Mom Inspired by Influencers to Buy Home Décor, Immediately Realizes Mistake

A woman has discovered the hard way that "Instagram-worthy" decor doesn't always translate to real-world practicality, especially if your home isn't sporting cathedral ceilings and vast open spaces.

Pennsylvania resident Cayenne Zinn was inspired by an influencer's video to treat herself to a trio of stylish weathered concrete pots from Amazon. But she wasn't quite prepared for their grand appearance.

"I liked the way the creator styled them with lit trees," Zinn told Newsweek. "I don't remember if I saw it on Facebook or Instagram, but I should've taken a closer look at the size." The pots, standing 18.1 inches, 20.5 inches and a towering 22.4 inches high, certainly made an impression—especially when they arrived in a box she described as "almost the size of an oven."

Pictures of Cayenne Zinn from her viral TikTok. She was surprised at the size of the pots. @cayennelantz/TikTok

Zinn shared her initial reaction on TikTok, in a video with over 1 million views. The mishap has sparked laughter and empathy as she recounted her surprise at the pots' imposing presence.

"I never thought to consider scale," she said. "In the video, they didn't look that big, but in my space, they looked massive. I laughed when UPS dropped them off. I wasn't expecting it."

Still, Zinn decided to keep the pots and has styled them with lit LED trees, turning her holiday decor into a surprisingly beautiful (if large) statement piece in her cozy living room. And to her delight, the pots have an unexpected advantage: they're apparently toddler-proof. "My little one hasn't messed with them once. They're too big and heavy for him to move, so I might just stay influenced by large-scale decor," she laughed.

Pictures of the large pots from the viral video. The mishap left people in stitches. @cayennelantz/TikTok

In the comments, viewers shared their own decor mishaps and reactions.

"STOP! I'm dead," one commenter laughed. "I measured out this table I saw on TikTok—it looked so cute but was literally the size of my entire dining room!"

While viewer Marífer could relate from the other side and wrote: "My new home is larger scale, and I used to always live in smaller apartments. Now I have to replace almost everything!"

"This is reality check for sure," joked viewer Stepha Gatch.

For Zinn, the experience was a reality check—and a reminder of the impact of "influencer homes," which tend to look gorgeous, but are often on a grander scale. "It's important to remember that influencers' homes are often huge, with high ceilings and open concepts. I love my home, but next time, I might read the measurements," she laughed.