6 Outdated Home Decor Styles You Need To Avoid
In our never-ending quest to create a comfortable yet stylish home, it’s a good idea to discover outdated home decor styles that come and go every year. While we long to incorporate our individual styles and tastes, learning what to go with and what to avoid is essential. Fortunately, we can do these things while staying within our budgets. You don’t need to spend a small fortune to update your space.
Moreover, you don’t need to embrace every home decor trend either. According to interior designers, it’s their job to let us know what’s in and what’s out. This year, they have some great advice to let us know what’s worth indulging in and what to avoid.
We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Skimlinks, and other Associate Affiliate Programs. Affiliate advertising programs like these allow us to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites at no cost to you. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Please check our Disclosure Privacy Policy page. Thank you for supporting our website.
Why It’s A Good Idea To Avoid Outdated Home Decor Trends
In case you are wondering, it’s a good idea to discover outdated home decor trends every year. Why? Well, to start, it helps us avoid mistakes and save money.
Avoid Repeating Mistakes: Understanding your tendency for past trends can help you avoid outdated home decor styles by not repeating them.
💡Recognizing Interior Design Evolution: Ideally, interior design elements are cyclical. As you know, what was once outdated in fashion often comes back in style and with a modern twist. Ideally, recognizing past trends helps you predict future ones and develop a keen eye for them.
💡Combining The Old with New: Fortunately, you can combine some outdated elements. You can either repurpose or mix them with contemporary styles for a unique, eclectic look.
💡Smart Shopping Ahead: We all want to spend our money wisely, especially on home decor. Recognizing past trends and outdated styles can help us save money, especially when thrifting or antiquing.
💡Personalizing Your Style: By recognizing outdated home decor styles and trends, we can develop a style that more closely reflects our tastes instead of following what’s currently popular.
So, there you have it in a nutshell. Now, you can see why it’s a good idea to discover outdated home decor trends every year.
Below, we will explore several outdated home decor trends and suggest ways to replace them with a more modern and up-to-date twist.
1 – Wall Decals and Signs
For over a decade, wall decals and word signs have been ubiquitous. For example, you saw the word welcome at every front door—I am guilty of having one, too. Another example is the words coffee bar or Bon Appetit in almost every kitchen. We saw the decals expressing love, family, and home in the bedrooms above our beds.
Do This Instead:
So, instead of using these outdated home decor trends, we have some great suggestions below.
💡For the bedroom, take a favorite photo of you and your loved ones and blow it up. Frame it and hang it in your bedroom.
💡 For the kitchen, purchase a print of your favorite dish instead of the words Bon Appetit. For example, if you love Italian spices, you can hang this beautiful canvas print Italian Style Jarred Spices and Hanging Herbs and Fruit. Or, if you love pizza, this pizza and tomato print will look great in anyone’s kitchen.
2 – Artificial Plants and Centerpieces
While I must confess I do love my artificial plants, interior designers say they fit into the outdated home decor category. For decades, people continue to use them as “fillers” for empty spots or as a solution for those lacking a green thumb.
Additionally, artificial plants tend to become dust collectors, and the lower-end ones tend to look very artificial. They also tend to fade in color and turn yellow. Of course, this looks unsightly and cheap.
Do This Instead:
💡Treat yourself to a low-maintenance real plant. For example, this Money Tree Plant is beautiful and easy to care for. I have had one for decades, and they are virtually killproof, too. This Money Tree is gorgeous on any tabletop, shelf, plant stand, living room, office, or bedroom.
💡Alternatively, you can choose a stunning decorative item like a large vase or a grouping of candles to replace traditional centerpieces on your table.
3 – Monochrome One Room Colors
Monochrome or color drenching is now considered an outdated home decor style, and yay to that!
Moreover, the color grey is now frowned upon by interior designers, and rightfully so. “Gray-on-gray interiors can make your space look and feel cold and unwelcoming. Even using all white everything is no a no-no in the interior design space.
Let’s face it. For some reason, grey has become the “it” color for the past few years, and I believe it’s responsible for some seasonal depression as well. I love pops of color in my home and if that’s not for you, no problem! You can still easily create a warm and inviting space throughout your home.
Do This Instead:
💡Try using warmer neutrals like beige, cream, brown, peach, tan, or taupe. To accent your neutrals, try adding pops of Pantone color of the year, Mocha Mousse. Mocha Mousse is a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us by suggesting the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.
4 – Farmhouse Style Anything
When the Classic Farmhouse Style became infamous – I mean famous 😁I knew better to avoid it. While some homes did have a certain country charm and were designed beautifully, it never struck a chord with me. Since the early 2000s, the needle did push it forward, and it seemed many got stuck in a time warp of farmhouse decor. After all, it was expensive to transition their homes, and many had no choice.
There’s hope! You don’t need to ditch it entirely if you are one of them.
Do This Instead:
💡Try to incorporate the “modern farmhouse” aesthetic with your classic. Doing so will add key elements to your traditional style of farmhouse decor. Modern farmhouse decor is still considered relevant and evolving. However, don’t overuse these elements. Instead, try adding a touch of shiplap to one wall and some cozy textures with more contemporary design elements.
💡Additionally, try incorporating richer colors, layered textures, patterned wallpaper, and a mix of vintage and modern furniture.
5 – Wallpaper Borders – Fortunately, This Outdated Home Decor Style Is Done For
I remember back in the day, wallpaper borders were all the rage, and they were very affordable. Almost every home carefully trimmed its walls with decorative styles and colors. While they did seem to fade away, I still see them but with subtle patterns and colors.
Do This Instead:
💡You can still add a visually appealing accent to your walls, so don’t fret. Instead, add some decorative wainscoting to your room’s crown and base trim. Wainscoting is perfect for bathrooms and will look chic and stylish, too. Plus, you can use the peel-and-stick type for easy application.
💡Alternatively, you can also add it to one wall in your home. Remember, the golden rule for wainscoting is to install it at one-third of the height of the wall. This rule is called the “one-third rule”.
6 – Dated: Tile Countertops
Back in the 70s and even the 80s, tile countertops were all the rage. Folks found out soon enough how difficult they were to clean, especially in high-traffic areas like the kitchen and bathroom. While they add some cottage charm to your space, you won’t find them trending again anytime soon.
Do This Instead:
💡Instead of spending a small fortune replacing them, maybe it’s time to roll up your sleeves to deep clean your gaps, add a sealant, or apply a coat of paint.
We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Skimlinks, and other Associate Affiliate Programs. Affiliate advertising programs like these allow us to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites at no cost to you. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Please check our Disclosure Privacy Policy page. Thank you for supporting our website.
Don’t Forget To Pin Your Inspiration!
