Poorly Aged Trends
Trends come and go, and nowhere is that more obvious than in home design. What once felt stylish or cool can now make a house look straight out of a time capsule. So if you’re thinking of putting up a “Live, Laugh, Love” sign over your oversized couch, put it down immediately and read this instead.
Wall-To-Wall Carpeting
There was a time when plush carpet everywhere felt cozy. Fast forward a few decades, and people have changed their minds. All that carpet does is trap dust and attract stains. Hardwood or tile floors are cleaner, longer lasting, and way easier to maintain.
Shag Carpets
Speaking of carpets, shag had its moment in the ‘70s, but that moment is over. Shag carpets are impossible to vacuum, hold on to every crumb and spill, and can make a room feel stuck in, well, the ‘70s. Which had some very dubious aesthetics.
Popcorn Ceilings
No, just no. Most homeowners spend thousands scraping popcorn ceilings off because they make a space look dark and dingy – just make sure that yours hasn’t got asbestos in it before you do this. Yep, popcorn ceilings aren’t just ugly, they’re also potentially dangerous.
Dark Wood Paneling
That dark wood paneling from the ‘60s and ‘70s was supposed to make a room look warmer, but instead it usually makes rooms look smaller and darker. Most homeowners can’t wait to cover it up with fresh drywall or light paint.
Carpeted Bathrooms
And now we’re back to carpets again. Whoever thought wall-to-wall carpet in a bathroom was a good idea clearly wasn’t thinking long term. Moisture plus fabric equals mold, mildew, and a disgusting fluffy nightmare. Why would you do that to yourself?!
Colorful Kitchens
Who doesn’t want a Barbie-pink kitchen? Well… quite a lot of people it turns out. Having colorful kitchens used to be cool, but turns out it gets overwhelming and makes your house look dated instantly. Stick to neutral colored kitchens, you’ll probably be happy you did.
Mirrored Walls
Once upon a time, mirrored walls were thought to make rooms feel bigger and brighter. Instead, they’ve become the ultimate “what were we thinking?” design choice. They’re hard to clean, reflect every smudge, and make a space feel more like a dance studio than a living room. Avoid.
Sponge Painting
This DIY paint trend from the ‘90s was meant to add “dimension” to walls, but really, it just left blotchy, messy-looking rooms. Sponge painting was fun for a weekend project (kids loved joining in with it) but it didn’t hold up long term. Most people just ended up painting over their blotchy walls.
Wallpaper Borders
Remember when every room had a floral or animal-patterned wallpaper border running along the ceiling or, more inexplicably, the middle? What was the point of those? They ended up just chopping walls in half and making rooms feel busy. And they’re definitely well out of date now.
Glass Block Walls
Glass block walls were all about letting light in and adding interest to a room. Well, that was the idea, anyway. The problem is, they make homes look more like a dated gym or old office than a cozy space. They’re clunky, hard to remove, and just don’t mesh with modern and more sleek designs.
Giant Couches
Sure, they were comfy, but those giant couches from the ‘80s and ‘90s swallowed entire living rooms and made it difficult to actually move around in some cases. Today, people want furniture that’s both pretty and practical.
Hollywood Vanity Lights
The big strip of bare bulbs above bathroom mirrors was once the height of glamour, but now it just looks harsh and unflattering. The lights cast odd shadows and heat up the room unnecessarily. You’ll still see some in homes every now and again but for the most part they’re out of fashion.
Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds had their moment as a “modern” window treatment, but now they just look cheap and clunky. They break easily, get tangled, and make that awful clicking noise when they move. Many people now choose to leave them in the office where they belong.
Waterbeds
Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s everyone either had or wanted a waterbed. Not anymore. It didn’t take people long to work out that they weren’t good for your back, and worst of all they could leak everywhere. They’re horribly dated now.
Heavy Drapes
Floor-to-ceiling velvet drapes were once the ultimate sign of luxury. Now, they just feel suffocating, blocking out light and overwhelming a room. They also collected dust and were a pain to clean. Turns out, luxury comes at too high a price.
Wallpapered Bathrooms
Sure, wallpaper can look nice - but in bathrooms? Nope, that trend aged terribly. Moisture wreaks havoc on wallpaper, leading to peeling edges, bubbling, and mildew. While modern wallpaper has improved, tile and paint handle moisture so much better.
Sunburst Mirrors
There was a period when every home seemed to have a giant sunburst mirror. While they looked stylish for a while, they became so overused they lost all charm. Now, they just feel like décor clichés, and no-one wants a clichéd home.
Colorful Bathrooms
Colorful bathrooms went the same way as colorful kitchens. Color is fun and all, but too much of it just gets overwhelming. People got sick of settling down for a bath and being overwhelmed by pink or green. Now, most modern-day bathrooms are a nice neutral color.
Lace Curtains
At one time, lace curtains were the height of charm, but now they just make a home feel stuffy and old-fashioned. They yellow over time, as well. Maybe you remember Grandma’s house having a yellow, dusty lace curtain somewhere? Yeah, you don’t want that.
Granite Overload
Granite countertops became the ultimate status symbol for home chefs in the 2000s, but the trend went overboard. Entire kitchens decked out in dark granite feel heavy and outdated now. Lighter materials like quartz are more modern.
Faux Columns
Decorative columns were once thought to add elegance to a home, but most ended up looking fake and unnecessary. Instead of class, they gave homes a kitschy, “wannabe mansion” vibe. Some even went as far as to label them “trashy”.
Glass-Top Tables
Glass dining tables were supposed to be cool and edgy - but in reality, they showed every single fingerprint, crumb, and scratch. They also felt cold and fragile compared to wood or stone. And then there’s the main problem, the fact that they were fragile and even dangerous. What if your kid fell into one?
Wall Niches
Built-in wall niches were supposed to highlight artwork or vases, but they often looked forced and awkward. They were trendy in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, but they’re now hard to style and end up making walls feel busy.
Beige Everything
In the ‘90s and early 2000s, beige was apparently the only color. Beige walls, beige carpet, beige furniture - everything blended into a sea of bland. While it was safe and “neutral,” it left homes looking totally lifeless. If you still have a beige room, please put a pop of color into it!
Track Lighting
Track lighting felt futuristic in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but now it’s clunky and outdated. The bulky rails, exposed bulbs, and harsh light don’t flatter anyone or anything. They quickly made rooms feel like office spaces or art galleries instead of cozy homes.
Fake Plants Everywhere
Plastic plants filled homes in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but those dusty leaves don’t fool anyone anymore. Instead of bringing life into a space, they make it feel artificial and neglected. While high-quality faux plants exist today, the old-school ones just look cheap and (sorry) slightly tacky.
Accent Walls in Bold Colors
For a while, everyone painted one wall a bold color to make a statement. But unfortunately, it often clashed with everything else in the room and after a while looked dated. Accent walls had their moment, but that moment is very much gone.
Overly Themed Rooms
In a moment of madness in your earlier years, you might have thought, “Let’s make a pirate-themed bathroom! Or a mermaid-themed bedroom!” And then you probably regretted it, because while themed rooms were big once upon a time, they really haven’t aged well.
Vessel Sinks
These bowl-like sinks on top of bathroom counters looked stylish for a while, but they turned out to be impractical. They splash easily, are hard to clean around, and basically aren’t practical at all. And in a bathroom, you really need to be practical.
Live, Laugh, Love and Inspirational Quote Signs
For some reason, Live, Laugh, Love signs were really popular a few years ago. Now, they’re just laughable – and in fact, any inspirational quote sign in a house raises eyebrows these days. They were just so, so overdone.
Overhead Pot Racks
Hanging pots and pans above kitchen counters once felt rustic and charming. Now, they just look cluttered and outdated. They gather dust, don’t necessarily match the décor, and can even be slightly dangerous if they fall down. Today’s homeowners prefer hidden storage.
Faux Tuscan Kitchens
In the early 2000s, everyone seemed to want a “Tuscan villa” kitchen - dark cabinets, heavy stone, ornate details. It felt stylish back then, but now it just looks gloomy and over the top. Most folks have replaced theirs now and gone with something more neutral.
Shelves Full Of Funko Pops
In the late ‘10s, Funko Pops were everywhere. People would display them in the box, or out of the box – either way it showed what a big fan you were of the character depicted. But Funkos are going out of fashion now, and it’s just not cool anymore to have a massive shelf of them.
Conversation Pits
Once seen as futuristic and cool, sunken conversation pits haven’t aged well. They’re awkward to decorate around, take up space, and can be a tripping hazard. Most have been filled in or remodeled into usable floor space.
Brass Everywhere
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, shiny brass dominated homes - faucets, doorknobs, light fixtures, you name it. But it looked flashy in all the wrong ways. Over time, it tarnished, clashed with other finishes, and made everything feel cheap.
