Certain decor choices are aging homes faster than a tanning bed ages skin. While trends come and go, some have overstayed their welcome to the point where they’re actively dragging down your home’s aesthetic. As someone who’s guided countless homeowners through modern updates, I’ve watched these trends evolve from “must-have” to “must-go.”
This isn’t about chasing the latest fad or creating an Instagram-perfect space. It’s about identifying the design elements that are making your home feel stuck in a particular year – and more importantly, understanding how to evolve your space without breaking the bank.
“Live Laugh Love” Signs and Word Art
Nothing dates a space quite like generic inspirational quotes plastered on walls. These mass-produced pieces peaked in the early 2010s and now scream “outdated Pinterest board.” They’ve become so ubiquitous that they’ve lost all meaning and personality.
The same goes for “Blessed,” “Gather,” and “Family” signs that have dominated farmhouse-style homes. Instead: Consider vintage advertising prints, abstract art, or personal photography that actually tells your story.
Gray Everything
The gray trend hit its peak around 2016, and while gray isn’t inherently bad, the all-gray-everything approach has become the design equivalent of a flip phone. Gray walls, gray floors, gray furniture – it’s created countless homes that feel like cloudy days.
The monotony ages spaces by stripping them of personality and warmth. Instead: Introduce warmer neutrals and consider greige if you’re nervous about color.
Barn Doors For Every Room
What started as a clever space-saving solution has become the shoulder pads of home design. While functional in certain contexts, slapping barn doors on every possible doorway screams “2018 home renovation.”
They’re often impractical (offering minimal sound privacy) and can make your space feel like a theme park version of farmhouse style. Instead: Consider pocket doors for space-saving needs or embrace traditional doors with modern hardware.
Mason Jar Everything
Mason jars as light fixtures, soap dispensers, vases, and organizers reached peak saturation years ago. While they’re perfectly fine for actual canning, turning them into every possible home accessory dates your decor to the DIY boom of the mid-2010s.
Instead: Choose purpose-built lighting fixtures and modern storage solutions that don’t try to repurpose kitchen items.
All-White Kitchens
The clinical all-white kitchen trend has become as dated as avocado-colored appliances from the ’70s. While bright and clean-looking, these spaces often feel sterile and show every speck of dirt.
The lack of contrast or texture makes them feel more like operating rooms than heart-of-the-home gathering spaces. Instead: Consider two-tone cabinets, warm woods, or colored islands to add personality while maintaining brightness.
Industrial Farmhouse Overload
The fusion of industrial and farmhouse styles has created a design identity crisis in countless homes. Those metal-and-reclaimed-wood combinations, coupled with sliding barn doors and exposed pipe shelving, have become as dated as shag carpeting.
While each element might work individually, the aggressive combination of every industrial and farmhouse trend has created spaces that feel more like themed restaurants than homes.
Most telling sign? The ubiquitous metal chair that’s somehow supposed to evoke both factory work and rural living. Instead: Choose either industrial or farmhouse elements, not both, and incorporate them subtly through quality materials and authentic pieces.
Accent Walls Gone Wrong
Remember when everyone thought painting one wall a bold color would instantly add personality to a room? That 2010s solution has become a clear timestamp in homes across America. The worst offenders are those geometric patterns or oversized damask prints that were meant to create “drama.”
In reality, they’ve created visual confusion and instantly date your space. Instead: Consider using texture (like grasscloth wallpaper), subtle architectural details, or thoughtfully placed art to create visual interest.
Edison Bulbs
What started as a nod to industrial chic has become visual pollution in many homes. Those exposed filament bulbs, often hanging bare in clusters or inside clear glass pendants, are the design equivalent of a hipster beard – trendy a decade ago, trying too hard now.
Beyond their dated look, they’re often harsh on the eyes and inefficient. Instead: Look for modern fixtures that incorporate indirect lighting or updated interpretations of classic designs with proper diffusion.
Chevron Everything
The zigzag pattern that dominated the 2010s has become the design equivalent of a time capsule. From rugs to wallpaper to throw pillows, chevron prints marked virtually every surface possible during their peak.
Now they serve as an immediate indicator of dated decor choices. Instead: If you love geometric patterns, consider more timeless options like stripes, herringbone, or updated Greek key patterns in subtle colorways.
Rose Gold Fixation
The metallic trend that promised to warm up our spaces has become as dated as brass fixtures from the 1980s. From picture frames to cabinet hardware to appliances, rose gold exploded across homes around 2016-2018.
While mixing metals can be stylish, the specific pinky-copper tone of rose gold screams “trendy purchase” rather than “timeless choice.” Instead: Consider warm brass or mixed metals with staying power, and limit trendy metallic finishes to easily replaceable items.
Fast Furniture Fatigue
The proliferation of cheaply made, trend-driven furniture pieces has created homes full of items aging faster than milk left out on a hot day. These pieces, often bought to quickly achieve a specific look, show wear almost immediately and can’t be refinished or repaired.
Think particle board shelving units and sofas that lose their shape after six months. Instead: Invest in fewer, better-quality pieces that can evolve with your style through reupholstery or refinishing.
