5 Interior Design Icks Designers Are Urging You To Leave Behind In 2025
As a designer who’s seen it all, I’m here to spill the tea on what needs to go in 2025.
You know those design choices that make us secretly cringe when we walk into someone’s home? The ones we politely smile at while mentally redecorating?
Well, honey, it’s time for an intervention. These five interior design faux pas aren’t just outdated, they’re actively bringing down your home’s style quotient!
1. All-Gray Everything
Remember when we thought fifty shades of gray was the epitome of sophistication? Those days are officially over! Monochromatic gray spaces now read as cold, uninspired, and frankly, depressing.
Color psychology tells us environments affect our mood. Living in a concrete bunker aesthetic isn’t doing your mental health any favors. Instead, embrace warm neutrals like oatmeal and camel, or better yet, actual color!
Your space should reflect personality, not a foggy London morning. Trust me, your Instagram feed will thank you when those likes start rolling in for your boldly reimagined living room.
2. Word Art Wall Signs
Nothing screams “I let Pinterest design my home” quite like those mass-produced wooden signs declaring “Live Laugh Love” or “This is Us.” These generic sentiments have oversaturated homes across America.
Wall art should spark conversation, not state the obvious. Would Picasso hang a sign saying “I Paint Things”? Doubtful. Replace these uninspired pieces with actual art that moves you, photographs, paintings, or textiles with personal meaning.
Your walls tell your story. Make it an interesting one that doesn’t include instructions to gather in your gathering space.
3. Fast Furniture Overload
Is your living room full of furniture that’s more “fast and flimsy” than timeless and terrific? Those particleboard bookshelves and wobbly coffee tables from big box stores might seem like a steal, but they’re robbing the planet blind. Fast furniture is the fast fashion of home design, cheap, trendy, and landfill-bound.
Investing in quality pieces might dent your wallet upfront, but they’ll stick around longer than your last online impulse buy. Hunt for second-hand gems with solid bones or save up for that forever piece. Your home deserves more than décor with a short shelf life.
Plus, blending vintage charm with modern flair adds soul and style no showroom setup can replicate.
4. Accent Walls That Scream
That random navy blue wall in your dining room isn’t the conversation starter you think it is. Accent walls, particularly those featuring outdated chevron patterns or aggressive wallpaper, often feel like an indecisive design commitment.
Color should flow naturally through spaces, creating harmony rather than visual interruption. If you love a bold hue, consider using it throughout the room in varying intensities or as repeated accents in accessories.
Alternatively, embrace the maximalist trend with intentional pattern mixing or go minimalist with subtle texture variations. Either approach beats that lonely painted wall wondering why it was singled out for special treatment.
5. Farmhouse Everything
Unless you actually live on a farm, the shiplap-covered, barn door-sliding, distressed-everything look has run its course. What began as charming nostalgia has morphed into a design parody that’s about as authentic as a plastic cow.
Modern farmhouse became so ubiquitous it lost all personality. Homes in urban high-rises sporting chicken wire baskets and milk jugs simply make no sense contextually.
However, you needn’t abandon rustic elements entirely. Incorporate natural textures and weathered pieces thoughtfully rather than turning your condo into a theatrical set of Oklahoma!
