If you’ve just bought a new property or are thinking of doing any renovations, one award winning interior designer has revealed a simple mistake that she believes can make your home look cheap.

Aoife Maria is the creative director and founder of Style So Simple, an award-winning interior design studio that handles both commercial and residential projects throughout Ireland and the UK, with a recent expansion into New York City. The company “transforms homes and businesses into environments that inspire and uplift” and Maria has a presence on TikTok where she gives expert advice and tips.

As part of this, she shares things you might be doing to make your home look cheap. One of them is “settling for the builder grade finishes in your home, especially when it comes to drawers, skirting and arch tray[s].”

In her TikTok video she shared a photo of two plain white doors that “look basic and simple” compared to a door that “looks like a beautiful design detail.” Maria added: “I get it, when you’re building your home it can be a lot to think of every detail but these are the details that should never be an afterthought so really simple, when your builder is suggesting what they wanna put in for doors, skirting and architecture, just ask for some more options or even better, ask if you can go into the store and select your own.”

She explained that even if you select something that’s slightly more expensive, it’s “always going to be cheaper to upgrade your doors, skirting and arch tray during the build rather than changing them later.” The expert interior designer noted that it’s in these small areas where you can add “useful design detail” to make your interior look “well thought out, curated and therefore more expensive.”

Express Doors Direct has shared some tips on how to choose internal doors to elevate your rooms. On its website, it claims that internal doors are often overlooked when thinking about interior design but a well-chosen interior door “can be the difference between an alright room that draws little attention and a stylish one that draws compliments.”

It also notes that a good door is an “essential part of a room and can contribute a lot to your interior design.” There are different styles of doors to choose from, including those that are modern and those that are more traditional.

Express Doors Direct recommends picking internal doors that suit your tastes and your home rather than focusing on what doors are in fashion at the time. It gave an example: “If you’ve decked your house in vintage Victorian elegance, then period internal panel doors won’t just slip seamlessly between your Victorian-style tall skirting and decadent door frames on the day they are installed. They will still look perfectly placed, and equally attractive years later. “

The company notes that plain, practical flush doors are a “default design choise” that come in a range of finishes and colours and are excellent value. If you have a slightly higher budget, heavier, solid oak internal doors “might be a more appealing choice”, according to Express Doors Direct.

Maria’s TikTok video advising to not settle for builder grade finishes has garnered a number of comments. One user said: “Definitely agree! But the nice thing is for older homes, it’s an easy update that can make a huge impact!” Another hailed this as her “best tip yet.”