Jessica Bedewi for Lifestyle A2Z on past trends that should be avoided when decorating your home.
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When renovating our homes, we tend to go with whatever is fashionable at the time. Unfortunately, much like clothes and hairstyles, there are trends that come and go. Yep, the home decor industry is not much different in this respect, even if it’s far more expensive. Popcorn ceilings, tiled countertops, shag carpets, wood paneling—need we continue?
Although these design choices were once popular at the time, they’re now outdated and pretty cringe-worthy. Here are 52 homes that fell victim to these not so timeless trends.
They’re Not Twins
There is definitely such a thing as too much matching. It’s great to tie your space together, but including window valances that match the curtains, and curtains that then match the furniture turns your space into a single-patterned nightmare.
This home decor decision is a staple of decades past. It might look good in your grandma’s house, but it’s not the look you should want in your own home. Go with something modern and updated, not a single, limited color scheme.
Animal Rugs Are Out
You really should keep the zebra rugs, or any animal rug, for that matter, far away from your home. Beyond the fact that animal lovers will have your head, the striped rugs don’t fit comfortably in any space.
Zebra rugs were supposed to infuse a space with a kind of exotic flair during the ‘70s, but the design feels cruel and unnecessary. Plastering a zebra rug across your floor feels a little silly in the current climate. Plus, it leads to a rather cheesy-looking home design.
Massive Leather Sofas Are An Eyesore
Leather sofas, when done correctly, can look beautiful and homey. Unfortunately, the ‘70s brought us a trend of oversized leather furniture that dominates an entire space and can easily turn any family home into a man-cave. The trend reappeared in the early 2000s, but it looks like it’s officially died out once again. We’re hoping it doesn’t come back.
Leather itself will never go out of style, but the imposing nature of a huge leather couch t really ruins a room. Leave room for other things to exist in your room beyond your sofa.
This Isn’t Tuscany
If you thought you could capture the appeal of the Italian countryside in your home, you’d probably opt for this design trend as well. The Tuscan kitchen was big in the early 2000s, and it does have a sort of grand elegance. The dark cabinets and stone accents look luxurious, but they don’t quite keep up with modern design trends.
Now, the kitchen is supposed to be light, bright, and airy. After a while, the Tuscan kitchen can start to feel stuffy and dark. It’s not the worst design trend we’ve ever seen, but it should be retired nonetheless.
Why Does This Exist?
Conversation pits sound like a bad social situation, but it was actually a ‘70s design feature that changed the architecture of your home. In the middle of a normal room, the floor would drop into a pit with built-in seating. When dinner parties would end, all the participants would head to the conversation pit to end the night.
Thankfully, normal living rooms serve the same purpose as the conversation pit. Plus, they don’t require cutting hole into your perfectly fine floor. We doubt conversation pits will be making a reappearance any time soon.
Throw Out The Stained Glass Lamps
Tiffany lamps emerged at the beginning of the 20th century when Louis Comfort Tiffany began creating lampshades that used much of the same processes as stained glass windows. While Tiffany lamps do have a sort of antique appeal, it’s difficult to blend them into a modern space.
No matter how you try to spin it, Tiffany lamps make a room look dated and out-of-touch. If you can find a way to display the lamp that shows off the beautiful shade, we’re all for it. But if you’re planning to use it for actual lighting, we suggest that you just don’t.
Weird Chintzy Fabrics
While damask designs don’t belong in a modern home, chintz is just as bad. Chintz uses a multicolored cotton fabric with a glazed finish to create some…uh…interesting pieces of furniture. Like most bad design trends, chintz fabric really rose in popularity during the ‘70s.
However, any type of multi-colored fabric doesn’t really work anymore. At least, not as the primary focal point of your room. If you want to toss a statement chair in the corner with a bit of chintz fabric, it might work. But as a general rule, it’s best to steer clear of this design.
Don’t Put Your Name On It
Although monograms feel like they belong in a different time, they’re actually circling back around to become popular once again. Unfortunately, we don’t support them.
What’s the point of emblazoning your initials on something you own? The monograms often look cheesy and tacky, and they don’t really add anything to your space. Don’t hop back on the bandwagon. Stay away from monograms.
Get Rid of The Shag
While shag carpets feel wonderful under your bare feet, they’re also somewhat of a disaster to actually maintain. They tend to be fairly expensive, and they’re prone to unraveling over time, thereby leaving loose pieces of carpet all over your house.
In addition, shag carpets tend to capture more dirt and debris and are more difficult to clean. Shag carpets aren’t even recommended to people with allergies for this very reason. Is the added comfort really worth the cost of both your health and a clean home?
Don’t Sponge Your Walls
If you’re going DIY with your home design, it’s tempting to opt for something that’s easy, rather than something that actually looks good. We’re pretty sure that’s how the sponge walls trend got so popular.
Instead of carefully painting the interior of their house, homeowners would dab paint on the walls using a sponge, creating an odd, textured look. While texture can add some serious style to your space, sponge painting always looks lazy. It’s time to retire this DIY trend.
This Pink Isn’t Cute Anymore
So far we’ve only been picking on trends from prior decades that need to go. However, millennial pink is a newer trend that needs to go in the trash. At first, the bubblegum-pink color brightened a space and added a bit of fun.
But now, it has gone too far. Pink isn’t a color that can stand the test of time. After a few weeks in your blush-colored pad, you’ll be sick of seeing pink everyone you go. New tones like yellow and muted greens have the potential to endure as a design decision. It’s time to make the switch.
The Futuristic Look
If you’re stuck in the present, you really shouldn’t try to live in the future. Unfortunately, interior design trends didn’t get the memo. Some interiors opt for chrome finishes and sculpted side tables to really bring out that futuristic look.
Unfortunately, it always ends up looking a little dumb. The pieces never combine well with each other and the overall aesthetic is sterile and cold, rather than futuristic. If you’re aiming for a futuristic look, try something industrial instead. You might find that it works a little better.
Stop it With Those Damask Patterns
This interesting pattern could be found everywhere in the ‘90s. It combines a sort of floral and chintz to create texture all on its own that doesn’t really fit into either category. It’s not the worst-looking statement piece, but it was used so often during its popular time that we can’t stand to see it again.
Plus, the damask pattern is now considered fairly old-fashioned. Large, statement blooms look a little more modern, but they still infuse your home with that delicate touch you’re looking for. Please graduate to a more modern look, instead of continuing to reuse damask.
A Frilly Skirt For Your Bed? No
The ruffled bed skirt trend finds its origin in the ‘80s, where nearly everything was ruffled. The skirt should add a little feminine appeal to a room, making it a perfect choice for young girls or women who don’t care about their husband’s opinions.
However, we believe that the ruffled bed skirt trend should never make its way back into the mainstream. Modern design is minimalist and chic. The ruffled bed skirt is too busy and froofy to look genuinely stylish.
No To Tiled Bathrooms
While tile countertops could be found in nearly every home during the ‘70s, they’re just not that cute. We’re not sure who came up with this genius idea, but they should be fired.
Beyond being exceptionally difficult to clean, tile countertops also aren’t very durable. They chip and stain easily, and are prone to stains and hidden bacteria. Those are all qualities that make tile countertops a terrible choice for any space that will get remotely dirty. Avoid the stress and the outdated look and go with a more modern material for your house.
You’re Showing Off
Curio cabinets are those free-standing glass display cases that house your most precious treasures. If you’re a collector, you might be tempted to get a curio cabinet to show off. Unfortunately, curio cabinets look old and dusty in the modern era.
Design pieces and other trinkets should be bought so you can place them around your home, not so you can stuff them all into one tiny cabinet. Let your prized possessions mingle with the rest of your home or find a safe storage area where they won’t be touched, but don’t get a curio cabinet.
That Fruit Is Not So Fresh
Much like the fake plants, fake fruit has even less of a place in your home decor. Somehow ‘90s style made some of us think this was okay. While the fake fruit could be fun to play with, it doesn’t actually add anything to your space.
Instead of putting some fake fruit in a bowl, why not find a really incredible piece that fits with your design aesthetic? Not only will you elevate the look of your home, but you’ll also avoid guests accidentally trying to take a bite out of your decor.
Green Fridges
Brightly colored kitchen appliances aren’t a new invention. But nowadays, people will opt for a colorful mixer or kettle, leaving their main appliances to neutral designs like stainless steel or white.
Sadly, the ‘70s weren’t just about green carpets. People also loved a green fridge. While the concept sounds fun in theory, it doesn’t look that good in application. That’s a lot of color in one corner of your kitchen, making it pretty difficult for you to balance the rest of your space and create a coherent aesthetic. We’ll stick with our silver-colored fridges, thank you.
Wrong Century
Edison bulbs are about as simple as you can get with your lighting—they’re just a plain bulb. While the inventors of this trend have tried to popularize the aesthetic by calling it “exposed,” the truth is it’s not very exciting.
While the look can work for a trendy coffee shop, it doesn’t translate well into a house. One bulb just looks lazy, and a whole group of bulbs will infuse your space with a little too much light. Plus, this lighting is incredibly harsh and unforgiving. Do you really want to deal with that every day in your own home?
Mirrored Ceilings – Yikes
We can’t lie—ceiling mirrors creep us out. They look like something straight out of a horror film, so it should come as no surprise that we don’t want to see them in any modern homes.