Top 8+ Decor Trends That Are Already Outdated

Cool Gray Everything Is Making Homes Feel Like Doctor's Offices

Cool colors are going out of style in 2025, and this has been a couple of years coming, as people move back towards warmer paint tones. For quite some time, cool gray was everywhere.

Cool, gray walls with gray floors and gray furniture were a go-to for many during the 2010s. The problem?

Cool colors can feel sterile and unwelcoming. When your living room feels more like a medical facility than a cozy retreat, it's time to embrace warmer neutrals like sage green, warm beige, or soft terracotta tones.

Vertical Blinds Are Screaming Rental Property

Vertical blinds are a relic of the past and will make your home seem uninspired or like a temporary rental. Once a go-to for sliding glass doors and large windows, traditional plastic vertical blinds have become a design faux pas.

They are clunky, have a tendency to break, and their lackluster appearance makes them an impractical choice for temporary interiors. Replace them with sleek panel track systems or motorized drapery that actually complements your design aesthetic.

Your windows deserve better than something that looks like it belongs in a 1990s office building.

Seven Layer Pillow Mountains Are Consuming Bedrooms

We are all in on ditching the seven-layer-dip of bed pillows. Invest in a lovely quilt or coverlet and a great set of sheets.

You'll save time making up a simple bed in the morning, and actually be able to sit in that chair in your bedroom. Those Pinterest-perfect pillow arrangements might look stunning in photos, but they're completely impractical for real life.

Think about it—where do you put twelve decorative pillows every single night? The floor becomes a pillow graveyard, and your bedroom chair becomes a permanent storage unit.

Stark Minimalism Is Too Cold For Comfort

One trend I think it's time to retire in 2025 is ultra-minimalist interiors that lean overly stark and feel impersonal. While clean lines and simplicity have their place, these spaces can often lack warmth and livability.

After years of sterile white and gray minimalist interiors, we are yearning for warmth and coziness that these colors cannot provide. Your home should feel lived-in and loved, not like a museum exhibit.

Layer in some texture, add personal touches, and remember that a little mess equals a lot of life.

Home Offices Are Dead Weight in Real Estate

The year 2025 will mark five whole years since Covid usurped our normal ways of being, and people are all too eager to part with its relics. Companies everywhere are rolling back lenient WFH schedules and demanding in-person presence, so the era of home offices, it seems, is over.

Only 13 percent of designers expect that home office renovations will be their most requested projects in 2025, down from 32 percent for 2023. Zoom rooms are no longer considered an essential home design element.

Instead of dedicating entire rooms to workspaces, consider flexible furniture that can transform spaces for multiple uses.

Fast Furniture Is Breaking Bank Accounts and Hearts

As the demand for sustainable, high-quality, and one-of-a-kind pieces continues to rise, it signifies that fast furniture is on its way out. Consumers are moving away from cheap, disposable items in favor of long-lasting, aesthetically appealing furniture that elevates their spaces while also serving as smart investments.

That trendy chair from your favorite big-box store might look great for six months, but when it starts wobbling and falling apart, you're left with regret and a garage full of broken dreams. Invest in pieces that tell a story and will age gracefully with your family.

Uncurated Maximalism Looks Like Design Chaos

While maximalism might be in decline when addressed from a flamboyant, over-the-top, and more-is-more point of view, a more curated take to maximalism will remain relevant in 2025. This means focusing on the narrative, with a craft-driven and resourceful mix-and-match approach to pattern, material, and styling.

The difference between thoughtful maximalism and visual chaos is curation. Every piece should have a purpose and contribute to your story.

Random objects scattered throughout a room without intention just create clutter, not character.

Overstaged Bookshelves Feel Completely Fake

Virginia designer Nancy Parrish is moving away from bookshelves that are overly staged this year. Instead, focus on intentional choices where each piece tells a story and contributes to a vibrant and meaningful space.

Take a look at your shelves and remove random decorations to make space for items that will spark joy and foster connection. Those perfectly arranged books by color with strategically placed decorative objects?

They scream "styled for Instagram" rather than "real person lives here." Your bookshelves should reflect your actual interests and passions, not look like a furniture showroom display. The most beautiful homes aren't necessarily the most trendy ones—they're the spaces that feel authentic to the people who live in them.

These outdated trends all share one common thread: they prioritize appearance over livability. As you refresh your space in 2025, ask yourself this simple question: does this choice make my home feel more like me, or more like everyone else?