To be influenced by a magazine and, say, a Swedish theme, unless it resonates with you, it seems kind of odd and influenced.

Make sure furniture decor has similar scale. It's all about scale, proportion, measuring, being conscious of the overall plan.

Be judicious with your budget and buy things that are going to last.

Look at your world and your life, and look at what is personal to you. If you're living in an apartment, you need to stick with a narrative that's personal to you.

People buy things in isolation and don't think of how they work together.

Avoid spending too much on one thing.

People get trapped in the way things should feel and less focused on the way things should function.