35 Modern Home Design Trends People Simply Can’t Stand Anymore

Kim and Jo are a Canadian and Australian duo who set out on a mission to inspire the world, one room at a time. The self-proclaimed interior design junkies are running the blog Desire To Inspire filled with clever solutions and endless tricks and tips to help anyone lost in the world of decor to create jaw-dropping designs. We reached out to them to get some insight about the questionable trends that won’t age that gracefully, and they were kind enough to have a little chat with us.

When it comes to building your home from scratch or organizing a renovation, the bloggers are firm believers that focusing only on what’s considered in this year is not such a great idea. "In the 15+ years we have been blogging we have always advocated against being too trendy with interiors," they told Bored Panda.

"We very much appreciate creativity and individuality when it comes to décor. Sticking to trends means in a couple of years when the trend is oversaturated and you see it all over social media, it will be a very expensive mistake when you’re sick of seeing it and need to redesign your space that you’re now bored of," Kim and Jo explained.

In the last few years, we spent more time in our own place than we have ever before, and it became clear to many that interiors need to speak to our lifestyle. What became even more evident, as you can read in the examples in this thread, is that certain design solutions are simply not cutting it anymore.

When asked about the trends we should immediately say farewell to, Kim and Jo had a few design solutions in mind they were eager to share with us. "A trendy color that is not here to stay is grey," they mentioned. "Due to people being at home more these days, warmer, more inviting colors that are earthy are definitively beating our cool colors like grey."

Another interior fad that the bloggers would love to see gone is farmhouse style. "This trend is sooooo overdone it needs to politely disappear never to return again," they said. "If you live on a farm go for it. If you don’t — STAY AWAY!"

Moreover, "Terrazzo is a material that while it has a fun graphic quality, has been a bit overused in the past couple of years. Don’t go there," Kim and Jo suggested.

But the duo also went into detail about timeless design solutions that are making us feel emotionally at ease, the ones they can’t simply get enough of. "Marble will always and forever be something we advocate for. It is classic, absolutely beautiful and has such a wide range of colors and can be very graphic and bold if need be. Or on the other hand, it can be very subtle."

They continued: "Polished chrome or nickel is here to stay also (nickel preferably). Brass has been very popular for some time but it has been too on trend and we’re loving the comeback of chrome. Also very classy and looks great with marble. Win-win!"

"Warm woods will always be high on the list of things to gravitate towards that always look great. Stay away from yellow and red tones," Kim and Jo added. "Those can very easily look dated."

Of course, taste is a matter of preference and everyone has the right to make their place look the way they want. While we’re not the ones to judge you on what makes you happy, there are still many things to consider to make sure you wouldn’t end up with impractical and regrettable choices.

To help you out, Kim and Jo had a few suggestions. "Add your own personality," they said. "Do what makes you happy not what’s on trend. You have to live with your design choices so make it speak to you on another level. Where you walk in the door and feel comfortable and at ease."

Moreover, they suggested avoiding too much of the same thing. "Having cohesive elements throughout each room can add to the relaxed nature of a home but too much of the same thing can get boring really fast. Think about adding an accent color that can be found in small doses in each space and then maybe done in a big way in one room."

Then, think about scale and placement because they add a lot of value to your dwelling. "Don’t feel that if you have a small space all the furniture needs to then be small," Kim and Jo said. "It will only make your space look smaller! Adding a large piece or two will trick the eye into thinking it’s bigger than it is."

"And placement keeps things interesting and dynamic. Don’t think you need to place all furniture up against the walls. BORING! Try angling pieces or floating them more in the center of the room. It makes the space feel less stuffy and formal too," they noted.