How you decorate your home says a lot about you, and many interior design choices that were once fashionable are now considered old-fashioned and will massively date your home without you realizing it. If you still favor these 17 home décor choices, we’re afraid you’re officially old.
Excessive Carpets
Younger generations are fond of hardwood floors, so the only coverings they put over the tops of them are rugs. Excessive carpeting is associated with old people who feel the cold and find carpets easier to maintain. Nowadays, modern home décor is much more polished and wooden.
Velvet Furniture
Crushed velvet couches and chairs were once all the rage, but they’re not as popular with young people nowadays. In fact, they’re often dismissed as the type of furniture middle-aged people love, so people will likely think your home is dated if you’ve still got velvet furniture.
Written Signs
It’s very much an outdated trend to hang signs bearing words or phrases, like ‘Kitchen,’ ‘Wine O’Clock,’ or ‘Live, Laugh, Love,’ in your house. House Beautiful criticizes written signs for being cheesy and impersonal, especially when there are many modern, tasteful decorations you could choose instead.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper was hugely popular in the ’60s and ’70s, and though it’s making a slight comeback, it’s still primarily associated with old people. Nowadays, younger people favor boldly painted walls over chintz or floral patterned wallpapers, so you’re dating your home and yourself by choosing to wallpaper it.
Sliding Doors
Sliding internal doors have a rustic charm, but they’re scarcely found in contemporary homes. They’re more of a farmhouse décor choice than something you’d expect to find in a city house or apartment. Some rustic home décors are being reclaimed, but sliding doors are still relatively out of fashion.
Animal Print Rugs
Animal prints are always a bold choice, but they’re often too garish and clash with other popular prints that regularly appear in interior décor. Animal print rugs are an example of ’70s chic, and even though they’re not real animal skin, many young people feel uncomfortable having them in their homes.
Plate Cabinets
We all associate plate cabinets with our grandparents, so they’re not particularly popular with younger generations, as they’re large and take up lots of space. Kitchen cabinets are still the norm, but dedicated plate cabinets are most commonly used for antique family china, so they have no place in contemporary home décor.
Single-Use Furniture
Unfortunately, the days of cheap single-use furniture are over, so many young people are choosing multifunctional furnishings instead. According to HuffPost, multifunctional furniture options, like ottomans and dining table desks, are better because they’re cheaper and offer space-saving solutions in smaller homes.
Chintz Fabrics
Chintz designs were originally painted in the 1600s, but they remained popular until the past few decades. Younger generations find bright botanical-themed décor too outlandish and opt for block colors instead. They’re also less likely to own fabrics like drapes and quilts, so chintz is out with the old.
Monochrome Color Schemes
Even with flamboyant patterns on their way out, monochrome color schemes haven’t made a successful comeback. One of the main criticisms of monochromatic home décor is that it’s cold and boring, and if you disagree, we’re afraid that you are officially old!
Painted Brick Walls
Interior brick walls are a divisive home décor trend, but painting over them is a huge no-no. If they aren’t painted well enough, the paint turns lumpy and ruins the entire wall’s look. People are starting to reclaim rugged décor, so exposed bricks may soon be a popular new design trend again.
Open Floor Plans
Open-plan living took American interior design by storm in the 1950s, erasing the boundaries between cooking, eating, and relaxing. However, Better Homes & Gardens reports that open floor plans are going out of style because people are beginning to prefer defined gathering spaces. Unfortunately, if you still favor open-plan living, you’ve been left behind.
Net Curtains
All curtains are slowly starting to be edged out by sleeker, trendier blinds, but net curtains are particularly outdated. They were a favorite of our grandparents decades ago, but you won’t find them in younger people’s homes today. They’re also harder to keep pristine, so more people are forgoing them.
Window Valances
Window valances have the potential to be reclaimed as vintage interior décor, but they’re not there yet. Valances are pieces of fabric that hang at the tops of windows, typically to disguise the frames and any damage. They’re often frilly, lacy, or boldly patterned, so they date modern homes.
Doilies
Doilies were a staple in most people’s homes decades ago, which is why they now have a reputation for being ‘grandma décor.’ Many people would crochet doilies and display them in their houses or use them as coasters or table runners. However, this trend hasn’t caught on with young people nowadays.
Mirrored Closet Doors
Mirrored closet doors have been a classic interior design trend for a long time, but that’s now changed, as they can be overwhelming and tedious to maintain. Refined Rooms further explains that floor-to-ceiling mirrored closet doors don’t appeal to homebuyers now, so that’s something to consider if you plan to sell your house.
Extravagant Light Fixtures
Finally, there’s no denying that beautiful light fixtures can transform a living space, but when they’re too big and decorative, they become overwhelmingly extravagant. Large chandeliers and lamps can overwhelm a room and send it back in time, and anyway, there are much trendier lighting options nowadays, so don’t show your age like this!
Up Next: 18 Worrying Facts About Life in Medieval Times
The Middle Ages, also known as the medieval period, lasted from 500 AD to 1500 AD and is usually subdivided into the Early, High, and Late Middle Ages. Life in the medieval period was often brutal, with gruesome punishments, wars, and plagues. Here are 18 terrifying facts about life in the medieval period.
18 Worrying Facts About Life in Medieval Times
19 Easy Ways to Fall Back Asleep After Waking Up in the Middle of the Night
We’ve all been there—it’s dark, quiet, and you’re tired, but you’re still constantly tossing and turning, only to finally fall asleep minutes before the alarm goes off! Waking up throughout the night isn’t just frustrating; it also seriously impacts your energy levels. This article focuses on 19 scientifically proven methods that may help you drift back off more easily.
19 Easy Ways to Fall Back Asleep After Waking Up in the Middle of the Night
17 Things That Are Too Woke For Boomers
Our society is so different from what it was decades ago, and boomers don’t like much of what everyone considers normal in today’s society. In this light, here are 17 things about ‘woke culture’ that particularly make boomers uncomfortable.