Just like a mechanic knows when you’ve been fiddling around under the hood of your car, so, too, can an interior designer tell when you haven’t worked with a pro to design your home. Even if you have a great sense of style and a Pinterest board piled high with inspiration, good taste can only take you so far—especially when there are so many nuances to creating a beautiful and functional space.

So what exactly clues a pro into a home that has undergone a DIY design makeover? From wacky proportions and aggressive lighting to furniture that feels like it was copied and pasted from a catalog, we got them to spill it all. Below, you’ll find 5 ways interior designers can tell you skipped out on hiring an expert—and what to do to correct for these mistakes in the present and avoid them in

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