6 “Little” Things That Instantly Date a Room, According to Interior Designers

Design styles are changing all the time, and it can be difficult to keep up with one trend after the next. However, professional designers are quick to pinpoint a handful of decorating choices that don’t have a place in today’s homes.

Here, they cite six little things that may seem somewhat inconsequential but in fact instantly date a room. It may be time to take on a bit of a revamp!

Wall-to-Wall Carpeting

Wall-to-wall carpeting (placed anywhere other than in the bedroom) is going to date your space in a big way, according to Rebecca Frye Jones, the founder of Rebecca Frye Design.

The designer explains that this application “tends to flatten the space and give a dingy feeling.” Stick with area rugs instead for a much more current look.

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Overly Matchy Furniture

Matchy-matchy furniture or matching furniture sets are not going to do any good in making your home appear current. If your furniture within one space all looks the same in terms of profile and finish, this is a red flag, Jones explains.

“Those spaces feel more catalog than curated,” she says. Instead, embrace a collected look for a more stylish space. “A layered mix of antique or vintage pieces with contemporary elements, with varied materials, always feels more timeless and elevated,” the designer says.

Don’t assume that you have to spend tons of money in the process of revamping your furniture scheme. Take to Facebook Marketplace and estate sales in order to shop for one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect your style and will also add character galore to your living space.

Outdated Built-Ins

Rooms that feature built-ins designed to house bulky TVs are going to look outdated, Jones says. After all, electronics have become so much sleeker in recent years, so your display area can be, too.

“These styles interrupt the architecture of a space and are an immediate timestamp in a room,” the designer says. “Built-ins should be more thoughtful and seamless with the flow of the space.”

Now that there are low-profile televisions that are designed to blend into the wall as art, you can probably skip the built-ins entirely and open up your space a bit.

Excessive Themes

While a subtle decor theme is generally fine, rooms that are themed to the extreme, as Emily Roose, the founder of Emily Roose Interiors, puts it, will look dated right away, citing Italian, nautical, or farmhouse themes as some common ones to avoid.

Roose recommends creating a space that is inspired by a certain theme rather than one that fully encompasses it. For example, you can subtly pay a nod to a coastal or beachy look by installing blue grasscloth wallpaper and pairing it with a jute rug, rather than flanking every surface with seashells or installing kitschy beach-related wall art.

Barn Doors

Remember when barn doors were all the rage? Well, they aren’t anymore, and they’re only going to make your home appear dated if you incorporate them, notes Kristina Petit, the founder of Kristina’s Collective Interiors.

She explains how, if you live in an actual farmhouse, this type of door style may indeed be appropriate. But if not, it’s time to nix the look.

“They’re a quick tip off that the trend has passed and you’ve been left behind along with it,” she says. Leave this style behind in the early 2000s.

Too Much Gray

You might have gone all in with grays galore because it seemed like the trendy thing to do when you moved into your home, but color preferences are changing, and grays aren’t all they were once cracked up to be.

In fact, homes with an excessive amount of gray shades or cool-toned accents are going to look dated to most, Petit shares.

“The pendulum swung warm after the death grip millennial gray had on us for a decade, and now anything cool-toned is a huge tip-off that it’s more than time for an update,” she says. Embrace happier shades and have fun with them.