Some of the best lessons in life are learned the hard way—and that includes your interior design choices. We asked some of our favorite interior designers what great lessons they’d learned over the years, and here’s what they had to say.

1. Strike the Perfect Match

“When working on a color scheme, there’s nothing worse than having two shades of the same color in a room that are nearly identical , but not quite. It’s better to find a clearly complementary tone than to look like you tried to make the colors match, but failed!” — Marika Meyer of Marika Meyer Interiors

2. Create Contrast

“Whether it’s mixing furniture styles of different periods, pairing contrasting (complementary) colors or layering contrasting patterns, the effect is beautiful, eclectic and unique.”— Laurie Blumenfeld-Russo of Laurie Blumenfeld Design

3. Keep it Simple

“Keep it simple and abide by the ‘less is more’ approach! I have always found myself admiring the simplistic details of minimalism when it comes to design. Minimalism isn’t the lack of something, but the perfect amount of it. With this method, you are able to tone down the clutter and achieve an overall sleek and polished aesthetic that will feel sophisticated and clean.” — Nina Magon of Contour Interior Design

4. Embrace the Built-In

“Built-in banquettes are always a showstopper! If our clients like the look of tufting, we use it on the back only as the tufting on the seat tends to be a crumb catcher. We also love using leather or faux leather for durability that doesn’t sacrifice the look” — Melissa Warner Rothblum of Massucco Warner Miller

5. Mirror, Mirror

“One of our best design tips is to use mirrors—big ones!—to bounce light through your home. Most of us know that a mirror can make a room feel more expansive, but they can also be used to brighten up a darker space.” — Chris Stout-Hazard of Roger + Chris

6. Ramp Up Your Rug

“Go large with an area rug . Too many times I see a tiny rug in a large room. Area rugs should extend beyond and under a sofa or bed.” — Crystal Sinclair of Crystal Sinclair Designs

7. Defy Gravity

“Always hang curtains as high as possible, regardless of window height. Reaching for the ceiling with your curtains will help draw the eye upward and increase how big the room feels. Similarly, for smaller windows, utilize as much horizontal space as possible to maximize the impact.” — Rayman Boozer of Apartment 48

8. Be Bold

“The biggest design lesson I’ve learned is to encourage bravery. Some of the most beautiful transformations come from encouraging a client to follow a bold idea, whether it was theirs or yours.” — Nicole Powell of We Three Design Studio

9. Always to Look Up

“Rooms don’t just have walls and floors, there’s another big element at play in them too, their ceilings. And paying attention to them has the potential to make a big–and beautiful–difference in any interior. Whether it is dramatic lighting effects, adding trim details, or bringing in texture—a beautiful ceiling has the potential to lift us up, and not just our eyes!” —LeeAnn Baker of LeeAnn Baker Interiors

10. Mix and Match

“I learned at a very early age that when it comes to design not all things need to be the same scale nor does everything need to match. I grew up in a very monotone, beige home when I was younger; the furniture was all the same size and color. Living in this type of home triggered my love for color and texture as well as the outdoors, which inspires a lot of my design aesthetic.” — Liz Caan of Liz Caan & Co.