ShareFrom the latest DIY hashtag on social media to style themes prepackaged as a design “core,” home design fads tend to die quickly. But until trends like “Yeehaw Core” meet their final demise, we’re here to wish them dead.
The Styled Staged & Sold blog does an annual countdown of the worst home design trends of the year. Last year, the trends that earned a place on our list included out-of-place blob furniture, blindingly shiny surfaces and uncomfortable dining benches. So, what new frights have emerged this year?
Here are some of the most haunting home styles of the year. Be sure to chime in below with the styles that are giving you the creeps!
10. Open shelving in the kitchen
By now, some homeowners undoubtedly are missing their upper kitchen cabinets. The pressure involved with open shelving likely has worn thin: keeping dishes pristinely displayed and organized—and the constant dusting! Certainly, open shelves in lieu of upper cabinets can work in small kitchens if you need to trick the eye to make the space seem larger. But in most kitchens, cabinets are beloved by homeowners for their organizational sanity. It’s just a bonus when they look nice, too.
9. Black fixtures on all-white interiors
Matted black finishes may be drawing too much of the focus, particularly in an otherwise all-white room. Black faucets and knobs can end up stealing the spotlight, but is that really what you want guests to focus on? Faucets don’t sell homes.
8. Cramped garages
Big houses with small garages are impractical. Vehicles have gotten larger, and households have accumulated more and more stuff. Yet, garage space is shrinking. From the 1960s to the 2000s, the average standardized two-car garage grew to 24x24 feet. Lately, builders are constructing homes with garages that are 20x20 feet. That can make for a tight squeeze considering an average pickup truck is more than 19 feet in length and a minivan can stretch to 18 feet. With smaller lots to contend with, builders are favoring larger interiors over garage space. But cramped garages mean homeowners are shimmying out of their parked car or even parking on the driveway or street.
7. All-gray interiors
Shades of gray have been blanketing our homes, from walls and floors to furniture, carpeting, rugs, paint, accessories and more. It’s all starting to feel cold and dreary. Even Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” eventually woke up to some color—and it’s time we do, too! The latest trend is clear: Color brightens up our spaces. Lately, contrasting colors and patterns have become a way to beat the gray.
6. The oversized, supersized shower
Seriously, how big is too big for a shower? We may have reached the tipping point. Even bath tubs are now being added inside these supersized showers, known as “wetrooms.” And some homeowners are even adding plants inside their shower for added décor. (A shower greenhouse—why not?) With big showers has come the need for more faucets and sprays that surround all sides, which can make it seem more like a powerful car wash than a relaxing spa. The time may have finally come to dial back the shower remodels to a more practical size. You’ll save money, too!
5. Overpainting with white
White trim, white-painted brick houses and white doors. We’ve all subscribed to the same design playbook: When in doubt, paint it white! More homeowners are starting to question that logic. Colored trim is “in” and so are brightly colored doors. Wood tones are beginning to shine through once again, too. Don’t assume that older, red or brown brick exteriors or fireplaces always must be painted white to feel fresh or modern. Once you paint it, you can never go back! White can be tough to keep clean and often requires a lot of upkeep. Some regret over white paint is likely brewing.
4. Mosaic tile accent strips
Colorful rectangular or square glass tiles were once a popular backsplash trend in the early 2000s, but designers now call it outdated. The tile accent strips often include a mixture of different colors and can look very busy and cramped. Instead, backsplashes are going big, featuring larger format tiles or stone slabs that cascade up the wall. Fewer grout lines can offer a more modern, clean finish.
3. Stainless steel kitchens
This trend went out as quickly as it came in, and most of us saw it coming. Keeping a stainless steel refrigerator smudge-proof is difficult enough; imagine having to keep shiny metal shelves and stainless steel backsplashes spotless, too! Popular cooking shows like “Boiling Point” and “The Bear” may have helped propel this kitchen design trend, but we’ll happily leave this one to the chefs.
2. TikTok DIY home trends
“I found this great home idea on TikTok!” This statement alone should sound the alarm on an incoming design faux pas. Consider, some of these once-trending ideas:
- Painting your old, granite countertops with epoxy paint to mimic the look of marble;
- “Fridgescaping” your refrigerator by decorating it with fairy lights, mirrors and picture frames;
- Adding a battery-operated lamp onto your shower shelves for a softer light;
- Painting sofa fabric (yikes!)
TikTok has become a popular place for serving up videos on DIY home projects meant to inspire us. But sometimes, these so-called great ideas can borderline on disastrous, if not dangerous, for your home.
1. Design-cores
Cluttercore, Cottagecore, Grandpacore, Fantasycore, Yeehaw Core—and yes, Barbiecore. Likely the most hyped of these, Barbiecore had the longest rein of these core-styles, but taking home inspiration from a plastic doll was never to last past childhood. Design trends that get labeled as a design “core” tend to be an overly themed style that will likely fade as fast as an Instagram story. Encapsulate these fads in a Pinterest folder if you must. We’ll all surely laugh about them later! Over-the-top design themes that try to imitate Barbie, grandpa or the Wild West can look off-putting in real life. Instead, fit your home’s style to your individual tastes—and keep grandpa out of it. After all, just like an apple core, these cores tend to rot fast. Don’t let a design core stink up your home.
What do you think? What are the scariest design trends you’ve been spotting in 2024 and that you hope will fade in the new year?
Check out our previous countdowns of horrifying home trends through the years—where blobs, the “cloffice,” moss walls and more really spooked us.
