a sofa in the center facing the TV cabinet, a coffee table, a large rug, etc. There’s a reason for this! It provides a nice balance.
  2. Classic and modern bedrooms are increasingly turning to the bed as the main focal point of the room, with it placed by the wall with a headboard. On either side, people place bedside tables, a wardrobe, a mirror, and a few other decorative pieces. Usually, the decoration is quite refined.
  3. What about the kitchen and bathroom? This is where functionality plays a very important role. Nobody wants to risk using elements that aren’t useful. The focus of these rooms is on true practicality.
  4. The entryway is the preamble to the home. As a general rule, this isn’t where you want to try out new ideas since it should show what you will find in the rest of the house.

The ideal model for a home

A navy kitchen.

You might imagine that the ideal house is made up of resources that you like and that make the space interesting. There are so many design ideas that are popular and available to everyone. As a result, these can serve as inspiration.

In fact, today, we have the means to learn all about everything happening in interior design. Many designers have left a truly interesting legacy that you can use as a model to apply in your home.

So why should you try to find new design ideas when there are so many that already exist that you like? You might have already grappled with this question at one point when designing your home.

Design ideas – personal comfort is key

A clean, bright bathroom.

It’s important that you feel comfortable with your design choices. If you’re happy, then that’s that! There’s no reason to change your mind. The goal of any interior design is for you to be satisfied with your home.

Being comfortable with a design is a key step. This is how you’ll be happy in your home! If you have to repeat design ideas you’re already familiar with to be comfortable, then do it.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Iglesias, Mara: Decoración fácil y económica: secretos para renovar tu casa con poco dinero, Buenos Aire, Lea, 2013.
  • Lava Oliva, Rocío: Interiorismo, Vértice, 2008.