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Some interior styles never seem to die; Just when you think they’re finally gone forever, an effusive younger generation adopts them as if they were new.
Even the most feared of the 1970s’ show-stopping designs, the avocado dip, is experiencing an unlikely renaissance. A recent survey found that more than a quarter of people aged 20 to 24 consider them very desirable.
TikTok is inundated with posts attempting to revive decorating trends of the past (a recent bed canopy how-to video had 3.2 million views), but that doesn’t mean these zombie trends that keep coming back to life are a good thing.
In fact, as the head judge of BBC1’s Interior Design Masters, many of them make me look twice in horror.
Even the most feared of the 1970s’ shock designs, the avocado dip, is experiencing an unlikely renaissance
Michelle Ogundehin is head judge of BBC1’s Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr
I don’t mind much when fashions reappear with a new creative twist: each era reinterprets the past in its own way, and there’s nothing wrong with diving into the archives for inspiration. But what I can’t stand is when they reappear exactly as they left the stage but covered in the term “ironic”, as if that makes them acceptable.
No, there was a reason they went backstage and they should stay there.
So what resurgent trends should, frankly, stay dead? Here are eight from my hit list and two that (I whisper it) I quite like…
It’s not okay to be kitsch
The resurgence of retro kitchens began with a renewed love for color, which has flourished in the search for bright-hued accessories.
Think retro glassware, vintage appliances and accessories, like porcelain butter dishes. It was nothing more than one more step towards what Pinterest has called ‘kitschens’.
Cue the return of pastel pink and mint green paint, café curtains, and eclectic patterned tiles. It all sounds pretty fun, but will it stand the test of time? It’s not a possibility.
Such a devoutly retro look harkens back to a time when housework was monotonous and suet pudding was the country’s favourite. Times have changed and a completely kitsch kitchen is, by the dictionary definition, “gaudy, cheap and unstylish.”
Free me from the mats
Handmade rugs largely only serve to collect dust and not much else.
Rugs and antimacassars, also known as granny chic, may be very popular on TikTok, but let’s be honest, they were never really stylish. I classify them along with those plastic covers your grandmother used to wrap the “best” chairs so you don’t spill your tea.
A coaster is fine so you don’t make rings on the coffee table, but a placemat serves no useful purpose beyond decorative. And like many decorative embellishments, mats largely serve only to collect dust and not much else.
As for antimacassars, I always think of the ones they use to name the first class carriage of a train. The seats may be more expensive, but you’re still leaning on the grease marks of someone else’s head.
If you need little protective wraps to protect you from grease, the problem is not with the chair.
Set aside the shagpile
The deeper the shaggy carpet, the more difficult it will be to vacuum it and keep it moth-free.
Homeowners looking for cozy comfort are returning to the idea of shag rugs after years of hard floors reigning supreme. But while the rug has its place, long hair should be banned from the living room.
In the bedroom, what a sweet pleasure to sink your clean toes into a deep pile as you walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night. But anywhere you still have your shoes on is a categorical no (that goes for bathrooms too).
There is simply too much lint to trap dirt, i.e. germs. Also, the longer the pile, the harder it will be to vacuum. Make life easier for yourself and limit it to your sleeping space, if you must have the luxury.
cheap ornaments
Please save me from those little frilly curtains to hide what’s under the sink. Many respected designers and influencers tout them as the perfect, affordable, country-chic update for your laundry room or kitchen.
They may be fun for now, but they’re unlikely to stand the test of time. Because let’s face it, they are very unpleasant unless they are made of paintings or linen and hanging in an authentic Greek tavern.
In a standard three-bedroom square house, they look fantastically out of place, as if you haven’t completed your kitchen plan and forgotten to add the last door.
Plus, don’t you think it would be too tempting to use them as a handy hanging tea towel? They would be dirty in a few weeks.
floral faux pas
Who doesn’t love a bit of 1950s Cath Kidston flower power fantasy? But on the curtains? I say no. It is related to the atmosphere of retro kitchen, a very traditional wife. But who really lives like this?
If you want flowers, grow them or buy them. A simple velvet drop of any color would be a better option. Because? Because it makes a bolder statement but allows the eye to take center stage.
My favorite trick is to match the curtains to the wall color so they completely “disappear.” Then you can really focus on what’s outside.
There is no place for chrome
You’d need permanent staff to clean fingerprints off your chrome coffee table
Shiny chrome was a great status symbol in the 80s. This way you knew who had the money and who didn’t.
After all, you’d need permanent staff to clean fingerprints off your chrome coffee table or uncomfortable seats.
As such, both signified the triumph of style over function. This trend is definitely best left in the vault. And yet it seems to resurface every time a designer wants to say “modern.” Which is not.
Curtains for canopies
Centuries ago, canopy beds were wrapped in fabric to create a room within a room. Entire families would group together to maximize body heat.
I shudder at the revival of bed canopies and curtains. On the one hand, in the contemporary style, these beds can be very cozy and saving energy is always a good idea.
On the other hand, they reek of false forced decadence and excessive design. Not to mention, they are impossible to clean, collect dust, and are an open invitation to moths.
Too much on your plate
Plates on the wall may look complicated. Keep them on the table where they belong.
Design ‘influencers’ love to hang a bunch of mismatched china plates on the wall and call it a feature.
I’m sorry, but this is about as “bad taste” as a pair of flying ducks. Having so many spare plates that you need to use them for decoration reeks of unnecessary excess.
Keep them on the table, where they belong.
something to talk about
Conversation spaces are like an aging rock star who refuses to give up: they just keep going and get cooler along the way (yes, Mick Jagger).
Sunken into the floor, with personalized sofas and many cushions, often carpeted, they invite you to relax with a colorful cocktail in hand.
So I confess that I love modern versions of these ’70s classics, some of which come with built-in shelving and matching coffee tables.
Its only disadvantage? Anything designed to fit inside them is unlikely to work anywhere else, but maybe that doesn’t matter.
Increase the size of that stereo
Retro 80s style vinyl LP record players with an LP collection are considered the fashion accessory for Generation Z and the most authentic way to listen to music.
The continued resurgence of all things analog is a statement about the need to slow down our busy lives. Cassettes and even LPs have made a comeback as the cool accessory for Generation Z.
So does this mean the return of large record players and tape recorders to our homes? I predict yes. The bigger the better; We all know buttons are cool; and so are actual printed instruction manuals instead of a damn QR code to scroll through the tiny letters on your phone.
This also means that collections of physical records, rather than a list of downloads, are also the new way to go.