When it comes to the world of interior design trends, I’ve seen things come and go over the years.
Design trends are like fashion – what was old is new, what was new becomes old, and the cycle continues.
I’m Mati Edwards of MatiDesign, and as a London Ontario interior decorator, it’s my job to keep up with these changing design trends.
In this article, we’ll be looking at the top 5 ways to make your home look tired and dated.
But before we go any further, let’s make one thing clear…
It’s Okay If You Like Your Old Stuff!
You might see something in this article that you have in your home.
You might even like it.
And that’s okay!
Your home is your home.
You’re the one who’s living in it, and if you like it the way it is, that’s all that matters.
It’s also important to note that the goal isn’t to make your home seem boring, or cookie cutter.
But if you’re looking around your home and thinking it could use an update, it might be related to one of the items you’ll find in this article.
1. Wall To Wall Carpeting
Let’s get the big one out of the way first.
Wall to wall carpeting became popular after the Second World War, and stayed that way well into the 80s.
But we’ve long since moved away from these as a trend.
Why?
They’re hard to clean, they absorb dust and stain-happy liquids, and over time, they start to smell terrible.
That’s especially true if you have carpet in the bathroom, yikes!
If you’ve got wall to wall carpeting in your home, it’s a good bet that it’s been there for awhile.
Swapping it for wood veneer flooring can give you a much more timeless look, without the fragility that can come with a real hardwood floor.
2. Orange Stained Wood
Orange stained wood might have been hot back in the 90s, but these days it looks tired and outdated.
And it really did seem like that stuff was everywhere.
Orange oak bannisters, orange kitchen cabinets, orange floors, oh my!
Fortunately, there’s an easy fix.
A darker stain or a quick coat of paint can make your space look much less tired.
If you’re the DIY type, you can wrap up a project like that in a day or two.
In fact, when I’m doing a home staging job, I often recommend painting over these things.
But it can be difficult to paint kitchen cabinets on your own.
With all those little nooks and crannies, it’s easy to end up with some unsightly drip lines.
If you’re not sure, MatiDesign’s residential painting services can help.
3. Countertops Covered In Tile
Tiles, tiles everywhere!
Tile countertops are a sign of a beautiful, modern home – in the 80s, that is.
Now, tile countertops can work well with certain décor styles.
In fact, I’ve seen it argued they’re coming back in style in general.
But they do come with a lot of drawbacks.
First of all, they’re quite fragile.
It’s much easier to end up with chips or cracks in your tiles than in a quartz or stone countertop.
They’re also a lot harder to clean.
The grout in between your tiles is porous, which means it soaks up a lot of different stains.
This also provides the perfect home for bacteria to grow.
Think of a tiled shower that hasn’t been cleaned in awhile, and you’ll see what I mean.
Of course, you can seal a tile countertop to avoid this, but it needs to be done every year.
Otherwise, you’ll end up with grout between your tiles that looks kind of nasty, making your home feel more dated.
However, if you do have stained grout tiles, you don’t necessarily need a full home renovation in your kitchen.
Some elbow grease will do the trick.
4. Old Faucets
While we’re on the topic of countertops, let’s take a look at that faucet.
That faux old fashioned bronze faucet might seem like a timeless design, but it’s not doing you any favours.
Currently, polished nickel faucets are trending, and they’re a much more timeless look as well.
That’s because they can blend in more easily with different colour palettes.
Whether you’re going for a warm or a cool space, polished nickel will blend in nicely.
5. Popcorn Ceiling
It’s not just popcorn ceilings, but they’re a particularly bad culprit here.
Once upon a time these were all the rage, but they’ve quickly become the sign of a home that hasn’t been updated since The Safety Dance first hit the charts.
Popcorn, orange peel, sand swirls, knockdown, and more – it’s all dated now.
Changing trends are part of it, but textured ceilings also tend to look worse the more times you paint over them.
And you do have to paint over them from time to time, to fix up the wear and tear.
So if you have a textured ceiling, it likely either looks damaged, or washed out from repeated paint jobs.
Book Your Consultation With MatiDesign Today
Of course, these are just five things.
There are plenty more things that can make your home feel dated and tired.
If your home feels dated and you’re not sure why, I’m here to help.
Book your consultation with MatiDesign today.
