5 Styles In Pennsylvania That May Be Outdated And 5 More That Designers Say Faded Fast
Pennsylvania homes have seen their fair share of design trends come and go over the decades.
Some styles linger despite falling out of fashion, while others vanish almost overnight.
Whether you’re renovating a historic Keystone State property or simply curious about design evolution, understanding which trends have lost their luster can help you make timeless choices for your home.
1. Victorian Ornate Trim
Homes across Pennsylvania once proudly displayed elaborate Victorian trim with gingerbread detailing and ornate woodwork. These decorative elements required significant maintenance and collected dust in hard-to-reach places.
Modern homeowners now prefer cleaner lines and simpler aesthetics that feel less fussy and more functional. The intricate scrollwork that once defined Victorian charm now often reads as visually overwhelming and outdated.
If your home still features heavy Victorian trim, consider selectively preserving statement pieces while simplifying others. This balanced approach honors architectural heritage while creating a more contemporary feel that appeals to today’s aesthetic preferences.
2. Heavy Curtains
Remember those thick, floor-length drapes with valances and tiebacks that once graced Pennsylvania homes? These fabric fortresses blocked light and made rooms feel smaller and darker than necessary.
Heavy curtains with matching valances were once considered the height of elegance, especially in traditional Pennsylvania homes. They collected dust, absorbed odors, and required professional cleaning to maintain.
Today’s homeowners gravitate toward lighter window treatments that maximize natural light while maintaining privacy when needed. Simple panels, roman shades, or even minimalist blinds have replaced the heavyweight champions of window decor, creating airier spaces that feel more connected to the outdoors.
3. Dark Wood Paneling
Dark wood paneling once dominated Pennsylvania basements, dens, and even living rooms during the 1960s and 70s. The rich mahogany and walnut tones created a cozy atmosphere but ultimately made spaces feel smaller and more dated.
Many homeowners struggle with this leftover from decades past. The heavy, somber look of floor-to-ceiling wood paneling absorbs light and creates a cave-like atmosphere that doesn’t align with contemporary preferences for bright, open spaces.
While some well-maintained natural wood can be beautiful, most Pennsylvania designers now recommend painting over or removing dated paneling. White or light-colored paint can transform these spaces while preserving interesting texture that flat drywall lacks.
4. Patterned Linoleum Floors
Those busy patterned linoleum floors once covered kitchens and bathrooms across Pennsylvania homes. Floral motifs, geometric shapes, and faux-tile patterns in bold colors made a statement—unfortunately, not always a positive one.
Linoleum itself isn’t necessarily outdated (it’s actually making an eco-friendly comeback), but those specific busy patterns from decades past immediately date a space. The vinyl material often curled at edges, yellowed with age, and showed wear patterns in high-traffic areas.
Modern Pennsylvania homes now favor luxury vinyl plank, ceramic tile, or hardwood flooring with cleaner aesthetics. These contemporary options offer superior durability while creating a more timeless foundation for evolving design preferences.
5. Overstuffed Furniture
Massive overstuffed sofas and armchairs dominated Pennsylvania living rooms for decades. These bulky pieces featured rolled arms, skirts, and puffy cushions that consumed valuable floor space while collecting dust in every crevice.
The traditional Pennsylvania home often showcased matching sets of these hefty furnishings, arranged formally around the perimeter of rooms. While undeniably comfortable, these pieces created visual weight that made rooms feel smaller and more crowded than necessary.
Today’s homeowners prefer furniture with cleaner lines and raised legs that create visual space underneath. Modern upholstery options maintain comfort while offering more streamlined profiles that better suit contemporary Pennsylvania homes and their emphasis on airy, flexible living spaces.
6. Popcorn Ceilings
If you’ve ever stared up at a bumpy, textured ceiling in a Pennsylvania home, you’ve encountered the infamous popcorn ceiling. This spray-on texture was popular from the 1950s through the 1980s as an inexpensive way to hide imperfections and dampen sound.
Pennsylvania designers report these textured ceilings fell from favor faster than almost any other home feature. Beyond their dated appearance, they collect dust, are difficult to clean, and older installations may contain asbestos.
Homeowners now overwhelmingly prefer smooth ceilings or more intentional textures like subtle knockdown finishes. The removal process can be messy but transforms spaces instantly, bringing them into the current century with cleaner lines and more contemporary appeal.
7. Brass Light Fixtures
Shiny brass chandeliers, wall sconces, and bathroom fixtures once represented the pinnacle of Pennsylvania home luxury. The gleaming yellow metal adorned lighting fixtures in dining rooms, entryways, and hallways throughout the state during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Interior designers note that the highly polished brass trend crashed almost overnight. The maintenance-intensive finish required regular polishing to prevent tarnishing, and the distinctively dated appearance of these fixtures immediately aged otherwise updated spaces.
While metallic finishes remain popular in Pennsylvania homes, today’s preferences lean toward brushed nickel, matte black, or warmer metals with less shine. Even brass has made a selective comeback, but in brushed or antiqued finishes rather than the mirror-like polish of decades past.
8. Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
Wall-to-wall carpeting once covered nearly every square inch of Pennsylvania homes, from living rooms to bathrooms and even kitchens. The plush, uniform surface was considered luxurious compared to earlier rag rugs and bare floors.
Designers report this trend faded remarkably quickly once homeowners recognized the practical drawbacks. Carpeting trapped allergens, absorbed spills, and showed wear patterns that proved difficult to disguise. In humid Pennsylvania summers, wall-to-wall carpeting could even harbor mold beneath its surface.
Modern homes now feature hardwood, luxury vinyl, or tile flooring with strategic area rugs for warmth and comfort. This approach offers greater flexibility, improved indoor air quality, and easier maintenance while still providing the softness underfoot that Pennsylvania homeowners appreciate during cold winters.
9. Avocado Green Appliances
Nothing screams “1970s Pennsylvania kitchen” quite like avocado green appliances. This distinctive olive-toned color adorned refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers throughout the state, often paired with harvest gold or burnt orange countertops for maximum visual impact.
Design professionals note this color trend crashed almost immediately when the decade changed. The bold, statement-making hue became an instant identifier of outdated spaces that hadn’t been renovated in decades.
While colorful appliances have made occasional comebacks, today’s Pennsylvania kitchens typically feature stainless steel, black stainless, or panel-ready appliances that blend with cabinetry. Homeowners now introduce color through more easily changeable elements like backsplashes or accessories rather than major appliance investments.
10. Wallpaper Borders
Those narrow strips of patterned wallpaper running along the tops of walls once defined Pennsylvania home decor. Floral prints, country motifs, and themed borders (think roosters in kitchens or sailboats in bathrooms) were considered essential finishing touches for well-decorated rooms.
Designers report wallpaper borders vanished from popularity with remarkable speed. What once seemed like a simple way to add character without committing to full wallpaper installation quickly became a telltale sign of dated decor.
The fussy, compartmentalized look created by these borders contradicts contemporary preferences for cleaner, more cohesive wall treatments. Modern Pennsylvania homes now feature accent walls, architectural moldings, or full wall treatments that create more sophisticated visual interest without the distinctly outdated look of those narrow decorative strips.
