It’s natural for homeowners to want to upgrade things around the house as time progresses, whether it’s by renovating a space or just giving it a minor facelift, changing out key fixtures or furniture for a fresh on-trend look, or replacing an older appliance with one that boasts the latest cutting-edge features. But there are some “upgrades” that can actually downgrade your home’s look, according to interior designers. Read on to learn what some of them are.

Meet the Experts

Juliana Ewer is the owner and lead designer of J Squared Home Designs and president of the Houston Interior Design Society.
Jonathan Gordon is the lead designer and owner of Design by the Jonathans.
Tracy Kurc is the founder of Tracy Kurc Interiors.

Most designers agree that millwork—including molding, paneling, and decorative trim—can really elevate a space, but there are also some examples of where it can have the opposite effect, coming off as gaudy.

Some of these garish jobs include coffers in the middle of a ceiling that don’t attach to the walls, prominent chair rails in rooms that don’t even have movable chairs, and wall paneling too low in proportion to the room, according to Jonathan Gordon, lead designer and owner of Design by the Jonathans.

“These features were originally practical solutions to structural or functional issues, so if you make sure they look authentic, they’ll look correct,” he says. “Otherwise, there’s a good chance that they’ll look tacky.”

For this reason, he recommends consulting a designer if you’re interested in implementing such millwork.

This next one could prove controversial because it’s somewhat all the rage right now, but some designers discourage a single millwork accent wall in a contrast color (typically behind a TV screen).

Juliana Ewer, founder of J Squared Home Designs, explains this look as overdone. She feels that this, as well as other potentially tacky home trends, stems from design TV shows.

“They’re seen by a mass audience and become associated with good design, but the look is then mass-produced and suddenly looks dated," Ewer says.

If you want to try adding paneling to spruce up a space, she suggests wainscoting on the lower part of all the walls—as opposed to a single wall—in the room. This is a more timeless update.

All-White Kitchens and Baths

Most homeowners prioritize upgrading kitchen and bath spaces more than any other room in the house, and for years, the safest way to go has always been white cabinetry and finishes because they're universal and, therefore, sellable when it’s time to change addresses.

The all-white kitchen or bath has become the generic update of the decade, according to Ewer. White still works well in either of those spaces, but it’s okay to add some dimension and visual interest by injecting a little color or contrast, natural wood accents, or textural details. Warmth and contrast are always in style, she says.

Arches

Arches, whether in the form of windows or doorways, are architectural details often associated with elegance—and they’re currently trending. They’re timeless when they align with the home’s bones, according to Tracy Kurc, founder of Tracy Kurc Interiors. However, she warns against retrofitting them into every doorway.

“Trend-forward design without restraint doesn’t make a home feel luxurious; it makes it feel overworked,” she says.

Giant Entryway Chandeliers

A grand entrance to the home helps make a great first impression on visitors—and one surefire way to create such an impressive entrance is through a statement light fixture in the entry foyer. If it's done correctly, it looks spectacular, but choose the wrong one and it can look tacky and ostentatious, says Gordon.

His rule of thumb is that the fixture should match the style and era of the home. He also emphasizes that cheap looks cheap.

“Even if the fixture is the right size, if you don’t want to spend the money to make it look right, it’s best not to bother with it at all,” he says.

The Color of the Year

Although most paint brands release their color of the year, don't feel pressured to update your current walls. According to Ewer, it can be a mistake since, while on trend today, it may end up being outdated the very next year and, eventually, can become tacky.

Instead, she recommends finding a timeless color you love and drenching a room in it. Color drenching can be seen in historical homes throughout the U.S. and Europe—and it’s definitely having a moment.