Trends Aren't Always Good
So you’re going to do a home redesign! If you’ve got the money, that’s great! But beware of relying on photos and Pinterest as you go forwards. What looks good in photos doesn’t necessarily work in real life, and people have spent lots of money finding that out in the worst way possible. Here’s 35 home design features you should definitely reconsider.
Open Shelving in Kitchens
Go searching for kitchens on Instagram or Pinterest and chances are they’ll all have open shelving, showing the crockery off. But do you really want a kitchen where the shelves have to be perfect and color-coordinated at all times? Suddenly there’s no room for mismatched mugs or that ugly plastic bowl you secretly love.
Floating Bathroom Vanities
Floating bathroom vanities are cool, as are all bits of floating furniture. That doesn’t mean they’re practical, though. They feel less sturdy than traditional vanities, cleaning under them is a pain, and you lose out on under-sink storage.
All-White Interiors
White walls, white furniture, white rugs - absolutely gorgeous in photoshoots, absolutely terrible in daily life. Every day it’s a constant battle against dirt, smudges, and spills, especially if you have pets or young children. It only looks perfect if no one actually lives there.
Glass Stair Railings
These look fantastic in photographs, glass stuff usually does. But actually keeping them clean is a nightmare. Fingerprints, dust, and smudges show up constantly and you’ll have to do so much work. Plus, what if the glass breaks?
Industrial Exposed Ductwork
This was a trend for a while, but thankfully (in the eyes of some, at least) it’s fading away now. Exposed ductwork can make a space feel noisy, cold, and hard to maintain. Thank about all the dusting you’re going to have to do.
Barn Doors
They look great in “rustic” themed photoshoots, but in real life? They’re noisy, don’t seal properly, and offer little privacy. Not great for bedrooms or bathrooms. Plus, they need lots of wall space to slide open, which limits your decorating options.
Vessel Sinks
It’s easy to see why these became so popular, they really do look great. But that doesn’t mean you should go running out to buy one. Grime loves to hide between the sink and counter, and toothpaste gets in every crevice. They can quickly become a nightmare.
Matte Black Fixtures
This is a recent trend. People love matte black fixtures, calling them sleek and modern. But like some of the other things on this list, they’re an absolute pain to clean. That black just shows up the water spots, soap scum, and fingerprints.
Polished Concrete Floors
Polished concrete floors are cool, minimalist, and very trendy right now - but they’re cold, hard on the feet, and not exactly cozy. Drop a glass? It shatters instantly. Fall down? There goes your knee. And they’re definitely not recommended if you have children.
Wall-Mounted Faucets
Another trend that people don’t really think about beforehand. Wall-mounted faucets look so sleek and stylish above a floating sink, but the installation is tricky and expensive. And any leak means opening up the wall, which is a huge pain to say the least.
Minimalist Furniture
Sharp edges, low backs, and hard materials don’t exactly invite you to relax, yet minimalist furniture is made up of those things. It’s fine for a showroom, but in your living room, how are you going to properly chill in front of the TV?
Giant Kitchen Islands
People see a giant kitchen island in Pinterest photos and instantly want one, even though it’s highly impractical in most kitchens. If you’ve got a small kitchen, don’t even think about it, it’ll become covered in clutter fast.
Freestanding Tubs
A bathroom is a place to relax, so it’s understandable that people would pick the most relaxing-looking tub around. Are freestanding tubs really that relaxing, though? They take forever to fill, are tricky to clean around, and often lack a place to put your soap or shampoo.
No Upper Kitchen Cabinets
Skipping upper cabinets makes kitchens look open and airy, perfect for Instagram. But where do you put everything? Unless you have a massive pantry or storage area somewhere else in the house, you’ll run out of space fast.
Floor-To-Ceiling Windows
They flood rooms with natural light and look amazing in photos. But they’re expensive, hard to clean, and unfortunately can turn your home into a sauna without proper shades. Privacy becomes a big issue, too. Do you really want your neighbors to be able to see you?
Statement Wallpaper
Having a bold wallpaper print all across your room looks amazing from certain angles… but it also can make the room look really cluttered. Be absolutely sure you want wallpaper before going ahead, or it’ll cost you lots of time and money.
Open Concept Rooms
If you have a big family, it’s really best not to have an open concept living room. It means no sound barriers, no smells contained, and zero privacy. One kid might be trying to watch TV while another tries to read. It can turn into a nightmare fast.
Edison Bulbs
People really like photographing these for some reason, but they’re really not all that great. People report back that they’re dim, inefficient, and make their house look more like a bar than anything else. They’re a trend that’s slowly dying out.
Glass Showers Without Frames
They give that clean, spa-like look… for about five minutes. Then the water spots, soap scum, and mildew creep in. Frameless glass showers are basically just a pain to keep spotless and require daily squeegeeing. You don’t want that.
Open Master Bedrooms
Some people go for these and have their bathroom in the same room as their bed. It looks good in photos, but in real life it’s just weird! What happened to boundaries and privacy? There’s a reason bathrooms and bedrooms are separate.
Painted Floors
These are a great talking point, especially if you painted the floor yourself. But they’re just not very practical when it really comes down to it. One dragged chair or dog incident and you’re staring at scratches and disappointment. Plus, they require constant touch-ups.
Faux Brick Walls
Fake brick walls look great in photographs, but then you approach one in real life and… yeah. These things are hard to clean, collect dust like no-one’s business, and if you try to remove it you might be dealing with damaged drywall underneath.
Tiny Sconces
Why do people love tiny sconces so much? They have very little practical value! People like to put them in their bathroom or next to massively oversized mirrors, and then they’re surprised when they can’t see well enough to fix their makeup.
Floor-Level Fireplaces
They look cool when photographed well, but they can be outright dangerous when you take the cameras away. Bending down to light a floor-level fireplace isn’t cozy, it’s awkward. And you should never, ever let your children or pets near one.
Platform Beds With No Clearance
They look so chic and snazzy in catalogs, but platform beds with zero clearance mean no under-bed storage… and that’s just for starters. Dust bunnies love hiding under there, and you’ll hate crouching to change the sheets.
Black Walls
The gothic among us love black walls. Trouble is, they show every scuff, dust particle, and fingerprint, meaning you’ll spend ages cleaning them up. And they also make the room feel so small and pokey unless you have a lot of natural light.
High Gloss Cabinets
People are obsessed with these, even though they have so little to recommend them. They look good in photographs and that’s about it. They get so dirty so fast! After all, you have to touch cabinets to put things in them and every fingerprint shows up.
Wall-Mounted TVs Above Fireplaces
So many people go for this setup, but looking up to see the TV all the time is bad for your neck. The heat from the fireplace can damage the screen, and if the screen ever falls down you not only won’t have a TV, you won’t have a fireplace either.
Floor-To-Ceiling Bookcases
Book lovers of the world might be tempted to go for these, but they’re more trouble than they’re worth. They’re total dust traps, and you’ll probably spend more time cleaning them than you will actually reading the books.
Statement Ceilings
Bold color, a pattern, or wallpaper on the ceiling can look amazing in a photo. But in everyday life, that sort of thing can make a room feel small and cramped. It’s a bold move that often totally overwhelms the space and is incredibly difficult to undo if you change your mind.
Mirrored Furniture
This is an incredibly dated trend that inexplicably people are still trying out. Every fingerprint and speck of dirt shows up instantly on the glass, and it’s your job to clean it. Plus, it breaks and cracks so very easily. Avoid at all costs!
No-Trim Windows or Doors
Minimalist homes sometimes skip trim for an ultra-clean and modern look. It photographs pretty well, but in real life, it feels unfinished. Then you have to spend a lot of money putting the windows back to normal again. It’s really best to stick with ordinary when it comes to your windows.
Raised Bowl Pet Feeders Built Into Cabinets
They look so clever and custom in kitchen remodel photos! But if you ever want to move the bowls, change the height, or clean under them, it’s a hassle. Pets also vary in size - what works for one might not for the next. Don’t be the person who has to disappoint a pet.
Slatted Wood Accent Walls
Those thin vertical slats are the darling of Instagrammers everywhere, but they’re dust collectors and hard to clean. Plus, they’re a pain to install and expensive for what they are. If not done perfectly, they look cheap fast.
Oversized Statement Lights
Are you the Phantom of the Opera? No? Then you should really be avoiding chandeliers, and all other statement lights. They look good in photos, but in real life they can totally overwhelm a room. They’re also hard to dust, hard to install, and you might be constantly worrying about it falling down.
