1. Matching Furniture And Furnishings
Once upon a time, many of us purchased our living room furniture in 'sets'. Thankfully, matching living room furniture is a thing of the past, at least that's where it should say, resigned to the history books. These days, most living rooms function as multi-use family or entertaining spaces, and therefore, comfort as well as style needs to be considered from the start of the design. 'Your home is not a showpiece,' says Jessica Bennett of Alice Lane Interiors.
2. Wall-To-Wall Carpeting
Wall-to-wall carpeting once adorned the floor of every home in the late eighties and nineties, but more recently people’s preference for hard floors has really grown in the last 30 years. 'I can’t remember the last time we put a fitted carpet in a living room, for example, and you would almost never now have a carpet in the bathroom,' says interior designer Emma Pocock, of Turner Pocock. 'But we still want our spaces to feel cozy – especially during the colder time of year.'
3. Gallery Walls That Look Forced
There is a lot to be said for a feature or gallery wall, but a conventional wall of framed art, especially mass-produced versions, is generic as it gets. However, if you are going to do a feature wall, then do it right. Thankfully, recent wall decor trends have shown a shift towards curating more soulful spaces.
4. Symmetrical Schemes That Are Devoid Of Personality
There is a lot to be said about symmetry in interior design. I was reluctant to add this to this list, namely because I can a firm believer in the benefits of using symmetry to create calm and balance, especially in a small room.
5. Too Much Mid-Century Decor
With their classic looks and pared-back style, mid-century modern decor ideas have always been enduringly popular, but recently, overuse of this style has seen the cult status it once held diminish. However, the catalyst for its sudden decline in popularity is not ultimately down to its overuse, but rather due to our need to feel more comforted by and connected to our homes. Since the global pandemic, comfort is key for many.
6. An Overuse Of Fast Furniture
You may have heard of 'fast fashion,' which refers to mass-produced, cheaper, factory-made clothing, but 'fast furniture' has also been infiltrating our homes over recent years, too. Interior design is an intricate and extremely personal process, therefore why do so many of us fall victim to this throwaway culture? The whole purpose of a home is to answer the needs of the individuals living in them whilst reflecting their personalities with good design, space, and functionality, which is why over-produced, impersonal purchases are making our homes look dated, cheap, and undesirable.