10 Horrifying Home Design Trends

The National Association of Realtors post a list from the Styled, Staged & Sold blog of 10 home décor trends that they would like to see go away. Note: they didn’t post it to be mean. They’re number concern was these trends could make a property look dated. I have to admit, I still like a number of these. And I don’t think I’m alone. I see hundreds if not thousands of homes a year. Some of these are still great!

10. Sliding Barn Doors

NOT SCARY! So let’s start off with one that I see in ALL new construction. I don’t think this is going away any time soon. While barn doors are a little bulky, they do add space to a room because they slide as opposed to open and shut.

9. Open Kitchen Shelving

SCARY! Never liked this when it became the trend. Still don’t like it now. Especially if you have kids. Open shelving can be a tough look to pull off. Dishes and glassware must always match and be perfectly organized. That’s tough when you have other things on your schedule.

8. Nautical Motifs Run Amok

SCARY??? Even though Houston is near the water (at least relative to other major cities in Texas), we don’t see a lot of these. Maybe in Galveston or Port A.

7. All-white Interiors

SCARY! I would never recommend an all white interior if you have kids or pets. Because then your all white walls, furnishings, and rugs will become OFF white (or brown)! New construction will have light grey walls, so that’s probably going to be the go-to color at least through the middle of 2022.  

6. Oversized Desks

NOT SCARY! In fact, it’s the opposite of scary. Most new homes are maximizing the space of their lots to increase square footage. If you have a home with increased square footage with open floor plans, you need to put bigger furniture in there. Start with your desk in the home office!

5. Painted Arches

SCARY??? I don’t think I’ve seen this in any of the thousand homes I’ve toured this year. Yes, they have been all the rage on Instagram. But can’t we all agree that what’s online isn’t necessarily what’s really happening in the real world?

4. Tuscan Kitchen Designs

NOT SCARY! BUT…the Tuscan kitchen style from the 2000s was dominated by dark reds, chocolate browns, and golds. The lighting was ornate, with wrought iron finishes. The granite was often speckled with gold tints, and the cabinetry was in a deep brown. While I still like this look, it is DEFINITELY past its prime. Greys, whites, and blues have definitely overtaken reds and yellows.

3. Minimalism

SCARY! Just like what I wrote in #6 about oversized desks. We have big open floor plans now. Put some furniture in there!!!

2. Acrylic Furniture

SCARY! To quote The Graduate, “one word: plastics.” Tables and dining chairs made of industrial plastic were popular in the 2010s, essentially vanishing into the room and making it look larger. Nowadays, homeowners want their furniture to stand out, not blend in.

1. Moss Walls

TERRIFYING!!!! Buy some plants. Stop watering your walls!