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.

Avoid spending too much on one thing.

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

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

Avoid too much intense color. Make sure you mix colors and try them out. It's always good to do a swatch.

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

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