16 Outdated Home Decor Trends That Aren’t Worth Your Time or Money
With endless decor trends popping up online, it can be tough to decide which ones are worth bringing into your home. While decorating is a personal choice, there are some styles that designers agree just don’t hold up over time. In fact, certain trends can make your space feel outdated and less inviting. To help you avoid these pitfalls, here are 16 decor trends experts recommend skipping if you’re aiming for a stylish and timeless look.
Open Shelving
Open shelving is a fun and practical choice for your kitchen or living space. However, maintaining an attractive appearance often requires meticulous organization and constant cleaning. Dust and grease can accumulate quickly, especially in kitchens, making it challenging to keep items looking pristine. Additionally, open shelves can make spaces look cluttered and disorganized if not styled correctly.
Artificial Plants
Artificial plants might seem like an easy fix, but they often end up looking, well, fake. They don’t bring that same fresh vibe that real plants do, and they tend to gather dust and look outdated pretty fast. Instead, go for some low-maintenance real plants like succulents or snake plants. They’re easy to care for and add a natural touch of life and energy to your space.
Industrial Lighting
With its exposed bulbs and metal fixtures, industrial lighting can add a trendy, edgy vibe to your home. However, this style can quickly become outdated and must blend better with other decor elements. The harsh lighting can also be unflattering, creating an overly stark and cold atmosphere. Furthermore, these fixtures are often more expensive than traditional lighting options and can be challenging to install.
Built-in Home Theaters
A built-in home theater can sound like a dream for movie enthusiasts, but it can be a significant financial commitment with limited return on investment. These setups often require custom-built cabinets, high-end electronics, and specialized seating, all of which can add up quickly. Moreover, technology evolves rapidly, meaning your expensive setup could become outdated within a few years. The space dedicated to a home theater might also be better utilized for more versatile purposes, especially in homes with limited square footage.
Mass-Produced Artwork
Mass-produced artwork can seem affordable to decorate your walls, but it often needs a more personal touch and unique character that original pieces bring. These artworks are typically produced in large quantities, making them feel generic and impersonal. Moreover, unlike original art, they often need to be appreciated over time. Investing in unique, locally sourced pieces or creating your art can add a more personal and meaningful touch to your home.
Overly Luxurious Bathrooms
Luxury finishes like gold fixtures and marble might look stunning, but they can be super expensive and tricky to keep up. Also, bathroom trends change fast, so what feels fancy now could look outdated soon. Instead, go for classic materials like porcelain or chrome, which are easier to maintain. You can always add style with affordable accessories that are easy to swap out when you want a change.
Overly Expensive Door And Window Treatments
High-end doors and window treatments, such as custom drapes and motorized blinds, can dramatically increase the cost of decorating a room. While they can add some luxury, they often need to provide more benefits to justify their steep price tags. These treatments can also become dated quickly, requiring additional investments to keep up with changing trends. Furthermore, they often require professional cleaning and maintenance, adding to their long-term cost.
Fast Furniture
Fast furniture is attractive due to its low cost and immediate availability, but it often sacrifices quality and durability. These pieces are typically made from cheaper materials and may not withstand the wear and tear of everyday use. Over time, the cost of replacing fast furniture can add up, making it less economical in the long run. Additionally, the production of fast furniture often involves environmentally harmful practices, contributing to a larger carbon footprint. Investing in higher-quality, timeless pieces can be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Overly Themed Decor
Overly themed decor can make your home feel more like a novelty than a comfortable living space. While it might be fun to design a room around a specific theme, such as a tropical paradise or a vintage diner, it can quickly become overwhelming and impractical. Themed decor often needs more versatility, making it easier to change the look of a room with a complete overhaul. Finding complementary pieces can also be challenging, creating a cluttered and disjointed appearance. Additionally, themed items can be more expensive and more complicated to replace.
Excessive Greenery
Incorporating greenery into your home can create a fresh and lively atmosphere, but excessive greenery can quickly become a burden. Maintaining many plants requires time, effort, and knowledge; only some have a green thumb. Over time, the cost of purchasing and caring for numerous plants can add up, especially if you need to replace ones that don’t thrive. Moreover, too many plants can make your home feel cluttered and reduce the amount of usable space.
Faux Brick Wallpaper
Faux brick wallpaper can seem easy and cost-effective to add character to a room, but it must often meet expectations. The imitation texture can look cheap and inauthentic up close, detracting from the overall aesthetic. Additionally, wallpaper can be challenging to install correctly, and imperfections can be highly noticeable. Over time, it may start to peel or fade, requiring frequent touch-ups or replacement. Actual brick or more subtle wall treatments can provide a more sophisticated and timeless look. Investing in quality materials can enhance the beauty and durability of your home decor.
Marble Everything
Marble has long been associated with elegance, but using it excessively throughout your home can be costly. Marble surfaces are prone to staining, scratching, and etching, making them high-maintenance and impractical for everyday use. Additionally, the cost of marble can be exorbitant, particularly for large areas like countertops, floors, and walls. Trends in materials come and go, and the heavy use of marble can make your home feel dated in a few years. Considering more durable and cost-effective alternatives like quartz or granite can provide a similar look with less hassle and expense.
Designer Paint for Walls
Designer paint can appeal due to its brand name and promise of superior quality, but it often comes with a hefty price tag. While these paints may offer unique colors and finishes, the difference in quality compared to regular premium paints is usually negligible. Paying extra for designer labels doesn’t necessarily mean better performance or longevity. Additionally, repainting a room with expensive paint can quickly become significantly costly if you change colors frequently. Opting for high-quality but non-designer paint can provide excellent results at a fraction of the cost, allowing you to allocate your budget to other essential home improvements.
Designer Pet Furniture
Designer pet furniture can be tempting for pet owners. These pieces are typically priced much higher than standard pet furniture without offering significantly better quality or functionality. Pets can be rough on their belongings, leading to wear and tear that makes expensive items quickly look shabby. Additionally, designer pet furniture can be challenging to clean and maintain, especially if it’s made from delicate materials. Choosing durable, practical, and affordable pet furniture can ensure your pets are comfortable without breaking the bank.
Cheap Rugs
Cheap rugs might seem like a bargain, but they wear out fast and can make your space look rundown. They don’t have the durability or comfort of higher-end options. It’s worth investing in a good-quality rug that can handle heavy foot traffic and still look great. A high-quality rug adds warmth, comfort, and style to your home. It can be a beautiful focal point in any room. In the long run, you’ll save money because you won’t have to replace it as often.
Carpet Everywhere
Wall-to-wall carpeting can be a pain to clean and maintain, trapping allergens and dirt. Plus, it can look pretty outdated compared to more modern flooring options. Designers suggest going for hardwood, tile, or laminate flooring with stylish area rugs instead. This combo is much easier to keep clean and gives your space a fresh, contemporary vibe. Also, you can easily switch out rugs to change up the look whenever you feel like it.
More For You
Outdoor living spaces have become an extension of our homes, offering a perfect spot for relaxation and entertainment. More sustainable and low-maintenance options that can provide the same aesthetic appeal without the financial burden. Simple yet stylish choices like decorating your front door with flowers, easy-care plants, and versatile outdoor lighting can create a beautiful, functional space without excessive costs.
This article was first published on the RB ITALIA Blog.
