Many thanks to Evelyn Long with her article, 8 Horrifying Home Decor Trends We’ve Seen This Year, just in time for scary Halloween. 😉 Be sure to read Evelyn’s bio at the bottom.
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Popular home decor changes yearly as consumers search for the next trend at the height of interior chic. Of course, not everything sticks. If you can remember, designers rejoiced when shag carpeting, wallpaper borders and worded signs faded away.
This year is no different, with 2024 welcoming and phasing out its own list of cringe-worthy items and decorative tastes. From overly maximalist design to unsustainable furnishings, it’s time for many of these bizarre and horrifying home decor choices to go.
1. Fast Furniture
Consumers have spoken — fast furniture is out, and durable, timeless pieces are in. Fast furniture is produced in mass quantities and is often relatively inexpensive. However, it doesn’t typically endure very long. According to University of Illinois industrial design professor Deana McDonagh, Ikea and Wayfair furniture lasts about five years before it needs replacing, which is horrifying home decor because it is expensive to replace.
With the rising awareness of environmental issues like climate change and excessive waste, consumers are rethinking the furniture in their houses. A more sustainable option is to invest in older, one-of-a-kind pieces.
2. Nonsensical Nickknacks
There’s nothing wrong with using knickknacks and art to give a room personality. However, like furniture, you should decorate your home with intention — this entails carefully curating meaningful items and removing dust collectors.
Avoid simply buying something to fill the space. Instead, focus on sourcing sensical decor. Styling your home is a process you should take your time with.
3. Low-Impact Lighting
The right lighting can have tremendous impacts on your home interior design. However, it’s easy to miss the mark if you don’t think it through correctly. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs and light strips have become increasingly popular as more people aim to improve energy efficiency in their homes, yet, they can lead to horrifying home decor.
However, LED light strips are far from attractive and can cheapen your design goals. Instead, lighting should accent your decor, delivering a particular ambience and highlighting critical decorative elements. The better choice is to have lights wired correctly with the help of an electrician. Then, you can use a single LED and schedule it to turn on at a specific time or create a particular mood.
Your outdoor lighting should also be given special attention. Backyard trends, such as using a variety of spotlights, walking path lights, string lights and step lights, are likely to stick around. Spruce up your landscape lights with different techniques, like adding a soft silhouette behind plants or shadowing trees to create a dramatic effect on your home siding in the background.
4. Gray Paint
Every homeowner knows neutral color palettes are timeless. However, gray walls may no longer be a trend you want to follow. Interior designer Peter Spalding says gray floors, walls and furniture were a fad of the 2010s, perhaps because people felt it was a safe hue. Now, you’ll want to consider transitioning from cool colors to warmer tones.
You don’t have to veer away from gray entirely, though — refreshing your walls with greige paint or gray with yellow undertones is an option. Adding warmer wood tones or even refinishing gray wood floors in a richer color can also break it up and infuse warmth.
5. Faux Plants
It’s not always easy to find realistic artificial plants. Faux greenery and florals also accumulate dust and fade in the sunlight. If you’re going to add natural elements to your decor, opt for real, low-maintenance indoor plants.
Money plants only grow 8 to 12 inches tall and remain well-contained in their pots. They don’t require much water and thrive in low-light conditions. Aloe vera is also easy to care for and must only be watered every two weeks or whenever the soil is dry. The gel within its leaves can help heal cuts and burns.
Other popular indoor greenery includes snake plants, echeverias, string of pearls and pothos, each delivering unique shades of green and textures.
6. Accent Walls
Accent walls have been in and out of a downward trend in home design for years. While 2024 may not be the last time you see them, you should notice more cohesive walls. This doesn’t mean they have to be a solid paint color. Wallpaper can add so much to your interiors.
Zulufish’s head of interior design, Caroline Milns, says wallpaper is now used throughout the space rather than just on one surface. The approach results in greater rhythm and flow for a long-lasting style.
Today’s wallpapers range from patterned designs to textured grasscloths and murals. Many are also easier to remove than conventional wallpaper, preventing you from ruining the walls, which can truly lead to horrifying home decor.
Make a more cohesive statement with a classic designed wallpaper pattern — simply line the panels up on the wall for a seamless application for the whole room.
7. Above Cabinet Decor
Just because there’s space above your kitchen cabinets for baskets, ceramics and other decor doesn’t mean you should put anything there. It’s one place where items remain out of sight and out of mind, adding more clutter and dust. How often do you look up, anyway?
Because most people spend a lot of time in their kitchens, the space should be clean, enjoyable and relaxing. You want to be able to concentrate on your recipes and not feel overwhelmed when cooking and cleaning.
It’s a good idea to go through your pots, pans and Tupperware to eliminate things you no longer need or use. Likewise, designate a space in the cabinets for all your cookware to avoid leaving too much on the counters.
8. Motif Overuse
Some might argue animal prints and faux fur will always stay in style, especially when it comes to clothing. However, this home design trend — now referred to as the Mob Wives aesthetic — can look tacky if overdone. It isn’t just animal patterns you need to look out for — it’s easy to overdo floral motifs, too.
Instead, use geometric patterns on the walls, throw blankets, decorative pillows and rugs. Shapes with clean lines can give your space a more modern look.
Everything Eventually Comes Back Around
The old saying, out with the old and in with the new, still applies. You shouldn’t be overly concerned if your favorite decor trend goes out of style. Eventually, it’ll rear its horrifying home decor head again in a similar fashion. In the meantime, minor tweaks to your home’s decorative style will keep it looking chic and contemporary in the coming year.
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Additional posts & resources:
- Chic and Natural Halloween Decor for Your Home
- Create a Halloween House & 11 Fun Halloween Activities
- Having a Halloween Party? Consider using some Interactive Designs with Black & White
- Pops of Color with Orange Decorating & DC Design House
Many thanks to Evelyn for her article horrifying home decor trends, particularly for Halloween.
About the author:
Evelyn Long is an interior design writer passionate about helping homeowners bring life and personality to their spaces.
She is the Editor-in-Chief of Renovated, where she provides interior design tips and guides.
She also contributes to sites like DecorMatters and National Association of Realtors.
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