Overly Beach Themed
Of course, incorporating beach-y touches to a room can be nice, but there’s really no reason to make the entire room beach themed. There’s no reason for someone to walk into the room only to feel like they’ve walked right into a bed and breakfast.
Patterned Sofas
The main issue with patterned sofas is the fact that it is so difficult to style them with the rest of the room, unless it is already very minimal to start with. The other big concern is the fact that any pattern you choose will likely go out of style within a few years. Instead, choose a couch that will last for many years.
Too Many Framed Photos
Adding framed photos is a lovely way to add some memories and personality into the room, there’s a point where there are just too many framed photos around. You can have a set of framed photos in one room, just make sure not to overcrowd them, since it can make the room feel overwhelming.
Floral Prints Everywhere
While floral prints can be a nice textural addition, it is very easy to overdo and transform your room into an outdated vintage shop. A lot of floral patterns have an old fashioned feel, and unless they’re styled correctly, you’ll date your house with overly floral prints everywhere.
An Unorganized Mess
Of course, most people are not going for lack of order as an intentional decor style, but many people’s homes end up in this state anyway. Having a messy house will just make your life more difficult, one way or another. If you have too many things, go through them and perhaps donate the things you never use. This will make keeping your space organized much more doable.
Outdated Gadgets
Of course, this can contribute to the clutter around the house. A lot of people hang on to outdated gadgets. Whether it’s because they think “maybe” they’ll come in handy one day or for nostalgic purposes, the truth is that if the device doesn’t work, you should probably get rid of it.
Rug Covers
There’s really no good explanation for why these were ever considered to be acceptable, let alone a trend, but these should totally disappear from the planet altogether. Not only are these ugly, but they are quite the hotbed for germs. Just get rid of it immediately if you’ve still got one in your house.
Honey Oak Cabinets
Honey oak cabinets were all the rage in their heyday, so it makes sense that there are many of them lingering in a lot of homes. It is now the time to redo the cabinets. You might not even have to replace them altogether, you could do a basic facelift to modernize them.
Hanging Teacups
While this is a cute trend, it is not very practical. Hanging delicate ceramic mugs and teacups is very precarious and can cause a lot of damage. It is very easy to drop one while hanging it up and have it smash to pieces. It’s much better to keep them on a solid shelf.
Doilies On The Table
Doilies are the fast track to making your house look out of date. They are very grandma-chic, so it’s tough to include them in a modern home. You should use more updated decor instead. There are a lot of options like runners that include lacy ones that look similar doilies but are more modern.
Overly Ornate Living Room
Of course, everyone dreams of living like royalty, but the fact of the matter is that most of us will never know what that’s like. Most of us also don’t have a staff working to maintain our home, and that work will fall onto you. That’s why having an overly ornate room is just not a good idea for most of us.
Vertical Blinds
Having blinds on your windows is important so you can control how much light filters into your home. However, these vertical blinds are quite annoying, as they move around like wind chimes and are quite bulky. There are much better options out there.
La-Z-Boy Chairs
La-Z Boy chairs were once the hottest item in furniture and it seemed like every home had one in the living room. Even though they might be comfortable, they are just so bulky and an eyesore. There are a lot of comfortable chairs that look way better.
Overly Antique
It can be nice to have some antique items in the home, you should be careful to make sure that you don’t over do it with these decor items. If you go overboard, your house will end up looking like an antique shop instead of a home.
Plastic Covers
It is really not clear (sorry about that) why this became so popular in the first place. While it is understandable that people didn’t want their furniture to get dirty, but placing plastic on them is just so unbelievably uncomfortable. If you still have this in your home, definitely get rid of it immediately.
Pickle Jars On Display
While we’re impressed that you’ve made your own pickles, maybe it’s not the best decor idea to have them all on display. You can keep some out to give a nice rustic touch to the kitchen, having countless jars on your counters can make your house look like the inventory of a store instead of a home.
Old Fashioned Fixtures
This one can be replaced with a very easy fix. Keep your home up to date with updated fixtures. All you need to do is remove the old fashioned fixtures and easily replace them with new, modern ones.
Farmhouse Decor
Farmhouse style has become very popular recently. However, it’s very easy to overdo it with the farmhouse decor, which can make your home look more like a museum for tchotchkes. So please, for your own sake, keep the roosters to a minimum.
Fake Plants
While fake plants might seem like a good idea, they often end up looking tacky and cheap. If you can’t keep plants alive, try to get one that needs minimal care and sunlight. If you still kill that one, maybe we’ll make an exception for you with the fake plants.
Matchy Matchy Everything
While it might seem like making everything match would make your life a lot easier when it comes to decor, it actually ends up looking tacky instead. You can say within the same color scheme, but if everything is the same exact color and pattern, you’ve got a problem.
Heavy Tassel Curtains
Though these heavy tassel curtains used to be considered the height of style, that is not the case any longer. They are now seen as old fashioned and just too much. You can instead choose lighter fabrics that don’t feature the overly ornate draping.
Tassels Or Fringes On The Sofa
While we’re on the subject of tassels, fringed sofas are our next item. They used to be very popular, but like the curtains, they have since gone out of style. It’s always best to go for understated, that way your furniture won’t go out of style.
Popcorn Ceilings
Who could have possibly thought that this was a good idea? Popcorn ceilings have never ever looked good. Sorry if it’s a bit harsh, but these just look terrible. If you’ve still got them, we’d advise removing them immediately.
Wood Paneling
While these wood paneled walls were the height of fashion in the 1970’s, this trend has simply not aged well at all. These panels make your home feeling like a cabin, and it’s quite annoying to maintain these walls.
Ruffled Shower Curtains
The main problem with ruffled shower curtains is that they looks like they’re from another century. There’s really no great way to modernize these, no matter what you do. The best solution is to just get another, more modern shower curtain.
Sleigh Bed
In the early 2000’s, sleigh beds were very popular, but they have since got out of style in a serious way. We’re not sure why you’d want to look like you’re joining Santa clause on his sleigh. This style is already very outdated.
Shag Carpets
Shag carpets were all the rage during the 1960’s and 70’s, and we really think that they should have stayed there. They look absolutely awful, and there’s really no excuse for them to still exist in 2021 and beyond. If you have a shag carpet, you need to change it, right now.
China Cabinets
China cabinets are the very definition of antiquated. They were very much in style once upon a time, but these are super old fashioned. You can use floating shelves to display your nice dish ware sets instead.
Wall To Wall Carpets
Another trend that should have remained in the past is wall to wall carpeting. Well, if we’re being really picky, these shouldn’t have ever existed at all. Let’s just stick to carpets on the floor, okay?
Gold Framed Mirrors
Gold framed mirrors are not necessarily all bad, but they can easily look out of date. You can however style them in a way that is still modern and trendy, as long as the rest of your home is up to date too.
Outdated Wallpaper
For some reason, in the past, people used to plaster their walls with very bold wallpaper. These can quickly become outdated, which is why it’s best to stay away from these loud prints. You can leave one as a statement wall, but having bold wallpaper on all four walls is just too much.
Baby Pink And Blue
Baby pink and baby blue should really remain in the nursery and stay out of the rest of the home. Why would you want your home to look like cotton candy? You should especially not have these two colors together in the same room.
Too Many Patterns And Colors
Too many patterns and colors can the best way to overwhelm the room really quickly. The room will end up feeling too crowded. Instead, focus on one bold color or pattern and build the rest of the room’s decor around it.
Tile Countertops
Tile countertops are best avoided simply because maintaining them is really annoying. Not only that, these countertops just don’t look good at all. We don’t really know why these were ever considered a good idea, but let’s just stay away from tiled countertops.
Frames Hung Too Low
Adding framed photos and artwork to your home is a great idea, and a perfect way to make your home feeling more interesting. However, it’s important to know how to hang the frames, and to make sure that they are not hanging too low, which always looks awkward.
Too Many Pillows
Throw pillows are a wonderful way to decorate, but you should avoid the trap of throwing too many of them onto your bed or couch. Besides, arranging and re-arranging them every single time you get into bed will be a total nightmare.
Cat Clocks
Cat clocks are cute and quirky, but it might be time to start moving away from them. Unless you’re an expert decorator and can make these work, more often than not they will end up looking tacky.
Linoleum Floors
While linoleum floors offered a good cheap alternative for flooring, the major drawback is that they are quite ugly. They’re also very outdated, so maybe it’s time to consider a new flooring material for your home.
Floor To Ceiling Mirrors
This is perhaps the weirdest trend out there. Why would you possibly need floor to ceiling mirrors in your home? There’s no reason to have your bathroom feel like a ballet studio.
Textured Walls
Textured walls just never look good. There, we said it. There is absolutely no reason to have a textured wall in your house. If you do have some in your home, it’s time to start smoothing them out.
Terrazzo
Although terrazzo was popular between the 1930’s and the 90’s in the United States, this design choice absolutely screams “office building,” which is the last thing you want in your home. While it has become trendy again, avoid this at all costs because it will certainly become outdated very quickly.
Tiffany Lamps
Tiffany lamps used to be all the rage, however, these are really old fashioned. The thing is, Tiffany lamps are usually associated with dark 80’s bars, which is not the aesthetic most people are going for in their homes.
Futons
The main issue with futons is that they really make the room look like a college dorm room. If you still have a futon, it’s time to upgrade to a more sophisticated couch like a loveseat.
Tufted Headboards
Tufted headboards date back for centuries, which is probably why they feel so dated. It’s because they literally are! They really look so old fashioned. Opt for a more minimal look, which will last for years.
Wicker Furniture
Wicker furniture is totally acceptable on the porch, but for some reason, people started to use wicker furniture inside their homes. This should be avoided as it is certainly very dated.
Avocado Green
During the 1970’s, the avocado green color was truly a craze. Following the Vietnam War, this calm color was a popular choice Unfortunately, it looks a bit drab and is quite outdated at this point.
Plaid Everywhere
Here’s another classic 70’s look that should have been left behind in the past. For some reason, it was popular to have everything covered up in plaid, which was truly overwhelming.
Glass Blocks
These glass blocks became a popular way to add in some glass to the bathroom without having to sacrifice your privacy. Now, these just look old fashioned.
Ruffled Bedskirts
Nothing screams “old fashioned” more than ruffled bedskirts, which is twofold: bedskirts are already quite dated, and the ruffles only make matters worse. These are very turn of the century.
Faux Fruit
For some reason, people thought that piling up fake fruits in a bowl would be a good decor idea. We must say, these were not a good idea in the past, and they’re certainly still not a good idea now. Instead, opt for fresh fruit that you’ll end up eating.
Heavy Headboards
Not only do heavy headboards add unnecessary weight to the bed frame, they also look very old fashioned. You can get more minimalistic ones, or beds without a headboard at all.
Window Valances
A sure-fire way to make your room look like it’s from decades ago is to have window valances. Luckily, you can easily modernize the room by replacing them with floor-length drapes instead.
Colorful Cabinets
We’re not sure why orange or pea green cabinets were so popular during the 1970’s, but they were really not the best idea and should be kept in the past. It’s always best to choose a timeless cabinet style in order to avoid having to replace them.
Silk Bedding
Silk bedding almost always looks very dated, as if it has been lifted right out of an old music video. You can keep your silk pillowcases, but opt for a different texture for your duvet cover.
Zebra Rugs
Before cowhide was all the rage, zebra rugs were the most popular during the 1970’s. People felt this made their homes look more exotic, but these days, these tend to look more out of date and cheesy instead.
Curio Cabinets
These cabinets were used to display people’s fine china and other bits and bobs. Not only is it outdated to place all these types of items on display, so are the cabinets themselves.
Matching Carpet & Wallpaper
No other design choice screams out 1970’s than having your carpet match the wallpaper, especially if everything in the room is all the same color. It truly should never be replicated, as this looks way too overwhelming.
Huge Leather Sofas
Oversized leather furniture was huge in the 1970’s, but these ended up looking quite bulky instead of midcentury sleek. It’s also important to choose high quality leather if you do choose it, as nothing looks worse than cracked leather.
Platform Beds
These were wildly popular in the 1970’s and then had a resurgence during the 1990’s. The major drawback of platform beds is the risk of smacking your shins on the bed frame on a regular basis.
Wood Countertops
If you want to be transported right back to the 1970’s, then having wooden countertops along with brightly colored bold cabinets is the way to go.