It’s fun to dip your toe into a trend for a while—and 2023 has had some cute ones to try (we’re looking at you, Barbiecore and ‘70s design!). But when a faddish look lingers too long, the result can turn stale quickly.
Of course, you probably don’t have a hot-pink living room or Brady Bunch-esque avocado kitchen, but you might have snapped up an adorable bar cart, right? Or maybe that fuzzy bouclé stool was too hard to resist?
No matter which of-the-moment looks made it into your home this year, it’s always wise to refresh your living space every now and then. To help you refresh the place a bit, we asked our favorite interior-design experts to call out some of 2023’s tiredest trends that are ready for the ol’ heave-ho.
Here are the top home decor looks we want to retire—right now.
1. Curvy sofas
Lots of homeowners have jumped on the
wavy couch train, but the pros say this item is problematic and needs to move
on.
“Curvy sofas aren’t practical and don’t provide much seating—and most of my clients want more room to sit down in their living areas,” points out Pamela O’Brien, of Pamela Hope Designs.
She adds that they’re hard to combine with other sofas and chairs in the room.
Still dying for this curvy, feminine style anyway?
“Pick a curved chair, especially a swivel version, as this is a very comfy perch and also quite versatile in a seating arrangement,” O’Brien advises.
Cassie Hanson, owner and principal designer of Dae Planner, agrees. She’s the interior genius behind the gorgeous vacation rental interiors in Seabrook, WA.
“While a dramatically curved sofa offers a sculptural, even avant-garde vibe, it does look bizarre in most homes,” Hanson explains.
And they’re far from practical, she adds, “because those deep curves make it tricky to walk around, which creates frustrating bottlenecks.”
2. Slab pieces
Also known as brutalist or “fun
house” furniture, these hard slabs and super-puffy pieces are a tired trend
that’s worn out its welcome.
O’Brien says these chairs and sofas are too big and oddly shaped and “just don’t look that great in most homes.”
Plus, let’s face it: Hard slabs are
simply not comfortable.
3. Gray paint
Clay, snail, charcoal, mouse—whatever you call ’em, gray paint names are amusing, for sure. Even so, the ubiquity of this color is ready for retirement.
“Gray is definitely out of favor right now, especially at the top of the market,” reports O’Brien.
Particularly, if you’re leaning toward gray in your kitchen or living room, it’ll end up looking “like you renovated several years ago or did it on a low budget,” she insists.
Ouch!
4. Bouclé
Enough with this fuzzy texture!
“Bouclé has been on chairs for so long now at the furniture markets, and it makes it look like every single manufacturer is selling the exact same chair—which, basically, they are,” O’Brien quips.
Kirsten Conner, of the eponymous design firm, is on the same page.
“Bouclé is out—it hit its zenith two years ago,” she says.
Sure, bouclé is warm and nubby, but it
can get dirty fast. If you’re keen to add some texture to your rooms, try velvet instead.
It’s a bit more visually appealing and equally soft.
5. White on White
Snooze! So much white in one spot is boring to behold, and it can also be blinding in a sunny room. White, of course, is classic in the kitchen and many other rooms, but too much of it is a trend that needs to end.
If you adore white, just be careful where you paint it.
“I’m Switzerland on the white trend, because it really does have its time and place,” Conner says of her mostly neutral stance on the matter.
And O’Brien notes that “color forecasts are showing lots of intense colors like blue, green, red, and purple—along with earthy, moody, dark tones.”
However, if you’re not a fan of deep
shades, she recommends layering whites and to “be aware of the undertones, and
pair warmer or cooler whites together for best results.”
6. Cluttercore
It seems cozy and personal, but cluttercore, which also goes by the term maximalism, is simply tons of stuff that you have to keep straight all day.
“This look is very time intensive and doesn’t make a lot of sense as a decor look, unless you live alone and like playing with your possessions,” O’Brien says.
Meanwhile, Hanson asks the question on everyone’s mind.
“Who really wants to dust all those
accessories anyway?” she wonders. “Let’s face it—minimalism is just more
livable.”
7. Bar Carts
Alas, this trendy piece seems so cool—it’s all over Instagram and every big box store sells it—but in reality, owning a bar cart is royal pain to keep clean and organized. (Psst. Please see No. 6.)
In fact, you’re probably spending more time wiping down dusty surfaces and sticky bottles than you are mixing Manhattans. And most of us don’t own enough stylish bottles and cocktail coupes to keep this piece of furniture looking as beautiful as it should.
Finally, many carts don’t have the
square footage you need to actually make a drink on it. Truth: The majority of
us make our martinis on the kitchen counter, close to the ice, where there’s
room for the bottles, a cutting board, and the towel you’ll invariably need
when you spill something.
Realtor.com
