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I believe true interior style comes from making your home your own, which means letting go of the magazine “must-haves” and “latest” trends and following your instinct.
What excites you? If you like candy stripes and glitter, then go for it; it’s your little corner of the world, no one else’s.
But there are some design details I’ve come across in my work as head judge on BBC’s Interior Design Masters and as a former editor of Elle Decoration that I simply have to nix because they make a home look seriously dated.
And yet, I see all of these trends worn out over and over again, which means you probably have no idea what a bad impression they give off. So whether you’re trying to sell your home or just hoping to impress at your next party, here are 11 interior features that should be heading to the decorating bin…
A touch of color
I hate this phrase to the point of making my hair stand on end. I don’t know when it started, but I hear it a lot these days, as if it were the panacea for all decorating problems. It’s not. There shouldn’t be a “pop” to anything in your home. It implies surprise, not subtlety.
Instead, color should flow from room to room like a soothing balm that takes you on a relaxing journey. A wall with just one bright color is like wearing a badge on your lapel that says, “I’m quirky!” No, just weird. The only exception would be a downstairs bathroom, where you’re allowed to open the door and see something decidedly “different.” Here it works because it’s contained.
Bedrooms with characteristics
A few years ago, walls and niches that stood out were all the rage. But today, it’s all about filling a room with personality, not half-hearted personalities. Whether it’s color or wallpaper, whatever you choose should cover more than one wall, preferably a minimum of three.
Wall scenes are the hottest thing right now when it comes to prints, and painting the ceiling is the highlight of the decorative tree – it’s the fifth wall, so make the most of it.
The thing is, if you’re going to invest in wallpaper, you should go for the full-size option.
Placing a wobbly roll of paper on either side of the fireplace doesn’t mean you have to compromise on decor. If you love it, flaunt it! Just want to use a little bit? You don’t like it enough.
Wall to wall carpet
There was a time in the 1960s when carpets in every room were the height of modern luxury. While they are now fine for bedrooms (the thicker and fluffier the better) and for upstairs (they deaden sound), they are completely banned anywhere else.
Walking straight in from the street and stepping on a soft floor is inviting all kinds of bacteria into your home. You can ask everyone to take off their shoes as soon as they cross the threshold, but good luck training pets to wipe their paws, too. It’s much better to have a hallway finish that can be easily mopped than opting for wood, stone, or ceramic elsewhere.
Bet on grey
It’s just a step up from magnolia, but somehow, over the last decade, grey has become the supposedly “stylish” choice for homes. No. It’s just a newer version of bland. A dull colour. It’s fine for school sweaters and hair, but definitely not for homes, as it’s wildly unflattering.
On walls, it drains the energy from a room. On carpets, it is reminiscent of a Holiday Inn.
Unframed artworks
Any picture, from a poster of Athena to something your kid doodled to an original Picasso sketch, looks better framed. Add a border and you’re done. Unframed pictures are like crop tops and backless shoes: you’ve been ripped off because half the item is missing.
Maybe it was cool to tape a Smiths poster to the wall in your dorm room, but we’ve moved on from that.
So, find a local framing shop or pick up your favourites on the high street, but you must frame your treasures. Please, though, only wooden or metal frames.
Open space layouts
Ugh, these spaces are dusty, drafty and difficult to decorate, especially the ubiquitous (and utterly uninviting) glass kitchen expanse.
Where we once clamored for the “spacious feel” and multi-functionality that open-plan living promised, we now understand the beauty of rooms, aka individual spaces for individual activities.
With walls and doors that block sound and provide privacy. No need for noise-cancelling headphones or constant sight of the kitchen sink. Great.
Delicate borders
A valance is a wooden frame or fabric border that sits above a window.
Historically, they were installed to hide curtain rails and prevent draughts. Today they are experiencing a resurgence, but I maintain that a curtain rail (rather than a track from which the curtains are hung) and pencil pleat curtains (narrow, tight-fitting gathers that cover the rail by default) are the way to go. Neat, sleek, and without any hassle or unnecessary (read: poor quality) fabric.
True, a draft might still get in and you won’t get total darkness, but for the sake of style, skip it and buy a decent sleep mask instead.
Trash radiators
Radiator companies have been trying to make these inefficient beasts popular for a long time.
You can buy flat radiators, refurbished Victorian style radiators (more expensive than modern ones), in bright colours and even in wavy shapes. All this distracts from the truth: radiators are not suitable for heating British homes.
Sure, they give off heat, but most of it will disappear out the back wall, or even out the window under which most of them are inexplicably placed, while the rest dehydrate you until you are hoarse and unmotivated.
The solution? Underfloor heating. Better for you, more efficient, lower bills and clear walls. However, you will have to find somewhere else to dry your knickers.
Identikit cushions
By this I mean a set of covers with the same material, color and texture, and woe betide you if you karate chop them down the middle like a cloth fortune cookie!
Cushions are a chance to enjoy the wonder of prints and patterns, texture and tactile feel. Use everything from wool bouclé to embroidered velvets, embellish with tassels and ribbons and mix and match linen, satin and silk.
Warning: as long as you stick to a palette of shades (I would say four basic colours at most) and vary these shades only based on the intensity of the tone. In other words, if one of your colours is pink, you can use anything from pale pink to fuchsia, whether printed or plain.
Three-piece suits
Nobody does this anymore because it’s boring to have to match everything at once. However, you can have a pair of matching sofas.
And as many armchairs as you can, although one will usually suffice if you have several sofas. Otherwise, have a couple of armchairs, but don’t feel obliged to combine them.
Or, you can match the shape but upholster them in different fabrics and sprinkle them generously with cushions.
Black sinks and taps
It was all cool for a minute, and then people realised that black sinks, toilets and taps were impossible to keep clean and a pain to repair, especially as manufacturers discontinued their ranges.
Some things have to be white, like the toilets, which are the first to occupy that place, along with the towels, toilet paper and dishes. But never the sheets, as there is nothing elegant about them.
Hotel bedding is only white, so they can throw it in a single load in the industrial washing machines – when it comes to your own home, it’s time to have fun.
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