25 Outdated Home Decor Mistakes Everyone Probably Makes

Ever walked into a home and felt like you were transported to another decade – and not in a good way? Certain décor choices, once stylish, now quietly betray a bygone era. From dated finishes to overused trends, these lingering design elements can make even a well-kept home feel tired and out of touch.

If your space feels a little off and you can’t quite put your finger on why, chances are one of these common décor missteps is to blame.

1. Accent Walls In Bold Colors

Once the quickest way to add drama to a room, that single burgundy or forest green wall now looks like an unfinished painting job. The stark contrast often makes spaces feel smaller and more chopped up.

Today’s approach favors cohesive color schemes throughout rooms. If you crave color, consider bringing it in through artwork, textiles, and accessories that can be easily changed when trends shift.

2. Tuscan Kitchen Overload

Terracotta tiles, grape motifs, and faux-finished walls once dominated American kitchens. The heavy Mediterranean aesthetic peaked in the early 2000s but now feels stuffy and overwhelming.

Modern kitchens embrace cleaner lines and lighter colors. If you still have a Tuscan-inspired kitchen, consider updating with simpler hardware and neutral paint to freshen the space.

3. Chevron Print Overload

The zigzag pattern dominated everything from rugs to throw pillows around 2012-2015. Walking into a room with multiple chevron items now feels like entering a time capsule from that specific era.

If you still love geometric patterns, try more timeless options like stripes or subtle herringbone. These alternatives provide visual interest without immediately dating your space to a specific decorating trend.

4. Shiny Brass Everything

Bright yellow-gold fixtures and hardware dominated homes in the 80s and 90s. The shiny finish showed fingerprints easily and quickly looked dated as design preferences shifted toward warmer metallics.

Update doorknobs, cabinet pulls, and light fixtures with brushed nickel, bronze, or matte black for an instant refresh. If you love gold tones, today’s brushed brass or champagne finishes offer more sophisticated alternatives.

5. Word Art Everywhere

Walls plastered with phrases like “Live, Laugh, Love” or “Home Sweet Home” scream 2010s decorating. While inspirational at first, these mass-produced sentiments have lost their impact through overuse.

Consider replacing word art with actual artwork that speaks to you. Personal photos, original paintings, or vintage prints add much more character and won’t make visitors secretly roll their eyes.

6. Mason Jar Everything

From lighting fixtures to soap dispensers, mason jars had their moment in the farmhouse decor boom. The rustic charm quickly turned into overload when every possible household item got the mason jar treatment.

While they’re still practical for actual canning, it’s time to retire the mason jar chandeliers. Opt for more refined glass or ceramic pieces that don’t scream “DIY Pinterest project from 2015.”

7. TV Above The Fireplace

Mounting the television above the mantel seemed like a space-saving solution, but it’s actually uncomfortable for viewing and potentially harmful to your electronics. Heat rising from the fireplace can damage sensitive components.

Consider rearranging your living room to position the TV at eye level when seated. Your neck will thank you, and your fireplace can become a true focal point with proper artwork above it.

8. Edison Bulbs Everywhere

The industrial look featuring exposed vintage-style bulbs took over restaurants, then homes. While charming at first, these energy-inefficient lights often provide harsh, unflattering illumination and have become visual clichés.

Consider light fixtures that conceal bulbs behind frosted glass or shades. You’ll get better light quality and a more sophisticated look that won’t immediately signal “trendy circa 2015.”

9. Fake Fruit Displays

Dusty plastic apples and waxy bananas fooled no one and collected grime in countless kitchens. These artificial arrangements were once considered elegant table centerpieces but now look obviously fake and dated.

Fresh fruit in a simple bowl offers natural beauty that changes with the seasons. When real produce isn’t practical, try other centerpiece ideas like potted herbs, fresh flowers, or interesting ceramics.

10. Vertical Blinds

Those clicking, clattering plastic strips that never hang quite right have plagued sliding glass doors since the 1980s. They’re difficult to clean, break easily, and instantly make any room feel like a budget motel.

Upgrade to simple panel curtains that slide easily and add softness. For a more modern option, consider cellular shades or roller blinds specifically designed for large glass doors.

11. Matching Furniture Sets

Remember when buying everything in the same collection was the height of sophistication? Those days are long gone! Matching sets create a showroom feeling rather than a lived-in, collected-over-time vibe.

Mix and match pieces that complement each other instead. This approach adds character and makes your space look thoughtfully curated rather than ordered straight from a catalog.

12. Carpet In Bathrooms

Somehow, wall-to-wall carpet in bathrooms was once considered luxurious. The reality is a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and odors in a room specifically designed for water use.

Replace bathroom carpet with waterproof options like ceramic tile, luxury vinyl, or even sealed hardwood. These surfaces are easier to clean, more hygienic, and will instantly modernize your bathroom.

13. Wallpaper Borders

Those 6-inch strips of floral or country-themed wallpaper running along the ceiling line were once in every suburban home. They created visual clutter and immediately date a room to the 1980s-90s.

If you still have wallpaper borders, removing them will instantly refresh your space. For wall interest, consider using a single accent wall of modern wallpaper or simply paint the entire room a cohesive color.

14. Overlarge Furniture

Massive sectionals and oversized recliners that dominate rooms were popular when McMansions were all the rage. These bulky pieces make spaces feel cramped and heavy, regardless of actual room size.

Scale your furniture to your actual space, not what looked good in the warehouse showroom. Properly sized pieces create better flow, make rooms appear larger, and allow for more functional arrangements.

15. Granite Overload

Dark, speckled granite countertops were the ultimate kitchen status symbol in the early 2000s. The busy patterns and heavy appearance now feel dated compared to today’s cleaner aesthetic preferences.

Lighter quartz, marble, or even butcher block countertops create a more timeless look. If replacing granite isn’t in your budget, update surrounding elements like backsplashes and hardware to freshen the overall feel.

16. Tiled Countertops

Small square tiles with grimy grout lines once covered kitchen and bathroom counters across America. The uneven surface catches crumbs and makes cleaning a nightmare, while the dated look screams 1970s-80s.

Solid surface countertops provide a cleaner aesthetic and much more practical functionality. If you’re stuck with tile counters, a temporary solution is applying countertop paint kits until replacement is possible.

17. Poufy Valances And Swags

Formal window treatments with excessive fabric, tassels, and complicated swags once signified elegance in living and dining rooms. These heavy, dust-collecting arrangements now look fussy and block natural light.

Simplify with clean-lined curtains hung close to the ceiling to create height. If privacy isn’t needed, consider leaving windows bare or using minimal roman shades for a fresher, more contemporary look.

18. Fake Plants Collecting Dust

Silk ficus trees and plastic philodendrons once filled corners in homes everywhere. These dust magnets have improved little over decades, still looking obviously artificial at first glance.

Today’s low-maintenance real plants like snake plants and pothos offer actual air-purifying benefits. If you truly can’t keep plants alive, modern high-quality faux options look much more realistic than their predecessors.

19. Excessive Throw Pillows

Beds and sofas disappearing under mountains of decorative pillows became a strange status symbol in the 2000s. These pillow collections require daily rearranging and often end up in a pile on the floor at night.

Limit yourself to 2-3 pillows on sofas and 4-5 on beds for a cleaner look. Choose quality over quantity with a few well-made pillows that add genuine comfort rather than just visual clutter.

20. Hollywood Mirror Lights

Rows of exposed round bulbs surrounding bathroom mirrors had their moment in the 90s. The harsh, unflattering light they cast makes everyday grooming tasks more difficult than necessary.

Modern vanity lighting places fixtures on either side of mirrors at face height. This arrangement eliminates shadows and provides more accurate lighting for makeup application and other personal care routines.

21. Popcorn Ceilings

The spray-on texture once valued for hiding imperfections and dampening sound now dates homes instantly. Beyond looking outdated, these bumpy surfaces collect dust and are difficult to clean or repaint.

Smooth ceilings create a more current, finished appearance. While removal can be messy, the dramatic improvement in your home’s look makes it worthwhile. Just ensure testing for asbestos in older homes before starting removal.

22. Overtheming Rooms

Remember those bathrooms completely covered in seashells or bedrooms transformed into jungle safaris? Heavily themed rooms feel gimmicky and tire quickly, especially in adult spaces.

Incorporate themes more subtly through a few carefully chosen accessories. This approach allows for easier updates when interests change and creates more sophisticated spaces that won’t embarrass you when guests visit.

23. Wall-To-Wall Mirrors

Covering entire walls with mirrors was a popular 1980s trick to make spaces feel larger. The effect often creates a disorienting fun-house feeling and collects visible smudges and dust along edges.

Use mirrors more strategically to reflect light or interesting views. A well-placed mirror with an attractive frame serves both functional and decorative purposes without the overwhelming reflective surface.

24. Glass Block Windows

Those chunky translucent blocks popular in 80s-90s bathrooms and entryways now look unmistakably dated. While they provided privacy, the aesthetic screams “Miami Vice era” rather than timeless design.

Replace glass blocks with frosted glass windows for a cleaner look that still offers privacy. If replacement isn’t possible, minimizing surrounding design elements and keeping the area simple helps reduce their visual impact.

25. Overstuffed Curio Cabinets

Glass-front cabinets crammed with collectibles from Precious Moments figurines to souvenir spoons were once proud displays in many homes. These crowded collections gather dust and create visual clutter that feels chaotic.

Edit collections drastically, displaying only a few favorite pieces with space around them. Rotating items seasonally keeps displays fresh and gives each piece a chance to be properly appreciated.