Your home’s got style – and buy, did you work to achieve it. You followed design blogs, pored over Pinterest boards, and chose accent pieces and colors to add just the right note. That is, you did five or ten years ago.
However, style isn’t static, and your home decor shouldn’t be, either. Even the most beloved design elements can start to feel unbearably stale after awhile. We won’t tell you to ditch the stuff that speaks to your soul, but if you’re itching for a design upgrade and aren’t sure where to start. Ask yourself if your home is sporting any of these looks that have worn out their welcome.
Gallery Walls
It’s time to cool it with nailing 20-piece photo collages onto our walls. Instead, make a bigger splash with one large piece that leaves an impression. A wall full of little frames fails to make a statement and ends up being overlooked and ignored. Plus, those frames will just accumulate dust and fingerprints. In the new year, the tedious clutter will give way to big, potentially colorful, and impactful art that wows. Think charcoal sketches or watercolors. Anything to relieve some of the monotony.
Industrial Kitchens
Three years later, and we’re still ringing the closing bell on this exhausted look. It seems old habits and Edison bulbs die hard. Industrial chic is played out. It’s time to flip the switch on cage lighting and aggressively exposed piped and beams. More often than not, this look fails and lacks the authenticity the designer is ardently trying to create. Industrial kitchens are not the most inviting place to be the heart of your home. So, unless you are a professional chef, let’s retire this trend.
Word Art
In 2019, the pros are determined to make these beloved letters stop. Even if you can live, laugh, and love with the best of them, those words don’t belong on your walls. Any text art hung in the home meant to be positive just comes across as cheesy and predictable.
Kitchen Islands
Wait. Isn’t the island sort of the ultimate #kitchengoals? Increasingly clients are wanting to ditch the kitchen island. They’re bulky and often don’t provide adequate storage space; plus, they’re very easy to bump into in the middle of the night. In lieu of an island, situate the dining table closer to the kitchen or use modular, moveable storage instead.
Gray Everything
Will 2019 be the year we do away with gray? We have concentrated on cool grays for so long, it just feels dated at this point. Gray has become the go-to neutral for home staging and that means this hue often screams “newly flipped.” That doesn’t mean neutrals are out, but designers are ready for a shift to warmer tones, like sandy taupes.
Over-the-Stove Microwaves
Certain residential features are the brainchildren of home builders, not interior designers. Such is the story of microwaves situated above cooktops. The microwave-over-the range setup is not even functional. The combo’s popularity is driven entirely by the need to economize space and it sacrifices the ventilation capabilities of a full-size hood vent. With microwaves, you are getting about 25% venting function. Plus, it’s just an awkward height for younger or shorter people to use. Ever tried to reach over your head to get hot soup out of the microwave? Not good.
So what’s a space-starved homeowner to do? Undercounter microwaves are gaining popularity. There are also a growing number of cabinet manufacturers offering designer that accommodate this. You can also mount your microwave under upper cabinets while still preserving that precious counter space.
Microfiber Upholstery
For years now, microfiber has been the hero of home furniture. It’s an affordable and practical choice for its durability. So durable, in fact, that this vaguely suede-like fabric is ready for a rest. Most microfiber furniture can make the overall design of a room appear dated and cheap. While it’s not impossible to find a microfiber piece in a modern shape, aren’t you ready for something new? Stick to linen, leather, pleather, tweed, and canvas-type fabrics.