In a similar way to the fashion industry, many trends have their moment in the spotlight – only to fizzle out just as quickly as they appeared.
And because interior design trends often swing between extremes, it can be hard to catch up. From timeless aesthetics with longevity to passing fads, home decorating can look vastly different from one year to the next. And heading into 2026, we’re seeing a shift away from copycat, picture-perfect spaces that feels long overdue.
So to find out what’s really making a home look dated, I sat down with interior designers to pick their brains on the trends they’re begging you to leave behind in 2025. The general consensus? You’re going to want to worry less about chasing the next “it” look and more about creating a home that is layered, unique, and full of soul – the kind of home that truly feels like you.
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6 trends to leave behind in 2025
As exciting and buzzy as they might appear at the time, not every trend needs to live on forever.
‘Every year has its defining looks, the ones that sweep across Instagram feeds, fill Pinterest boards, and sneak into our shopping carts,’ says designer Nina Lichtenstein. Which begs the question: do we all have trend fatigue? ‘Just as quickly as trends arrive, many overstay their welcome,’ she continues. ‘As we head toward 2026, there are styles that deserve to be retired to make way for a fresher, more meaningful approach to design.’
Here are six decorating trends designers are keen to see the back of.
1. Soulless minimalism
Declaring minimalism as out doesn’t mean you need to suddenly go wild with color and pattern. Instead, look to ground a neutral space with a statement rug, soft textures, or natural tones from wood and wicker to warm it up for 2026.
(Image credit: Lulu & Georgia)
Minimalist decor has long been celebrated as a sleek and serene design philosophy, but somewhere along the way, its meaning has gotten a little lost. What was once about restraint, refinement, and intentionality has too often slipped into what Jacu Strauss, design and creative director of Lore Group, calls “the rise of the mundane.”
‘Soulless minimalism is something I’m very happy to see the back of,’ says Jacu. ‘Proper minimalism is a refined discipline and can be extraordinary when executed with intent, where the emphasis is on particular design features: a single, powerful artwork, a sculptural piece of furniture, or a beautiful material. But there is always danger of the trend simply stripping back interiors to nothing. To me, that isn’t minimalism, but absence.’
It’s a sentiment echoed by designer Lauren Gilberthorpe, who believes that pared-back interiors often veer too far into cold and clinical territory. ‘I have never been drawn to interiors that feel overly polished,’ she says. ‘Highly mirrored finishes and stripped-back minimalism can make a space feel cold and impersonal.’
‘A home should always feel relaxed and welcoming, with layers of texture and character that reflect the people who live there. I believe design should celebrate craftsmanship and materials that age gracefully, rather than striving for surfaces that appear flawless. It is the patina, warmth, and individuality of a space that make it truly memorable.’
2. Checkerboard
While checkerboard prints may feel a little overdone now, in a traditional setting, checkerboard flooring in natural stone always remains a timeless and stylish choice.
(Image credit: Chris Wakefield Photography)
Another trend that is past its prime is checkerboard, says designer Kristina Khersonsky of STUDIO KEETA.
‘Let’s talk about checkerboard,’ she says. ‘It had its moment, but unless it’s being used in a timeless, restrained way (maybe in stone or tile) it can start to feel a little overplayed.’
‘Design right now is craving more personality, contrast, and color, and that kind of uniformity no longer feels inspiring,’ she adds. ‘I’d also love to take a break from travertine everything. That ultra-monotone, beige-on-beige Wabi Sabi aesthetic, plastered walls, beige floors, travertine tables, it’s started to feel one-note.’
‘While social media had its moment with “viral” decor buys (giant arches, bubble mirrors, checkerboard rugs), what looks great in a swipe of a TikTok video rarely sustains in everyday life,’ notes Nina Lichtenstein. ‘Pieces that dominate the room or feel gimmicky are being swapped for designs with staying power.’
3. Matchy-matchy spaces
Matching furniture sets are seen as a hard-and-fast no by designers, but in certain contexts. Say goodbye to matching bedroom sets but can you try embracing a little pattern drenching with a matching armchair and ottoman or co-ordinating drapes and wallpaper.
(Image credit: Joon Loloi)
If there’s one look that designers agree has outstayed its welcome, it’s the overly coordinated, showroom-style interior.
Sophie Salata, head of brand at Vinterior, says: ‘At Vinterior, we believe homes should tell stories, not follow scripts. And if 2025 taught us anything, it’s that some interiors felt more like set pieces than sanctuaries.’
‘Matchy-matchy rooms that look like showroom replicas. Spaces designed within an inch of their life, but with no life in them. Fast furniture fills homes with pieces destined for the landfill,’ adds Sophie. ‘Designers are quietly closing the door on trends that prioritise cohesion over character. What’s sticking around? Warmth. Quirk. Craft. The kinds of details that speak to time, place, and personality.’
‘Vintage pieces continue to offer that grounding force, anchoring the new in something that already has a story to tell. As trends come and go, these are the pieces that stay relevant, resonant, and real.’
‘Matchy-matchy everything is also on the chopping block,’ Nina agrees. ‘Perfectly coordinated furniture sets or identical finishes throughout the home can feel flat.’
4. Boucle
Boucle is still a wonderfully versatile and modern textile. If you aren’t ready to say goodbye to it quite yet, either look to select pieces in an earthy colorway – like this chic sofa – or ensure your white boucle is paired with plenty of color and print elsewhere in the room.
(Image credit: Montana Labelle Design)
Few fabric trends have dominated the past few years quite like boucle. The soft, cozy textile first felt modern yet inviting, like a hug in a chair.
But as Kailee Blalock of House of Hive Design Co. points out, its popularity has tipped into overexposure. ‘If I could leave one trend behind in 2025, it’s boucle. When it first arrived, it felt fresh, adding a soft, nubby texture that made furniture look nuanced and modern.’
‘But now, it’s everywhere. Every sofa, every chair, every ottoman….it’s become oversaturated,’ she adds. But what fabric is replacing boucle? ‘Instead, I’d suggest experimenting with mohair or sherpa; these alternatives offer texture without the déjà vu.’
5. Spaces that follow a script
If you’ve been guilty of following the “rules” when designing your kitchen and sticking to the neutral farmhouse aesthetic that dominates Pinterest, take a leaf out of Oho Interiors’ book and look to refresh it with statement stone, beautiful brass accents, and a runner rug for pattern.
(Image credit: Oho Interiors / Photography Ashley Sullivan)
For years, many interiors have been designed to fit a picture-perfect mold—styled around Pinterest-perfect images, fads, or interior design “rules” rather than how people actually live in them.
Franky Rousell, CEO and founder of Jolie, admits she’s glad to see that era winding down. ‘I am happy to see the end of interiors that feel too literal or predictable, with furniture that looks impressive but lacks comfort or scale. Interiors should feel effortless, a place where you can settle in without thinking about the rules.’
Franky notes that this obsession with perfection is fading. ‘Perfectly uniform surfaces and ultra-smooth textures have dominated, but there is now a renewed interest in materials that have depth and character, from gently worn timber to natural stone with subtle imperfections. These are the surfaces that make a room feel rooted, relaxed, and welcoming.’
‘I am also seeing people move away from interiors that are too uniform or symmetrical,’ she adds. ‘Instead of everything matching exactly, interiors that mix proportions, shapes, and heights are gaining momentum. A tall sculptural lamp next to a low, slouchy armchair or a stack of vintage books beside a modern console adds movement and interest, creating a space that feels alive and personal.’
6. The ‘Amoeba’ runner
Rather than picking up a rug or runner with a quirky shape, stick to classic straight lines that have a curvy or dynamic shape printed within them for a more timeless option that still creates movement.
(Image credit: Boz Gagovski)
Every year has a few micro-trends that make designers collectively raise an eyebrow, and in 2025, the ‘amoeba’ rug trend – as designer Nicole Forina has coined it – tops that list.
‘If I could leave one trend behind in 2025, it would be what I call “the amoeba rug”‘, she says. ‘You’ve seen it – the rug that has no logical shape or purposeful cut. It’s the stair runner that suddenly fans out into a pool of rug at the landing. It’s the futuristic blob in the middle of a living room with no defined border.’
While these abstract shapes were meant to feel artistic and unconventional, they often end up looking awkward and without intention. ‘I can still get behind a natural hide rug here and there (though those aren’t my favorite, they at least make sense). But this amoeba-shaped rug? It can go away immediately.’
As a trend, the ‘amoeba’ runner highlights a larger lesson about novelty pieces in design: just because something is fun and different, it doesn’t mean it works.
If there’s a common thread in the trends – from big to small – that designers want to leave behind, it’s the rejection of minimalism and picture-perfection. In their place, we’re seeing a celebration of quirks, craftsmanship, and the patina of materials that tell a unique story over time. And if you’re eager to know what is making a comeback, take a look at these tacky trends designers say are back in style.
Just like the fashion industry, interior design trends come and go quickly, leaving behind a trail of outdated decor.
As we head into 2026, the focus is shifting away from picture-perfect, cookie-cutter spaces towards a more layered and unique approach to home decorating.
To uncover the trends that are past their prime, interior designers are urging us to move away from chasing the latest fads and instead focus on creating a home that truly reflects our personalities and tastes.
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6 trends to leave behind in 2025
Not every trend is meant to last forever, and designers are ready to bid farewell to some of the outdated styles as we move into 2026.
‘Every year brings new trends that dominate social media and shopping lists, but many of them lose their appeal quickly,’ says designer Nina Lichtenstein. ‘As we approach 2026, it’s time to retire certain styles and embrace a more meaningful and fresh approach to design.’
Here are six decorating trends that designers want to see disappear:
1. Soulless minimalism
Declaring minimalism as out doesn’t mean you need to suddenly go wild with color and pattern. Instead, look to ground a neutral space with a statement rug, soft textures, or natural tones from wood and wicker to warm it up for 2026.
(Image credit: Lulu & Georgia)
While minimalist decor has its merits, it has started to lose its original essence and become dull and uninspiring. Jacu Strauss describes this shift as “the rise of the mundane.”
‘Soulless minimalism is something I’m very happy to see the back of,’ says Jacu. ‘Proper minimalism is a refined discipline and can be extraordinary when executed with intent, where the emphasis is on particular design features: a single, powerful artwork, a sculptural piece of furniture, or a beautiful material. But there is always danger of the trend simply stripping back interiors to nothing. To me, that isn’t minimalism, but absence.’
Designer Lauren Gilberthorpe agrees, noting that overly minimalistic interiors can feel cold and impersonal. She believes that a home should exude warmth and character, with a focus on craftsmanship and materials that age gracefully.