These 6 Outdated Trends Are Aging Your Home, According to Interior Designers—Here’s What to Buy Instead

Our homes are lived-in spaces—not perfectly curated museums. That is the core design principle taking over the current interior design space, and according to professional designers, it’s about time our homes reflect that. Gone are the days of matchy-matchy sets, sterile millennial greige, and stark black-and-white color palettes. As we move deeper into the 2020s, interior designers say to expect warmer, more natural, timeless decor that feels personalized and intimate. So, how do you adjust your home to the times? How do you ensure that you’re not living in the outdated trends of the past that are aging your home?

I spoke with two fabulous interior designers, Jazmin Valdez Hamid, founder of Hashi Home and Jennifer Stephan, owner of Jennifer Stephan Interiors, about six outdated interior design trends we should all let go of. Save your home from the antiquated trends that age it, and embrace the new, lived-in decor style of the present (and future) with these pros’ favorite Amazon decor recommendations. Below, they’ve included a cheat sheet of everything you need to buy to upgrade your home to the current day’s style.

Interior Designer-Approved Decor Picks That Won’t Age Your Home

• Nakpunar 8.5-Ounce Clear Glass Bottle, $10
• Woanger Set of 4 Wicker Storage Baskets, $41 
• Artissance Handmade Wooden Entryway Bench, $369
• Dn Deconation Decorative Bowl, $37
• Jurath Wooden Step Stool, $34 (was $37)
• Arogan Luxury Bathroom Runner, $50
• Primo Supply Modern Round Trash Can, $65
• Quipzora Boho Rattan Lamp, $29
• Vixdonos Set of 3 Natural Stone Candle Holders, $35
• Ggstudy Antique Brass Bathroom Faucet, $70

Outdated Trend #1: Impractical minimalism

Jazmin Valdes Hamid, founder of Hashi Home, calls the minimalism of the late 2010s “overly restrained styling that looks good online but falls apart in real life.” Hamid explains, “We have everyday essentials that we simply can’t disappear. However, we can keep them at arms reach in functional and stylish objects of display. Impractical minimalism is out—artistic and functional storage is in.”

Nakpunar 8.5-Ounce Clear Glass Bottle

“I also hate seeing bulky mouthwash bottles taking over the bathroom sink,” shares Hamid. Rather than having cluttered and mismatched products taking up precious space, Hamid recommends unifying products. This $10 glass bottle is a quick, easy, and inexpensive replacement that “instantly creates a more intentional look without sacrificing function,” Hamid says.

Woanger Set of 4 Wicker Storage Baskets

Pretty, functional storage solutions are the perfect antidote to impractical minimalism. These brown wicker baskets warm up sterile decor and add much-needed texture to bland spaces, too.

“I use these around the house to hide my everyday essentials like chargers and wires, mail, arts and crafts, and even small tools,” Hamid explains. These baskets come in several washes, including the above-pictured coffee. “They look great in a cupboard or displayed,” Hamid adds.

Outdated Trend #2: Mass produced, polished wood

Decor is about to get a whole lot earthier with an emphasis on more natural, grittier furnishings. Gloss is gone; organic is “in.” “Furniture that looks too shiny, new, and factory-perfect feels outdated,” Hamid says. “These pieces feel flat and overly reflective, hiding the natural imperfections that add dimension. Designers are now reaching for pieces that feel worn and aged, with visible grain, subtle imperfections, and character for that lived in look.” To recreate a softer home, Hamid recommends reaching for the natural elements often found in wabi-sabi interior design.

Artissance Handmade Wooden Entryway Bench

This antique-inspired entryway bench features a weathered, natural wood finish that feels neither too glossy or mass produced. “This makes a perfect console for a small bedroom while adding a touch of warmth, character, and texture,” Hamid says. You can also use it in an entryway or mud room to add depth and a practical place for removing your shoes.

Dn Deconation Decorative Bowl

Hamid suggests storing tiny items in this small decorative piece that doubles as a display. It has a naturally whimsical silhouette that feels authentic—not like it came out of a 3D printer. “Use it to [store] your house keys in the entry,” Hamid says, or other easy-access items like lip gloss, chargers, hair clips, and change.

Outdated Trend #3: Millennial grey (or white) bathrooms

“Once the pinnacle of luxury, now feels cold and sterile,” Hamid explains of the 2010s color trend that previously swept all social media. “While most of us aren’t replacing tiles or cabinetry, we can add warm touches and earth tones to soften our cold bathrooms.”

Jurath Wooden Step Stool

This “functional and stylish” small step stool can hold up to 350 pounds, making it as useful as it is decorative. It features smooth, round corners and secure, nonslip footpads that protect the floors, and it has a secondary purpose, too. “If you hate the look of a plastic squatty potty, let me introduce you to this wooden stool that does the same job,” Hamid says.

Arogan Luxury Bathroom Runner

“I personally have this in my gray bathroom and it made such a difference by adding warmth to the space,” Hamid says. The Arogan 24x72-inch nonslip bath mat is made from super plush and absorbent microfiber—plus, it’s convenient and easy to clean since it’s machine washable. You can grab it in mocha brown, the “it” color of 2026, as per Hamid’s recommendation. It also comes in a variety of other colors as well (though prices vary by style).

Primo Supply Modern Round Trash Can

“Don’t forget about the accessories…[and] add a cohesive, warm look, work with natural materials wherever possible,” Hamid says. This modern-looking bin has just enough nature-inspired elements to warm up an otherwise stark bathroom. It’s made of durable plastic that mimics natural wood grain and comes in three options: ash brown (pictured), ebony brown, and walnut. In addition to its aesthetically pleasing appearance, this trash bin also has a convenient no-touch swing top that means you can throw away trash without touching the can.

Outdated Trend #4: All brass everything

“All-brass accents, once a staple of luxe interiors in the mid-2010s, are retiring in 2026 because they can feel heavy and one-dimensional when overused,” explains Brooklyn-based designer Jennifer Stephan of Jennifer Stephan Interiors in New York. “Designers now favor mixed metals, matte finishes, and layered textures that add depth and visual interest without overwhelming a space.”

Stephan recommends “mixing metals and textures like plaster, rattan, and wood” to create “a layered, tactile environment that feels rich and intentional.” The combination makes a space “visually engaging without relying on predictable uniformity,” and the approach is both “timelier and more timeless because it balances warmth, contrast, and variety, allowing pieces to evolve with style rather than feel tied to a fleeting trend.”

Quipzora Boho Rattan Lamp

“Add a rattan lamp to incorporate natural texture and warm tones, introduce organic warmth and visual interest, softening harder lines or metallic finishes in a room,” Stephan says. “It also contributes to a layered, collected feel, making the space feel inviting, personal, and effortlessly styled.” It’s also giving strong coastal grandma vibes. This one has three convenient lighting modes so you can choose your preferred lighting: white, natural, or warm light.

Vixdonos Set of 3 Natural Stone Candle Holders

“Bring natural texture and weight through stone with ceramic over brass candlesticks,” Stephan recommends. Each one in this three-pack of travertine stone candle holders features a unique pattern and texture, which Stephan calls “a great way to add earthy warmth and tactile depth.”

Outdated Trend #5: Matchy-matchy decor sets

Another clinger-on trend from the past decade: Matchy-matchy decor sets with a “put-together, uniform look” are retiring this year, Stephan says. “They feel overly staged and predictable.” She continues, “Modern interiors now favor layered, curated pieces with varied textures, colors, and styles that reflect personality and a collected-over-time aesthetic.”

Stephan adds, “Instead of everything being perfectly coordinated, designers now emphasize intentional mismatched-on-purpose combinations—such as mixing wood tones, metals, patterns, and vintage with modern pieces—which add depth, character, and visual interest to a room while still feeling cohesive.”

Ggstudy Antique Brass Bathroom Faucet

In lieu of a three-piece bathroom hardware set with a matching faucet, toilet paper holder, and cabinet hardware, Stephan recommends this standalone faucet, which she calls “a great way to add an unexpected fun detail to a powder room or wet bar.” Instead of a white-washed and rigid look, the standalone complements while being unique enough to provide a “curated, collected look that mixes varied styles, finishes, and eras to create spaces that feel personal and layered.”

Furbish 8x14-Inch Needlepoint Decorative Throw Pillow

Another meaningful way to add a personal touch is to pick up needlepointing and sew your own throw pillows. Of course, if you can’t do that, Amazon has some fun options like this hand-sewn 8x14-inch lumbar pillow to “incorporate personal style” and “add a fun conversation piece” to a couch or guest bed.

Koville Natural Decorative Marble Tray

And because interior design will never entirely forego marble, Stephan also recommends leaving some of it behind to mix-and-match with other textures, styles, and finishes. “Mixing in an unpredictable marble catch-all is a great way to add a pop but also stay functional,” Stephan says. “Try using [it] to collect jewelry on your vanity or dresser, or [a] personal collection of matches on your coffee table.”

Outdated Trend #6: Generic, overstuffed bookshelves

Your at-home library is due for an upgrade. Don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere; it’s just getting a more personable makeover. According to Stephan, “Generic, mass-produced bookshelves, once popular for their uniformity and easy match with any decor…feel flat and impersonal.” She adds, “They are being replaced by layered, open, and curated shelving displays that mix books, art, plants, and collectibles to create a dynamic, personalized vignette.”

Bookshelves “turn storage into a personalized display, mixing books, art, plants, and decorative objects to create a layered, visually engaging vignette,” Stephan says. “This approach reflects the 2026 shift toward interiors that feel collected over time rather than overly uniform or mass-produced.”

GeLive Rustic White Ceramic Vase

“Adding pottery to bookshelves adds character because each piece introduces unique texture, shape, and artistry, breaking up the linearity of books and creating visual interest,” Stephan explains. “Pottery also conveys a sense of personal taste and craftsmanship, making the shelf feel curated and lived-in rather than purely functional.” 

S Forever Leopard Tissue Box Cover

You can personalize your space even further by adding unique touches to surprising places, like a decorative tissue box cover. This one “combines functionality and form by keeping everyday 

essentials like tissues accessible while seamlessly blending them into the decor,” according to Stephan. “It transforms a utilitarian item into a stylistic accent, contributing texture, color, or pattern that complements the curated look of the shelf.”

Joombe Golden Parrot Decorative Bookends

In addition to all the vases and tissue boxes Stephan recommends, make sure your book collection is punctuated with decorative bookends. They’re functional, of course, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be cute conversation starters, too. “Adding eclectic bookends to bookshelves enhances both function and personality, keeping books upright while introducing unexpected shapes, colors, or materials,” Stephan says. “They act as miniature art pieces, reinforcing a curated, collected look that makes the shelf feel lively and distinctive.” Stephan recommends the gold-sprayed resin parrots, but the ends also come in pink or blue if you want an even bolder option.