5 Home Trends Designers Say Aren’t Worth the Hype

While staying on top of — and even experimenting with — new trends is a big part of any interior designer’s job, the pros don’t just embrace everything new that they see. Every decorating idea isn’t right for every person, and it’s up to designers to try to match their clients with the trends that will resonate with their lifestyles and design aesthetics.  

But what are some trends they’d never co-sign? I was wondering about that myself as the seasons change, and a whole new crop of home design ideas is about to emerge from the end-of-year markets. These five trends are ones that designers are glad to skip for now — and maybe you’ll want to do the same.  

Despite being very common over the past few decades, white tile backsplashes never fully appealed to designer Lexie Saine. “For a long stretch it was the safe, default answer in almost every kitchen, and that’s exactly what makes it feel dated now,” she says of this design choice. 

Saine would rather make more of a statement with tile, at least in her clients’ cooking spaces. “The backsplash is prime real estate in a kitchen, and treating it as an afterthought in plain white tile leaves so much character on the table,” she says. She’s more inclined to run a full slab up the wall or use a more eye-catching, colorful tile instead.

Designer Jill Litner Kaplan has consciously said no to both satin brass and matte black finishes in the bathrooms and kitchens she’s designed recently. In her opinion, “Satin brass faucets, shower heads, and their matching valves are ultimately not here to stay,” she says.

Matte black, on the other hand, reads as “too severe” for Kaplan as well. “I avoid using these two metal finishes, even when our clients question whether or not we should follow trends,” she says. Ultimately, they’re a bit trendier than unlacquered brass or polished nickel, which pretty much never go out of style and might be a safer bet for a classic look in the long run. 

Mushroom lamps never fully struck a chord with designer Catherine Schultz, the founder of Studio YAY! “They became so ubiquitous so quickly,” she says. “I love interesting lighting, but when the same lamp starts appearing in every room on Instagram, I’d rather look for something more unexpected.” 

Her top alternatives? “A vintage lamp, an unusual ceramic piece, or something with a little history,” she says. And, of course, the designer adds, a great shade is what will take those styles to the next level.

Speaking of lighting designs, sputnik chandeliers have been a no-go for designer Elaine Burns Thompson, even when a lot of her peers were digging their mid-century appeal. 

“This revived trend was overdone,” says the founder of Pistachio Designs. “There are so many wonderful new (and vintage!) options for multi-directional lighting that feel more unique.” If you love the look, by all means, go for it. But know that plenty of other chandelier styles can be just as statement-making overhead. 

While it’s becoming common for kitchens to not have upper cabinets, Thompson has never jumped on this bandwagon for her clients. “I’ve always felt that this was super impractical and is destined to make your kitchen countertops cluttered,” she says. 

If anything, she adds, one can always add some open shelving into the mix, but the designer is happy that she’s never skipped upper wall storage in a kitchen entirely.