In an era of ever-emerging design trends, it can be hard not to follow the latest craze. However, what we often don’t realize is that behind the captivating appeal of these trends lies the challenge of recreating them to meet our aspirations. Here, we’re going through 10 popular design trends that are often poorly executed and provide guidance on what to do instead.
Before we begin, I want to preface that many of these popular trends are completely fine concepts in themselves. The problem is that they’re usually badly done. Additionally, we should all worry less about what is in or out of style; almost everything cycles in and out anyway. What matters more is designing a space that you love and one that fits your lifestyle.
1. LED Strips Lighting
LED strips are a great form of lighting, especially in contemporary spaces. But the trend requires more effort than just pasting the strips on your wall. Technically, LED strips are a lighting component rather than a finished lighting product, similar to light bulbs. The strips are not designed for the individual LEDs to be exposed. They need to be used as an indirect source of light, recessed, or hidden, or they need to be properly diffused with an aluminum channel and polycarbonate diffuser. Otherwise, they’ll look cheap and not properly light the space. If you want to DIY your LED strips, look for an LED channel diffuser. These usually snap on and off the top of an aluminum channel, which you can thread the LED strips through. They’re typically frosted, so the light will be nice, soft, and diffused. When done right, LED strips are a great addition, not just as accent lighting, but also for functional purposes like lighting up a staircase or creating diffused task lighting under a shelf. They can also be used as recess or indirect lighting behind a bed or hidden in a recess in the ceiling.
Here’s how to get it right:
- Use diffusers and channels to soften the light
- Conceal strips for indirect lighting
- Apply them functionally, like under shelves or along staircases
When done correctly, LED strips can enhance your space without looking like an afterthought.
2. Accent Walls
Accent walls are more often than not done poorly and out of context. Many people see an empty wall in their space and decide to transform it into an accent wall just to do something with that area. They think it’s an easy way to add interest. But poorly planned accent walls stick out like eyesores. They often feel choppy and visually disorganized, taking all your attention away from the rest of the room. The worst examples are triangle frog tape or geometric single-color walls.
Luckily, there is an easy fix. Accent walls often feel out of place because of the sharp contrast between the colored wall and the surrounding plain walls. To pull one off well, ensure there’s enough visual interest to distract your eyes from the edges. Accent walls work well when they emphasize a focal point of a room, such as the headboard wall of a bedroom, the fireplace wall of a living room, or the end of the dining room with a styled credenza. All of these examples have furniture that distracts your eyes from the wall’s edges. If there’s not going to be furniture, there needs to be something else on the wall. The color of the wall can’t be the only decor. So, layer the accent wall with objects, art, furniture, lighting, or plants. Your eyes need something to look at.
Accent walls can be striking, but they’re often executed poorly. To avoid this common design mistake:
- Choose a wall that makes sense as a focal point
- Balance the accent with furniture or decor
- Ensure the style matches your home’s overall aesthetic
The same applies to those randomly painted arches that are trending on TikTok. If you have an arch doorway or a curved alcove, you may want to paint it as an accent moment. But ensure it is balanced with other decor on that wall and that it is not the only arch moment in your space. Avoid painting a rectangular door with random arches. Finally, be aware of the style of your home. It is not a good idea to put a geometric contemporary accent wall in a traditional home as it will look out of place.
3. Neutral Rooms
Neutral rooms can look stunning, but when neutral is taken to the extreme, rooms fall flat. Without color, less inspiring details become blatantly obvious. In a neutral room, there’s nothing to distract from these underwhelming elements. This is not to say you can’t pull off a neutral room; you just have to make it interesting through architectural features or by paying attention to details in your decor.
If your home has architectural features like molding, arched doorways, original fireplaces, ornate ceilings, original tile, or woodwork, consider yourself lucky. These features provide enough interest for a neutral scheme to work. But if you live in a cookie-cutter home or apartment and want to decorate in neutral, you need to incorporate iconic shapes in your furnishings, texture, contrast, and interesting decor like artworks, oversized mirrors, elevated lights, and plants.
To create interest in a neutral space:
- Incorporate varied textures
- Add architectural features if possible
- Use contrasting elements
- Include interesting decor pieces
4. Knickknacks
Knickknacks are simply clutter posing as decor. Consumerism has conditioned us to feel the urge to fill every blank space in our homes. But negative space is necessary in design. If everything catches our eyes, nothing catches our eyes because they won’t know where to rest. My simple rule is that anything displayed needs to be either functional, sentimental, or beautiful. If it doesn’t fall into any of those categories, get rid of it or donate it. This is subjective, so you’re the only one who can answer, but you shouldn’t waste space or display things that are neither functional, sentimental, nor beautiful to you.
5. Bare Bulbs
Bare bulbs were a huge trend in the past few years, but the trend ignores the progress made in creating non-glare lampshades and energy-efficient light fittings. While Edison bulbs can give a stylish look and are inexpensive, they tend to emit more heat than light, are less energy-efficient than other bulbs, and have a shorter lifespan than LED bulbs. It’s even worse when bare bulbs are used as the main source of general ambient lighting. Exposed bulbs are only meant to be used as decorative or mood lighting, but many people use them as the primary light source.
When choosing lamps and light fixtures, consider function before appearance. Badly lit rooms strain our eyes and are less pleasant. If you want exposed bulbs, consider frosted or milky bulbs, which are kinder to the eyes, though I still wouldn’t use them as a primary light source due to glare. You might also consider Edison-style bulbs that are actually LEDs, as the light quality is better and they’re more energy-efficient. Use them as decorative or secondary lighting, which are supposed to be dimmer anyway.
For better illumination:
- Use shades or diffusers to soften light
- Layer different light sources (ambient, task, and accent)
- Consider energy-efficient options
6. Pop of Color Integration
Many people add a pop of color to a neutral room to stop it from feeling flat. The problem is that color immediately takes your attention, so a single shade of color in a neutral room often looks out of place. For an accent color to be successful, it needs to be repeated multiple times in different doses and on different surface materials. A good rule of thumb is to use a sampling of hues of each color, similar to the paint chips from hardware stores that range from light to dark. Pull in other shades of your color choice and repeat them multiple times throughout the room.
Adding random pops of color to neutral rooms rarely works. Instead:
- Use varying shades of your chosen color
- Repeat the color in different elements (textiles, art, accessories)
- Ensure the color fits with your overall design scheme
7. Faux Finishes
Loud faux finishes cheapen the feeling of rooms as they often fail to capture the essence of the high-quality materials they’re trying to imitate. For example, faux grains printed on laminate surfaces try to emulate real wood but lack the organic warmth and texture of genuine timber. The same goes for fake porcelain with loud veining made to look like marble or particleboard furniture made to look distressed. My advice is simple: get the real thing or choose a faux product that is quieter so it doesn’t demand as much attention. Veneer is a good middle ground, where the core may be made from different material but the outer layer is wrapped in real wood.
Faux finishes often cheapen a space. To elevate your design:
- Opt for authentic materials when possible
- Choose quality alternatives if real materials aren’t feasible
- Select subtle faux finishes that don’t demand attention
8. Can-Shaped Recessed LED Lights
Most homes nowadays come with can-shaped recessed LED lights, which are fine as they provide even lighting throughout the day. However, these lights are not designed to be the only light source, especially not at night, as they cast unflattering shadows and make interiors feel flat and sterile. Install other lamps throughout your space, such as table and floor lamps, wall sconces, and pendants. Indirect light sources that bounce off walls or objects can also transform your space. Examples include up-down wall sconces, strip lighting, or spotlights to light up plants, artwork, or collections. Wall washing, a technique often used in high-end homes and museums, involves placing recessed lighting about 18 to 24 inches from the wall to spread light onto a large surface.
9. Generic Art
Avoid generic art like animal and landscape canvas prints from Ikea or dollar shops, and quote artworks like “Live Laugh Love” or “Eat” for a kitchen. These lack creativity and originality, making a room feel bland and uninspiring. Instead, buy an original piece from a local market, thrift shop, or art auction. If you don’t want to invest too much, create your own art, hang your own photographs, or display art from your hobbies.
Generic art can make a space feel impersonal. Instead:
- Invest in original pieces from local artists
- Display your own photographs or creations
- Choose art that resonates with you personally
10. Modernizing Period Homes
Modernizing homes to fit the 21st century is fine, but many make the mistake of stripping away the character of beautiful period homes. There’s no point in buying a period home if you plan to strip everything away. There should be a balance when modernizing a home, preserving some of the original details. This creates a wonderful home that respects the architecture and surrounding area.When updating an older home:
- Preserve original features where possible
- Balance modern upgrades with period-appropriate elements
- Consider the home’s overall style and neighborhood context
A thoughtful blend of old and new can create a unique, character-filled home.
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