43 tired homewares that are making your home look old fashioned (2024)

Home décor that has had its day

We all have a soft spot for antique furniture and vintage accessories, but are your homeware choices aging your house? Décor is a fickle thing and some trends stand the test of time better than others. However, these interior design fads from decades gone by have well and truly run their course. Click or scroll through it's time to wave that dated décor goodbye for good...

Toilet seat covers

It's hard to believe fluffy toilet seats were once in fashion. But bathrooms all over the Western Hemisphere once popped a shaggy wig over their toilet seat. The fact that there was no point to them at all other than to highlight a colourful bathroom suite is no wonder their popularity has now been flushed down the loo. And, don't worry we are not going to approach the subject of hygiene here, we are sure you can imagine!

Decorative wording

Wooden, cardboard and plastic ornaments carved into three-dimensional words such as 'home' 'love' and 'Mrs & Mrs' (to name just a few) were once very popular. But, it seems the trend for more stylish neonwall art with aspirational quotes and personalised mantra's in funky fonts has blown the original chunky typo-trinkets off our shelves for good.

Artificial flowers

Remember the shiny plastic or dusty satin flowers of the 80s? They may have been easier to maintain and cheaper than buying a beautiful new display each week but the kitsch factor was off the scale. What made them worse was when they were potted in layers of coloured sand or dazzling and sparkly pebbles.

Futon beds

Who remembers wanting to own a funky futon? The fad for multifunctional furniture and minimalist designs in the early 90s made these Japanese low-level beds super fashionable. Once they were given a western update with a wooden frame, the space-saving futon sofa bed became famous worldwide.

Ironwork furniture

Ornate wrought iron furniture was quite the high-end addition in the 70s and 80s. Thankfully metal furniture has straightened out its lavish curves as sleek right angles or hairpin legs are the go-to look these days.

Cork flooring

Cork has been a flooring choice for decades. Made from the cork oak tree, it is a natural material mostly used in kitchens and bathrooms thanks to its waterproof qualities. But, it is the original sealant that gives it a shiny orange look that is now so out of date. However, thanks to technology and cork's sustainable and biodegradable properties, cork flooring is looking a little more attractive these days. Dare we say it, could corkbe on its way back?

Oriental rugs

The puffy floral rugs were laid all over carpets in the 80s and 90s, adding a pop of feminine colour to beige interiors. For those who remember, wasn't brushing out the tassels every day such a pain!

Wall-to-wall square tiles

Thanks to the popularity of much-loved metro or subway tiles in residential bathrooms, standard square bathroom tiles have been left behind. And, it's not just the bevelled brickwork that's taken over, mosaic penny tiles, hexagons and scallop-shaped tiles are the go-to bathroom tile choices over right-angles these days.

Gas fire

A fireplace is always a beautiful focal feature in any room, so if yours is still fitted with an outdated gas fire, perhaps it's time for it to go. Can you believe that these gas fires were once thought of as cutting edge? Thankfully the trend has gone full circle and sustainable heating options are taking over as we try make our homes greener and more economical to run.

Pine furniture

The odd piece of pine furniture here and there can add country charm but a full set of the knotty wooden storage is a no-no. In their prime the chunky dressers, drawers and full bedroom sets withorange finish were all the rage but these days a heavy pine presence is so passé. Why not give yourpine furniturea revamp with paint?

White kitchen appliances

When the revolutionary 50s fitted kitchen exploded into our homes so with it came integrated refrigerators and cookers in a practical and affordable standard white finish. Thanks to technology and trends stainless steel, chrome, grey and even black and colour pop appliances have left white looking outdated and old fashioned.

Colour saturated bathrooms

Homeowners loved to get creative with bold colours in the 70s and 80s and bathrooms were no exception. Colour clash shades from acid yellow to fuchsia pink covered the whole bathroom using tiles, shower curtains and towels. These days, the bathroom is seen as a soothing sanctuary, so, if do want to inject colour stick to one hero feature or just a few statement accessories.

Magnolia walls

Named after soft vanilla petals of the magnolia plant the landlords' favourite neutral tone covered walls in almost every home in the 80s and 90s. Why? The buttery blend was considered safe, warm and can be matched with almost any furniture. However, with the introduction of all things Scandi white and cool grey reign and the once popular creamy shade of yellow seems to have had its heyday and turned sour.

Beige on beige

Here's another example from the 'magnolia' era. Beige layered with more beige was a safe colour choice and therefore very popular in the 1990s. Beige walls, beige lighting, beige furniture, beige window dressings– you get our drift. Thank goodness for the modern neutral palettes of today that blend greys, pinks, taupes and natural tones for a multidimensional look.

Stuffy wall art

If you have tired wall art displayed in gilt frames in your home perhaps you need a new exhibit. Associated with stuffy old art galleries and antique stores the once considered ornate finish is now thought of as gaudy and out of style. The odd one or two can look quirky as part of a decorative gallery wall or upcyled with splashes of neon paint, but any more and it's time for a change of 'art'.

Glass block walls

Hot in the 80s, glass block walls were a must-have interior addition, but sadly their time in the limelight was short-lived. Increasing interior light flow whilst offering a level of privacy, glass block walls pre-date sleek shower screens. These days we'd prefer to see a simple curtain or glass enclosure, so take a mallet to your block wall and remember that less really is more!

Decorative paint techniques

We're not sure where to start with this one. During the 80s and 90s, savvy DIY-ers set about defining a whole new era of paint effects – from making rag rolling brushes from torn strips of cloth, to creating mottled patterns with sponges and stenciling quirky border patterns. That's right, textured paint techniques were all the rage and remnants of the craze can still be seen in homes today. Now's the time to brush these pattern effects off for good.

Window valances

Also known as pelmets, window valances are a reminder of bygone days. Boxy and overly formal, these window dressings were adored during the Baroque era and quickly found their way back into our homes in the 20th century. Often made from a heavily patterned jacquard material, window valances instantly age a room. Free your windows from this dusty fate and opt for a more laid-back window treatment.

Avocado bathroom suites

Once the cutting edge of 70s interior design, the avocado bathroom is one we feel may never make a comeback. Usually accompanied by patterned wall tiles and built-in soap dishes, green bathroom suites never quite look clean thanks to their over-ripe shade. If there's one thing that should be consigned to childhood memories, it's the avocado suite!

Tie-dye

The colourful kaleidoscopic trend is finally hurting our eyes! Unless you are a hipster atheart of course. This arty colour technique dates back centuries but is probably best remembered by us as the go-to fabric for festival going rockstars and free spirits of the 60s and 70s. You can still get away with a touch of tie-dye in global schemes but perhaps it's best we leave the psychedelic versions back where they belong.

Net curtains

Lacy net curtains could be seen hanging in the windows of almost every house on the planet at one time – and they served a very real purpose. Not only do they add a layer of privacy to ground-floor levels, but they also allow light into a room without creating glare. Yet these days, with so many sleek window dressing options available, we reckon it's curtains for nets – at least for now.

Doilies

Speaking of lace, doilies can also make their way into the recycling pile! We think of these intricate placemats fondly, yet whether they're made from paper to catch the drips from a teacup or lovingly crocheted by your grandma, doilies have definitely had their day. We thank them for their years of service protecting our furniture and bid them a final goodbye.

Popcorn ceilings

Popcorn or Artex ceilings were once used to add texture to virtually every room in the house. Turning an otherwise smooth ceiling into a style statement, Artexing came in many forms, from intersecting shells to broken leather patterns. Yet textured ceilings are now very much a thing of the past – we suggest steaming those bumps off and never looking back!

Crazy paving

With this one, the clue really is in the name. Frequenting our back gardens since the 70s, crazing paving is a novel way of laying a path or patio with haphazard slabs of stone or concrete, giving a somewhat unfinished appearance. We're really not sure how this craze became a thing, but like the Slinky and electric blue eye shadow, the time for crazy paving has been and gone.

Dust ruffle bed skirts

Also known as ruffled valance sheets, your dust ruffle bed skirts are crying out to be chucked. These over-the-top decorative covers were once used to keep dust from settling underneath mattresses, covering up unsightly bed frames in the process. While they may have once been a chic feature in a stylish boudoir, ruffled bed skirts are a sure-fire way to date your home.

Ceiling fans

Although practical during the warmer months, ceiling fans tend to transform a room into a scene from a bad black and white movie. Thanks to amazing modern inventions such as air conditioning and ventilation systems, your home can be cool and breezy without the need for an unsightly ceiling fan – a fact that we're very grateful for.

Wallpaper borders

Back in the day, a room wasn't complete without a wallpaper border. Whether added along the top of walls or used halfway up the wall to break up two different palettes, borders join the long list of homewares that will make any interior feel old and dingy. Now's the time to tear off those thin wallpaper strips for good.

Chintz

A dominant homeware that came to prominence in the 40s, chintz fabric could never be used sparingly. In fact, the heavier the floral motif the better. An easy way to establish a quintessentially English interior, this over-the-top look was also popular in American properties, where everything from curtains to wallpaper was done out in brash clashing prints. Ditch the chintz and your home will instantly look about 30 years younger!

All-over wood panelling

Unless you're rocking a cool mid-century modern home with a butterfly roofline, there really is no excuse for excessive interior wood panelling. If your walls, doors and ceilings match, then you know it's time to take that cladding to the scrap heap. Freed from overbearing swathes of wood, your home will feel so much lighter and brighter. However, chic painted wood panelling onone feature wall or in a hallwayis a big yes from us though.

Vertical blinds

Reminiscent of pre-millennium offices, vertical blinds offer absolutely no style benefit to any space ever. Usually tied together by ugly plastic beaded chains, vertical blinds belong on the garbage pile of yesteryear. Stick to horizontal Roman blinds or opt for an attractive curtain instead – your interior will thank you for it!

Plaid

We can't say we're sorry to see the back of 70s-style plaid. The younger sister of gingham, plaid patterns usually consist of loud colours in varying chequered styles. Don't get us wrong, there is a place for plaid, but it definitely isn't in a floral dining room!

Bean bag chairs

In the 90s, very few teenagers were without a bean bag chair. Usually placed in front of TV screens or games consoles, bean bags enabled youngsters to lounge around in optimal comfort. Yet there's nothing stylish or modern about decorating your home with these shapeless seats – bin the bean bag and opt for an adult-friendly couch instead.

Shell décor

We all remember when seaside memorabilia was used to decorate the shelves, coffee tables and walls of our homes, from framed starfish to glass bowls filled with tiny shells. Well, now is the time to put these ocean-inspired ornaments back where they belong – the beach.

Patterned linoleum

Another child of the 1950s, linoleum was once an ultra-modern interior feature that was seen as an affordable and durable alternative to traditional types of floor coverings. But with this new invention came a plethora of crazy patterns, colours and styles, usually in direct contrast to the rest of a room. However, lino is having a bit of a renaissance in modern homes as on-trend block colours and modern patterns make it a shortcut to creating a statement floor.

Dried flowers

Ah, dried flowers. The 1990s saw these dustyarrangementstake over our homesbut as the trend for green houseplants took over, these dried ensembles have since been tossed to the wayside. As with bowls of fake fruit, it's time to let these chintzybundles go but dried grasses and modern, informalarrangements are actually making a comeback.

Ornate kitchen cabinets

Once upon a time, ornate cabinetry was the in thing for kitchens. Transforming cooking spaces into formal affairs, ornate cabinetry grew popular in the 70s, often in dark earthy wood tones – the shinier the better! Now, we're very pleased to welcome sleeker, more simple designs into our homes and say a final adieu to heavily carved kitchens.

Potpourri

The successor of dried flowers, potpourri first came into the limelight in the 19th century. Resurrected in the 90s, a home really wasn't complete without several bowls of these scented petals dotted around. Now, with the invention of reed and electric diffusers, the need for potpourri has dwindled, sending this once-loved interior flourish to the history books.

Chenille fabric

Since the 1930s, chenille blankets have been a staple furnishing on our beds. This heavy-duty, fuzzy fabric found its way into just about every home, with pieces of furniture even covered in this highly textured material too. To make your home feel light and modern, we suggest ridding your rooms of chenille.

Tiled countertops

During the 1970s and 80s,kitchen tilestravelled from our walls and floors onto our kitchen countertops. Thanks to their versatile colours, shapes and sizes, decorating your work surfaces with tiles allowed for a truly unique look, while their easy-clean finish made wiping up spills simple. Despite all this, tiled countertops have long been considered dated, so strip back your surfaces and opt for something a little less kitsch.

Inflatable furniture

Comfortable yes, but stylish? No. Children born in the 80s and 90s will have fond memories of futuristic inflatable chairs, usually in wild colours that bore absolutely no resemblance to the rest of the room. If you want to enjoy a more mature interior that won't leave you feeling deflated, keep the lilos in the swimming pool!

Heavily patterned carpet

Patterned carpet is not the province of the modern home these days and for good reason. In the 40s and 50s, brightly-coloured motif flooring was everywhere, yet in recent decades this fad has faded. These days, more people are opting for neutral, block colour carpets or monochrome designs – a decision we can definitely get behind!

Shag pile carpets

Feature walls