18 Outdated Home Design Fads to Avoid at All Costs

Written By Jill Taylor

Popular interior design is always changing and some trends have gone out of fashion. If you want your space to be stylish and modern, it’s important to avoid these outdated home design fads on our list.

Shag Carpets

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We’re not in the 1970s anymore! Shag carpets don’t work well with modern aesthetics and can make a space feel dated and cluttered. Shag carpets are also impractical as they’re notoriously difficult to clean and can trap allergens in their thick fibers, gross!

Popcorn Ceilings

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Messy-looking popcorn ceilings are a stark contrast to the clean, modern look that’s popular. These ceilings are difficult to clean and can make a room look smaller by absorbing light. Older popcorn ceilings could also be dangerous as The Spruce says “it’s possible that the texture material contains asbestos.”

Heavy Curtains

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Large, heavy curtains can easily overpower smaller or minimalist spaces and make rooms appear dark and stuffy. Nobody wants to make a small room look even smaller! You could think about replacing these with modern alternatives like sheer or layered curtains to offer more flexibility and light.

Faux Finishes

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Faux finishes that imitate the appearance of different materials can often make your home look cheap or overdone. Once you’ve decided on faux finishes, they’re also difficult to change or update. There are much better modern painting techniques that create a cleaner, more sophisticated look.

Tuscan Kitchens

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It’s time to let go of the fantasy of having a Tuscan-style kitchen! This style often features heavy elements and dark colors, which can make your kitchen look dingy and closed off. Lighter, opened-up kitchens are the new desirable thing.

Nautical Decorations

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Whether you live by the sea or not, it’s no excuse for an overload of nautical decorations! Having anchors, ropes, and blue stripes in every corner of your home can feel clichéd. Save the nautical motifs for your holiday home, not everyday living.

Wall-to-Wall Carpeting

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You won’t find much wall-to-wall carpeting in modern homes, as it “faded from the home decor scene in the ’80s,” Forbes points out. Carpets are hard to keep clean and trap dirt and allergens. Hardwood and laminate flooring are much more durable and have a more modern feel.

Inflatable Furniture

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Far from being practical and durable, inflatable furniture is a fad that you should definitely steer clear of. This style of furniture can appear childish and cheap and can look like a temporary solution for a lack of furniture. Maybe we can allow it for your kid’s bedroom, but that’s all!

Vertical Blinds

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If you want to make your space feel homely, vertical blinds are not the way to go. They can appear clinical and are often associated with offices or schools. Modern, stylish homes tend to have curtains or integrated shades to create a cleaner look.

Hollywood Mirrors

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While Hollywood mirrors might make you feel glamorous, they’re pretty outdated. This decor trend can look overly flashy and is quite impractical, as it often produces excessive heat and has poor lighting quality. Integrated LED lighting is much more efficient and looks more sophisticated.

Floral Furniture

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According to Vogue, “too many patterns, florals, prints all over the place can disturb the eye.” Floral furniture can also be difficult to match with modern decor. This trend is often associated with older homes and fashion. Your parents or grandparents might’ve had floral furniture, but that doesn’t mean you should!

Mirrored Furniture

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Nobody is vain enough to need to see themselves in their furniture – I hope! Mirrored furniture can make your space feel cold, and it’s nearly impossible to keep it free of fingerprints and scratches! Choosing wood or matte finishes will create a warmer vibe and be much more practical.

Bead Curtains

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Talk about impractical! Bead curtains provide almost no privacy between rooms and make an unnecessary amount of noise when you pass through them. Let’s keep them in the past! Solid doors and modern dividers offer far better privacy and look sophisticated and stylish.

Overdone Bamboo

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Bamboo can be a nice sustainable way to decorate your home, as long as you use it sparingly. Overusing bamboo can make your space look thematic and gaudy. Always mix materials and don’t go overboard with one material to create a more balanced and refined look.

Bright Colors

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Architectural Digest says “you may love more than one color, but you wouldn’t wear everything at once. The same applies to choosing a unifying palette.” Using too many bright colors will overpower the senses. Instead, try using a more natural palette with colored accents.

Overdone Industrial

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The industrial style can be very tasteful, but people often go too overboard. Too much metal or exposed piping can make the room feel cold and unwelcoming. It’s key to balance the harsh industrial elements with soft textures and natural materials.

Waterbeds

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You might’ve had a waterbed when you were younger, but there’s no place for this trend in a stylish, modern home. Waterbeds have major issues with practicality, including leaking often, being uncomfortable, and providing no support. Just stick to a normal mattress!

Furniture Skirts

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Furniture skirts belong in the past with the floral armchairs and couches! This outdated trend is usually only found in older homes and is also known to collect dust. For a more modern look, use furniture with sleeker lines or visible legs.

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