Outdated design trends that were once a vital component of the cultural climate are consigned to the design dust heap in the dynamic field of interior design. Understanding which design trends are in and which are out will help you avoid costly mistakes that will make your home feel quickly dated.
These design trends, including outdated color palettes like gray and white and home structures like open floor plans, have lost their fresh look. Knowing where design trends are heading will help you make decisions that will make your home look current for longer.
Outdated Design Trends
Although there will always be differences in taste when it comes to interior design, being aware of current trends can help you select pieces that you adore and that will be in style for years to come.
All Gray Color Palettes
Gray palettes were popular throughout the 2010s and beyond, resulting in an oversaturation of the neutral color landscape. Some grays, especially cool-toned grays, are perceived as cold and sterile. Designers and homeowners are beginning to seek out warmer and more colorful palettes. They also want to create more personalized spaces that are different from those of their friends.
With the ongoing trend of making homes more inviting and comfortable, there has been a resurgence of warm and nature-inspired palettes and bolder patterns and textures. Warmer neutrals like beige, taupe, and ecru are popular, as are natural colors like blues, greens, and browns. There is also still a place for warm gray tones because these are complex and multi-layered neutrals that work well with other warm colors.
All Mid-Century Modern
Mid-century modern furnishings and decor have become popular in recent years because of their clean and spare style. This style translates well as mass produced furniture, so this market and look became oversaturated. Mid-century modern pieces will never go completely out of style because they have classic lines. Yet, spaces that are purely mid-century modern look too one-dimensional and dry now.
Rather than using all mid-century modern pieces to furnish your space, use them as part of a more layered and eclectic look.
Open-Concept Floor Plans
Open-concept floor plans, which came into existence during the mid-century, have large areas that encompass all the common living areas. In theory, these promote a community atmosphere and are excellent for entertaining.
In recent years, when people are spending more time at home, there has been a greater need for defined spaces due to privacy and the need for separate work environments. People are starting to appreciate smaller, more defined rooms because they feel cozy and inviting. There is also less room for noise to travel, so closed rooms are quieter and better as a dedicated work environment.
Matching Furniture Sets
Matching furniture sets became popular because they provided a cohesive room design without requiring much thought. But furniture sets have become associated with uninspired and sterile rooms that lack individual expression and taste.
The current trend is to mix and layer furniture to create dynamic and adaptable spaces. There is also a greater emphasis on local artistry in order to promote small businesses and environmentally conscious design. To mix furniture effectively, start with a unified color palette. Even when mixing, it is critical to maintain some consistency, so choose furniture with a similar style. Pay attention to the scale of furniture and decor to create a balanced room design.
Word Art
Word art has made its way into a variety of home styles over the last decade, ranging from farmhouse to industrial. This does not mean that you have to bypass that incredible word sign at your local thrift or antique store. While a single piece of word art may be unique, the genre as a whole has reached its saturation point.
Most word art today contains cliche and sappy phrases that quickly lose their meaning. There is also a growing trend toward making our spaces more genuine and reflective of our individual personalities. The majority of word signs do not contribute toward these goals.
Surrounding Shiplap
Shiplap, a traditional style of horizontal wood plank paneling, is an appropriate paneling choice for specific spaces and environments, particularly coastal or rustic ones. Shiplap worked well in rooms where homeowners wanted to create a relaxed atmosphere while maintaining a custom look.
Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming adoption of farmhouse style, shiplap paneling is everywhere. Designers are moving away from using shiplap to give surfaces interest in favor of diverse wall paneling styles as well as paint and wallpaper textures like plaster and seagrass.
Stark White Spaces
White has always been and will continue to be a popular interior design color. White kitchens and bathrooms have been one of the most popular trends of the last 20 years. There is a good reason for the all-white love affair. These spaces created the illusion of space and light, resulting in a fresh and clean look.
While white spaces look fantastic on Instagram and gorgeous in some iterations, they are difficult to maintain. They can also look sterile and uninviting in certain contexts. The trend is toward biophilic design, which is a more organic and natural design approach that emphasizes the use of earthy colors and materials.
Overly Modern or Minimalistic Design
Both minimalist and modern design are sophisticated, multifaceted historical movements. Each can be used to create visually stunning and eye-catching interior spaces.
However, when viewed in a broader context, these interior designs may appear impersonal or unfriendly. More layered, textured rooms with a sense of coziness and warmth are in high demand. Homeowners also want a place where they can express their individual tastes and preferences. Excessively minimalist and modern design feels too constraining and sparse for today’s interiors.
Boxy Furniture
There is a growing trend away from boxy, squared furniture toward pieces with soft slopes and curves. Gently curved pieces give rooms a fresh, contemporary feel while also creating a more organic and dynamic design.
This is not to say that you should rush out and buy a round bed or a curved sofa, but it does mean that you can incorporate a few select pieces with curves to create more fluid circulation and a relaxed style.
Sliding Barn Doors
Sliding barn doors, like shiplap, have suffered from their widespread use. Everyone, from home flippers to farmhouse designers, has used and abused sliding barn doors.
Their popularity is understandable. They seem to bring authenticity to any space and have an approachable, laid-back style. Builders love them because the sliding exterior rod eliminates the need to fit a door into a frame. Yet, sliding barn doors are rarely a good style for any house. Because they are so commonly used, they give a home a generic and manufactured appearance. Barn doors also do not function well. They do not create a closed environment that ensures the privacy that everyone desires.
Instead, consider your home’s style and select a fitted interior door that complements both its appearance and function. In this way, your door will function properly and become the backdrop for good design rather than the focal point.
Standard Lighting
As homeowners seek to express their personalities through home design, there has been a noticeable shift in recent years away from generic light fixtures and toward statement light fixtures.
While there is no need to replace every light in your home with a unique fixture, it is a good idea to select specific lights that are a focal point in a room, such as a dining room chandelier, or specific lights that will improve the functionality of your home. In these public-facing or specialty areas, you can experiment with amazing lighting options using unusual light fixture materials, configurations, and shapes.
Dining Benches
Dining benches, while suitable for a variety of design styles and easily stored, were never truly practical or comfortable for sitting. While they work well for children, they make long-term sitting for adults nearly impossible, as people must stand up to relieve their aching backs. They also make adult dinner parties awkward because everyone must move when the person in the middle needs to get up.
Instead, invest in dining chairs that are both comfortable and durable. There are so many excellent chair options available that you will be able to find one that meets your budget, style, and material preferences.
