6 Living Room Items In San Luis Obispo Homes That Have Lost Value And 5 That Never Had It

Living rooms in San Luis Obispo have changed a lot over the years. Some furniture and decor that once seemed valuable now sit forgotten in corners or get sold for pennies at yard sales. Other items never really had much value to begin with, but somehow still find their way into our homes.

Let’s look at what’s losing worth in our coastal California living spaces and what probably should have stayed at the store.

1. DVD Collections Gathering Dust

Remember when you proudly displayed those neatly arranged DVD cases? Now they’re just collecting dust while streaming services rule our entertainment choices. In San Luis Obispo homes, those once-prized movie collections have become relics of the past.

Local resale shops barely offer a few dollars for titles that cost $20+ when new. Even specialty DVDs of surfing documentaries and wine country films that were popular with SLO residents have lost their appeal.

2. Formal China Cabinets

Those grand oak china cabinets that Central Coast families once cherished are rapidly losing market value. Young homebuyers in SLO simply don’t want these bulky pieces taking up precious living room space in their bungalows and craftsman homes.

What sold for thousands just fifteen years ago now struggles to fetch even a few hundred at consignment stores. Many local estate sales feature these once-treasured pieces with dramatically reduced price tags as homeowners downsize or embrace more casual California living.

3. Oversized Leather Sectionals

The massive leather sectionals that dominated living rooms during the early 2000s have plummeted in value around San Luis Obispo. These enormous sofas often don’t fit the scale of our coastal homes and conflict with the light, airy aesthetic preferred in Central California.

Once representing luxury and status, these bulky pieces now sell for a fraction of their original price. Local furniture stores report that customers increasingly seek smaller, more versatile seating options that complement SLO’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle rather than these room-dominating behemoths.

4. Formal Draperies and Valances

Heavy, ornate window treatments have taken a nosedive in popularity throughout San Luis Obispo. Those formal swags, jabots, and valances that once adorned windows now look fussy and outdated in our casual coastal community.

Local interior designers tell me clients actively remove these light-blocking window coverings to maximize views of our gorgeous California landscapes. The preference for simple blinds or breezy curtains has left many homeowners stuck with expensive custom draperies that nobody wants to buy secondhand.

5. Curio Cabinets Full of Collectibles

Those glass-fronted cabinets displaying figurines, thimbles, and decorative plates have crashed in value across San Luis Obispo County. The minimalist movement has made these collections seem more like clutter than treasure to younger homeowners.

Local estate sale organizers report that curio cabinets that once sold for $800+ now go for under $100. Even worse, the collectibles inside – from Precious Moments to souvenir spoons from Morro Bay – often sell for pennies on the dollar or don’t sell at all.

6. Bulky Entertainment Centers

Those massive wall units designed for tube TVs have become white elephants in San Luis Obispo homes. With flat screens now mounted directly on walls, these furniture dinosaurs take up valuable floor space in our often compact coastal living rooms.

Local classified ads show these once-expensive pieces selling for a fraction of their original cost. Many SLO homeowners report having to give them away just to clear space. The built-in cabinets designed specifically for VHS tapes and CDs make these units particularly obsolete.

7. Mass-Produced Beach-Themed Signs

Those generic wooden plaques declaring “Beach This Way” or “Coastal Living” never had real value, yet they’re everywhere in SLO homes. These mass-produced pieces from big box stores attempt to capture our authentic coastal vibe but miss the mark entirely.

Real San Luis Obispo residents know our unique Central Coast character can’t be captured in a $12.99 sign from a chain store. Local designers cringe at these pieces that neither appreciate in value nor add authentic character to our spaces. Yet somehow they continue multiplying in living rooms across the county.

8. Fake Potted Plants

Artificial greenery gathering dust in SLO living rooms never had value to begin with. In our perfect Mediterranean climate where real plants thrive year-round, these plastic imposters look particularly out of place.

The worst offenders are those slightly discolored silk arrangements sitting in cheap ceramic pots. In a community surrounded by natural beauty from Montana de Oro to wine country, these faux plants seem especially pointless. Local home stagers report immediately removing these when preparing SLO homes for sale.

9. Particle Board “Assembly Required” Furniture

Those bookcases and TV stands from big box stores never had real value in our San Luis Obispo homes. Made from compressed wood particles that swell with our coastal humidity, these pieces often don’t survive a single move intact.

Local secondhand stores typically refuse these items, knowing they’re essentially disposable. While initially appealing to budget-conscious SLO students and first-time renters, these pieces quickly reveal their poor quality. The particleboard edges that chip and veneer that peels make these furniture pieces obvious candidates for the landfill.

10. Inspirational Word Art

Those giant “LIVE LAUGH LOVE” wall decals never carried actual value in San Luis Obispo living rooms. Yet somehow these mass-produced sentiments continue appearing on walls throughout our community, from downtown apartments to Shell Beach condos.

Local interior designers tell me these are among the first things they recommend removing when updating a space. In a town with genuine character and access to real local artists at farmers markets and craft fairs, these generic platitudes feel particularly out of place. They neither appreciate nor function as meaningful decor.

11. Outdated Family Portraits

Those awkward family photos from the 90s with everyone in matching outfits against fake backdrops never had aesthetic value in SLO living rooms. Yet they remain prominently displayed, often in ornate frames that clash with otherwise updated decor.

While family memories are priceless, the execution of these portraits – often taken at mall studios with strange lighting and poses – lacks any design merit. Local photographers note that modern SLO families prefer casual beach shots at Avila or natural moments captured at Bishop Peak rather than these stiff, artificial compositions.