post off: what decorating trend are you tired of?
For me (and, I believe, Angela, too) it’s wall decals — I’m seeing them too many places, and they strike me as a decorating trend that is going to be up there with avocado refrigerators soon. If you’re like us, you surf a lot of home decor sites. So is there a decorating trend that you’re getting tired of seeing? (And if this sounds too pessimistic, next week we’ll ask which trend you can’t get enough of!) –Mary T.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Chalkboard walls, tables, etc. I think they make a room look cluttered, and I don’t like the chalk dust.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I’m really tired of “accent walls.” I’ve heard it a million times on HGTV and the like, and I think it’s just weird. One red wall in a room of khaki? Goofy. Accent walls have to go. Along with striped paint and many faux finishes.
And while you’ve got me venting, anything “Tuscan” can go, too. If you live in Anytown, USA, your house will never pass for a Tuscan villa as you aren’t in Tuscany. Decorate in sync with the age and bones of the house. Don’t fight the style of the house– go with it!
April 10th, 2008 at 6:35 am
Coral and bird motifs. It seems like they have been out there forever and will not die.
April 10th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Wall decals are easier to change than avocado refrigerators, though.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Owl, bird, and deer motifs. Oh, and cutesy, faux-naive art. If I see another big-eyed little girl on Etsy, I will vomit.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Book cases that are shelved according to color.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Ooo, good call on the “Tuscan” style. Kacq. Though it is infinitely better than the sponged ivy/pattern borders that, thankfully, have seemed to pass on.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Letters.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:35 am
I have yet to see a decal in real life – only in the magazines and on the sites.
I’m guilty of the accent wall, but at least mine’s in paint. When I was growing up, it was wallpaper!
April 10th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Oh, I’m totally sick of the whole “Hollywood Regency” look, too — even though I loved it a year ago. Just craving something simpler, cleaner, and more organic right now.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:25 am
The color combo of chocolate brown and pale blue.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:32 am
hollywood regency, faux bamboo, trellis look on anything ( fabrics, rugs etc), ceramic animals, posters that it seems everyone has, and lime green.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Oh yes — the “Like, Forever” and “Keep Calm” posters have definitely reached their saturation point.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Yay! I’m with Erica.
“Oriental” style rooms with buddhas, red or green walls, bamboo, umbrellas, kimonos, calligraphy art (but then I’m biased– I never did like themed rooms).
April 10th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Is anyone else getting exhausted by the constant back and forth of “we love this trend!” and “now it’s over, go buy something else!” Let’s just decorate with things that make us happy, overdone or not.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Interesting point, Tiffany — I mostly see the decals online, and mostly in the apartments of folks around 20 years younger than me! And yes, good point Angela (not Angela M.) above, too.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Flat, muddy “neutral” paint colors that seem to take their inspiration from jarred baby food.
I’m also sick and tired of vessel sinks. Most of them look like salad bowls or punch bowls. Everyone will be ripping them out in 5 years because they look “too 2007.”
April 10th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
all white rooms. sure they look great, but they are completely impractical for most people.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
The great thing about the wall decal trend is that they’re easy to remove … unlike the wallpaper trend that is starting to spread.
I’m sick of the cheap stainless steel appliances. Too ubiquitous and everyone I know who has them complains about fingerprints. Definitely the avocado appliances of our time. I’m also tired of the ubiquitous granite countertops, but it’s a good product so I hope people don’t chuck their countertops as soon as the trend dies out.
I hate it when parents try to force their design aesthetic onto their children. If the kid prefers Dora over mid-century modern, then for heaven’s sake, just let them have a bit of Dora around! It’s okay!
And I hate to say it, but I’m tired of seeing house after house with white walls, white walls, white walls. It gets to a point where it all looks so sterile and boring. Granted, it can be a good look, but I’m sick of these design websites that seem to show nothing but white rooms.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I am sick of decals. And silhouettes of all kinds. Especially birds. But seriously, the other Angela is right… you should just decorate with things you love. Homes shouldn’t be trendy — they should be YOU. That said, I am REALLY craving a sectional (that is fodder for another post) and I think it’s because I see them everywhere I turn.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I also think that people should follow their hearts instead of trends, but I feel that way about all kinds of adornments–personal and interior.
That said, I am super-tired of deer motifs and have been for about two years. (Not birds, though.)
April 10th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Oy! The whole idea of trends is to consume and consume again/more. My biggest beef is in children’s rooms. I would prefer kids be kids, but stay away from commercialism. I have nothing against a faery princess or space hero room, just not a specific branded character. I think we train our kids to “buy!”
The vinyl lettering: I’ve seen TONS of it in ‘real’ life, I swear if I see one more “…all because two people fell in love…” or “live, love, laugh” I will toss, hurl, gag. Plus, they may seem to be peel and stick, however they do leave a smidgin of residue that needs to be scrubbed off.
Paint is paint is paint, who cares about colours.
As far as theme rooms, I think they are fine as long as they remain rooms and not “sets”.
April 10th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Mirrored furniture.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Oooooh. As soon as I finish painting, I’m definitely ordering “toss, hurl, gag” decals.
April 11th, 2008 at 6:42 am
“Swell” look is bordering on “Grandma”. I like old stuff, but I hate when a home looks like it’s driven into a rut of a given period.
I’ve not seen it in real life, but seeing at least one zebra skin on the floor per shelter magazine for years is getting on my nerves. I’m not anti-hides-and-antlers per se, but I think it’s the same zebra; they bring it to the shoot and just throw it on the floor when the room is “missing something”.
And, I repeat: letters. Vinyl included, but wood, metal, ceramic, matched or mismatched, they might even spell something out.
Materialism/Decor issue. I don’t have a problem with that. There are a lot of fixtures that may be more difficult to change with the times, like appliances, cabinetry, plumbing, etc., but buying a new rug or sofa every few seasons is living in your home and adapting it to your tastes. That’s an expensive example of items most people keep longer than a few years, but design is never to finish your home and leave it that way because it’s finally perfect.
Finding new things, replacing old things, splurging on a new lamp, or even a useless thing for the shelf because it’s appealing to you, moving things around your house, donating or selling things you don’t like anymore, this is a cycle. Design is about making your home, and a lot of people try to make a living making things you want instead of the things you already have. Some people are simply happy with what they chose ten years ago, and some people think they are due for a change. Items are designed, marketed, hyped for virtually free, and arrive in stores. It’s a natural response to like things that weren’t available to you before, and to sometimes prefer them to the perfectly serviceable items you still own.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Theme rooms! Enough Said!!
April 11th, 2008 at 10:40 am
WOW! I agree with so many of the comments here – especially:
Light blue / brown – very 2004 if you ask me – and a color trend should not a room color make
Imposing aesthetic on kids – who cares if your house looks like a daycare – it’s only for 3 years for crying out loud! I’d rather now versus later…
Wall decals – agree with Mary T – they seem very “dorm-ish” to me. I guess they look fine, but not really my thing.
Finally – I like letters – especially spelling out a child’s name. Why not? It helps them and I just like it. And I do like chalkboards – old, new or painted – add warmth with the color black!
Great discussion Mary T – long time reader, first time poster~
Sharon
April 11th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Dammit, I just ordered some decals for the baby’s room. Can I get a pass if I put them on the ugly (but necessary) vinyl blackout shades instead of on the walls?
And yes on the vessel sinks and stainless steel every-freaking-thing.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
After going on apartment therapy today, I agree with the decals.
April 11th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Oh, sara — don’t worry, no one will judge! This is just for personal venting; not for dictating.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Are Wall Decals So Over?…
The Shelterrific gang is looking for ideas of overdone decorating trends. They’re voting for wall decals, and I know I’ve seen them on their site often enough. And if you’re talking about ones like the trash can in that picture on the post, then yes…
April 14th, 2008 at 5:41 am
[...] KTG said it best: “Design is about making your home, and a lot of people try to make a living making things you want instead of the things you already have.” KTG also supplied the funniest comment of the thread, so allow us to share that as well: “I’ve not seen it in real life, but seeing at least one zebra skin on the floor per shelter magazine for years is getting on my nerves. I’m not anti-hides-and-antlers per se, but I think it’s the same zebra; they bring it to the shoot and just throw it on the floor when the room is ‘missing something.’” Add your opinion. [...]
April 15th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Wall decals, accent walls, books by color, all white rooms, and
Zebra print. They were pushing this everywhere and I’m done I do not want fake fur ugliness on my floors, sofa etc.
April 17th, 2008 at 11:19 am
[...] font-size:9px; } post off: what decorating trend have you loved for, like, ever? post off: what decorating trend are you tired of? pretty crafty: pincushions by schmaltzy craftsy post off: do you have a tv in your bedroom? [...]
April 18th, 2008 at 7:58 am
This is such a fun post. We make the trends into “design drinking games” over on my blog. Pretty much anything you see on HGTV is pretty yuck. Oh, we also have drinking games for everytime they say “make it pop,” “bring the outdoors in, ” et. al.
I LOVED Woods wallpaper the first time I saw it in Domino, but it’s so ubiquitous and used in such poor judgement all over the place now that I can’t even look at it anymore. I’m so glad I was too disorgainzed to order it and get it hung when i had the urge a few years ago. It’s funny though, I had to laugh when I saw Clare’s comments, as I still love everything on her hate list besides lime green. To each our own
I think blogs have sped up the design trends coming in and going out to warp mode. We’re all always looking for the next thing and we get satisfaction on a daily basis. It took Elle Decor MONTHS to declare Ikat a trend, way after all of the blogs. Also, places like PB and West Elm do their own copies of original ideas – that is when I declare a trend at the tipping point. The latest victim is the fabulous red and white zig zag rug (was it a Madeline Weinrib? I’m blanking, I think it was featured in a Miles Redd room in Domino), now shamelessly copied at PB.
April 19th, 2008 at 7:10 am
- chandeliers
- deer heads
- cuckoo clocks
- skulls
- nesting dolls
*you know you live in NYC when you see this stuff way too much.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:28 am
I think a lot of trends classify as whims, and whims often find their way to settle into child-land, where they’re eternally appropriate. A 3 or 6 year old isn’t going to know something was so last year, or more importantly, isn’t going to care.
Wall decals are an appropriate and temporary remedy for a young one’s passions (or your imaginary vicarious schemes) they may outgrow. Things like current cartoon characters should be used in limited amounts. Dora is great now, but if you get everything Dora Dora Dora, you will have to get a lot of new things when they are sick of Dora or have outgrown Dora. Pillow cases, curtains maybe, a doll, a backpack. I don’t think cartoons are inappropriate unless they’re overdone to the exclusion of anything else. My older cousin had created a nursery for her first daughter done up completely in care bears, once upon a time. Another thing like the letters – perfectly justified in a child’s room, cute, interesting, educational, yet so, so trite for adults (in my opinion).
Anyway, I digress. I think overdone fads may seem juvenile when adults still use them, so they’re not exactly passe, they are just more ideal for children’s decor.
April 21st, 2008 at 12:28 pm
This is so interesting! I am not a designer, and pretty new to design blogs, but am now so obsessed. This is a great discussion!
I have to say I never liked birds, so I hope that trend is dying. I think letters and wall decals are fine for kids, but too much for adult space. White everything drives me crazy because I had to live with white walls as a renter for so long, now that I am a homeowner I am so excited to use color!!! (plus white + kids + outside dog= too much more obvious dirt to clean!) Hollywood Regency always seemed a bit themey to me, but some of it seems like it works in certain spaces (but not mine). I also thought vessel sinks seemed like something that would go out fast enough that they would really date a space, and probably not in a good way. They also seem a bit impractical somehow.
That being said, I guess I am hopelessly out of it, because I was planning an accent wall around my fireplace (although just in a darker shade of the main room color, not a completely different color…does that make it better?) and I thought some of HGTV was ok. We also just bought all new stainless appliances for the kitchen in our new old house. We desperately needed new ones, and they were the option that would look best in our kitchen. White and black just seemed to boring and cheap looking to me, too. Oh well…even if I am out of it, I live in the midwest now so hopefully no one will notice for year
!
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned oversized drum shade pendant lights. I loved them a few years back but they became overdone really quickly. The trend lifespan in home decor is so fast now.
Big ironic damask patterns have had their day, too.
Can’t wait to post about the things I’m excited by!
April 25th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
STAINLESS STEEL KITCHEN APPLIANCES.
Barf!!!!
Who can predict what will usurp this totally overplayed trend.
It almost makes me wish that Avocado Green appliances (from my beloved childhood) would re-emerge!
May 1st, 2008 at 7:25 am
As a graphic designer, I will always be obsessed with letters. I don’t think all trends are “trends” for everyone. Hunters have always have deer heads on their walls or skins on their floor. (A Buddhist would NEVER have a statue of a Buddha in their bathroom). Homes should be more that a collection of trends. I love going into a 60 year old’s home that is mid-Century Modern… b/c that’s when they came to the point in their life to furnish their home. It’s a family heritage, as furniture (decor/art) really can be… not disposable.
December 31st, 2008 at 5:08 am
[...] 6. What decorating trend are you sick of? [...]
January 8th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Okay hooray some design sanity. Please of please let the Tuscan thing die. I can’t stand the dirty skip trowled walls and the oil-brozed scrolly stuff. That style will be so passe in a couple of years, hopefully sooner. People–get your own personal style. Be classic, be orginal, just please don’t follow the trend!
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Well a lot of creative people have great taste, but then because of blogs, industry, etc, that stuff gets copied and played out fast. It pisses me off when places like west elm and CB2 copy something and make it mass. A fake warhol print? And hey, if you haven’t been outside your state, then buying an ‘ethnic’ print doesn’t fool anyone and theming your room that way is dumb. Go get some real experiences and reflect that.
And stuff that should look high-end but is cheap (repro design) just looks cheap. (look up ‘Prole Drift). Following trends blindly is a big mistake. People should just be inspired and not complete sheep and surround themselves with a styles, feels, compositions and textures that they love or want to communicate with.
March 28th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Anything constructed of cast resin will ruin a room
I saw faux stones covered in faux moss. Guess they look good piled around a plastic orchid.
“Real” always works, whatever the “style”.
May 5th, 2009 at 5:46 am
[...] thought we were all over the whole wall decal craze. Then I saw these [...]
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
Oh, after looking at 60+ houses in Phoenix before buying ours in July, I have to say I’m sick to death of fake (and real, for that matter) travertine tile bathrooms. I’m also sick of cheap looking Home Depot vanity “kits” and brushed nickel fixtures. I’m tired of brown and blue, and I’m tired of every refurbished home I see that looks like a page ripped out of Pottery Barn with no regard to the style of the house and/or its’ location. Some older trends seem to be slow to die: toile prints; leopard/zebra prints; dark and muddy Tuscany-inspired fabrics and wallcoverings; odd, uber-modern lighting that doesn’t match the scale or size of the furniture.
September 28th, 2009 at 5:17 am
[...] 1) Old posts still inspire comments, and decorating trends still inspire ire. Nancy says: “Oh, after looking at 60+ houses in Phoenix before buying ours in July, I have to say I’m sick to death of fake (and real, for that matter) travertine tile bathrooms. I’m also sick of cheap looking Home Depot vanity ‘kits’ and brushed nickel fixtures. I’m tired of brown and blue, and I’m tired of every refurbished home I see that looks like a page ripped out of Pottery Barn with no regard to the style of the house and/or its location. Some older trends seem to be slow to die: toile prints; leopard/zebra prints; dark and muddy Tuscany-inspired fabrics and wallcoverings; odd, uber-modern lighting that doesn’t match the scale or size of the furniture.” If there’s anything Nancy hasn’t covered, you can tell us what decorating trends you’re sick of here. [...]
September 28th, 2009 at 6:34 am
Holly, I am so with you on the stainless. Of course we have them, (gulp, resale?), but they aren’t really attractive, hard to clean, and really ridiculous for a home. Unless you actually have industrial appliances, it seems silly trying to fake it.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Dead animal rugs.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:49 am
I have decals over my bed and guess what? They’re birds!!! I love them
September 28th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I’m sick to death of HGTV convincing everyone that your house is worthless if you don’t have granite counter tops. If you like granite, that’s fine but there are a lot of other counter top options out there that might make more sense-especially if you’re a serious cook. I think they are going to look very dated soon-if not already. Also I’m sick of seeing cool old bathroom tiles ripped out, only to be replaced with 12×12 beige tiles-DATED!!
October 27th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Here in NYC, I am sick of black & espresso engineered wood floors. Apartment after luxury apartment of cheap, unimaginative, poor-quality modernism. Dim, dark, empty soulless rooms with all the personality of a masoleum. Ugly granite and “high-end “appliances in tiny “luxury” kitchens that are actually designed to be impractical for cooking.
In the burbs, I am sick of red/orange walls, “home bars,” and (like many who have commented here) the relentlessly bad Tuscan stuff.
I also think the emptiest criticism of any design is merely that it is “dated” — good design of good quality can be lived in maintained and gently adapted over time. I too cringe when I see finely built, well-designed spaces with some design integrity completely trashed simply because they are threadbare and tagged by some design twerp as “dated.” These spaces generally only need a simple intelligent refurbishing. Instead, they’re always turned into some “open Craftsman” or “Faux modern” monstrosity with “custom Tuscan accents” or some other weird disrespectful abomination inappropriate to the house or its location. Did you follow all the latest whims of 2009 in your new design? Sorry to tell you, but your project is already past its sell-by date. Conversely, I have seen rooms that haven’t been significantly changed in 80 years that are more wonderful now than ever.
October 30th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
What I wanted to know is if I really hate this mid century modern stuff so much because I was brought up with that (we called it 60s) and thought it was cheap and tacky as can be…or because I’ve lived with antiques and I think the closest style to mine was called “shabby chic”. I’m feeling dated myself from all this HGTV but at the same time I know it’s bull.
November 24th, 2009 at 5:01 am
[...] doesn’t matter what we think; clearly there is still a market for large-scale vinyl wall decals. How else can you [...]
November 26th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Be honest to the house.
I own a Craftsman bunglow. I’m proud of its roots. I’m not living in a house museum, but I’m not painting my quartersawn oak beachy white either! And oil rubbed bronze works in this house – but only on knobs and hinges where it would have been used originally.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I am with everyone who hates the Tuscan theme. My mantra is “anything but Tuscan!” I have yet to see anyone’s home done this way that doesn’t look fake, probably because they are not in Tuscany. Other trends that I hate include the letters, especially that Live Laugh Love one. Do I need a sign that tells people I do that or do I really need to be reminded to do so? Also, pools with rock waterfalls–boo hiss! Shabby Chic. Why make something look shabby? (Having said that, I have a friend who loves it, has made it her own, and I’m very comfortable in her home). Wallpaper–can’t stand the stuff.
My own personal style is contemporary, but not sterile. It sounds like I’m in the minority here, but I love my stainless steel appliances and covet granite countertops (ugh, I have formica). And, shudder, I painted my walls a neutral color – Ralph Lauren Cobblestone, thank you very much.
The whole house, hehe! Every time I paint another room with it, I am just filled with serenity. (I like to bring color in with rugs and accessories.)
Bottom line, if you decorate to make yourself happy it will show through to your guests. Don’t go overboard with a theme. I knew I had accomplished what I wanted when my sister in law (who loves country decor) commented on Thanksgiving–”I’ve always hated Modern, but your house is so beautiful and inviting–what beautiful colors!” I have had several friends say similar things, including my shabby chic friend. If it doesn’t feel forced to others, mission accomplished.