What Is Considered 'Yesterday's Day' in Interior Design?

Eventually, each of us comes to the feeling that what is most comfortable for him. Many are even willing to sacrifice fashion for comfort. But there are things that are hopelessly outdated. Together with Timur Abdrahmanov, founder of the design bureau 'Studio 3.14', we tell you which design ideas should not be implemented at home, and share tips on how to replace 'outdated' trends.

Timur Abdrahmanov Expert Director of the Design Bureau 'Studio 3.14'

1. Strictly Follow One Style

Clean classicism is not just unfashionable – it's boring. It's not worth sticking to one style in apartment decoration. Be bolder and more natural – mix and enjoy!

The best solution? Modern quality interiors are multi-style (eclecticism) to a certain extent. This is a combination of several styles, usually with one style prevailing.

For example, multi-style would be kitchen decoration in a traditional classical style while preserving the elements of home comfort, but with modern elements added. This is done as follows:

• The kitchen is furnished with furniture made from natural wood, as is customary in classical style. But the decoration of such furniture is not traditional for classicism (inlay, carving, painting), but simple geometric outlines and smooth surfaces, possibly even glossy.

• Those who love luxury can enhance the interior with natural stone – granite, marble, but not with chrome or gilded details.

• The room is decorated with live flowers, vases and ceramic figurines (which is already from the Provence style).

• As the main color, a neutral calm tone can be chosen, while the decor takes on the role of bright accents.

Thanks to the dominant color and natural materials, we preserve a warm home atmosphere, while at the same time modern minimalist furniture forms and bright accents allow one to feel like they're in the 21st century.

Design: 'Studio 3.14'

2. Painting the Apartment Beige

An apartment in one color, traditional decoration with 'beige' – this is a lack of desire to show individuality. Why the pastel tones became popular exactly with it – a mystery. Perhaps because it is safer, because it doesn't obligate anyone to anything, there's no need to think much about how to combine colors and textures, what accents are needed. The solution lies on the surface – simply buy any furniture and match everything else in a brown tone – you won't go wrong.

What to replace it with? In fashion is noble dark blue. Deep and saturated. But there are no less than 50 shades of blue – warm and cool. The choice can be such:

• for Scandinavian style – cool (indigo, road, sky, with gray undertones);

• for those who love marine themes – at the boundary of cool and warm (intense blue and others close in color tables);

• for classical interior – warm tones (violet, spring sky, lilac).

Design: 'Studio 3.14'

3. Designing Complex Structures on Walls and Ceilings

Multi-layered ceilings, especially stretchy glossy or multicolored ones, arched passages, walls with gypsum board clutter – remnants of 00s fashion with the desire to stand out and show off how much effort and money was spent.

What to replace it with? Ceilings and walls can be made flat, simply well plastered. It will look beautiful and stylish if they are decorated in moderation with cornices, moldings, and outlets. Gypsum board can be used as a last resort, but it must be justified. For example, without Gypsum Board, it's hard to level walls and ceilings with large defects, install light partitions, or create niches.

Design: 'Studio 3.14'

4. Applying Decorative Plaster Without Professionals

Decorative plaster has gained wide popularity as a finishing finish. It has many advantages, the main one being durability. But one serious disadvantage 'dampened its reputation' for this material. The problem is that to achieve a quality finish with decorative plaster, it was found that not only special rollers are needed. Much more importantly, specialized skills are required. In poorly executed work (with one's own hands), it looks sloppy. And finding a professional is not easy.

What to replace it with? Hanging good collection wallpapers with a beautiful texture – better. Now there is such a large variety of wallpapers with various themes and creative technologies (watercolor, coloring, even anti-vandal coatings), that it's easy to find a suitable finishing coating for your task. And you won't have to look at the same walls with decorative plaster for life, even if they were beautiful in the past.

Design: 'Studio 3.14'

5. Buying Furniture from One Collection

This is not decoration for the interior, especially if it was bought in a network store. This was done even by our grandmothers due to lack of choice. That's why there was a simple solution – buy a ready-made set, where all furniture is made detail to detail.

What to replace it with? This doesn't mean you have to buy everything at once. Harmony should exist, but it is built on other, more complex criteria.

The idea of uniting furniture in an interior can be related, for example, to style. For a Scandinavian-style setting, you need to choose furniture made from natural wood of light species. It should be simple, functional, and comfortable. And that's it. Specifically, what shape the furniture is (open shelves or closed cabinets, or both in a free arrangement) – you choose based on your personal preferences.

An elegant space is created where the unifying idea of the interior is color alone. For example, on a background of white or gray surfaces (floor, ceiling, walls) there is furniture, accessories, and decor in one or similar colors. Diversity is achieved through richness of textures. Currently, for example, all shades of blue or cherry are in fashion.

Design: 'Studio 3.14'

6. Choosing a Solid Wall for the Living Room

Walls in the living room made of built-in furniture – bulky and not modern. Modern interior design is spacious freedom. A row of identical tall cabinets or even worse – with alcoves – reduces living space by one-third. The second reason is that such a wall with a sofa opposite has become so familiar that it no longer seems like interior decoration.

What to replace it with? A good alternative is a multi-level composition of cabinets with closed and open shelves. In general, open modular storage systems better suit the modern concept of comfort and aesthetics.

Comfortable – because space is more rationally used. In a tiny room, where large cabinets are hard to place, their role is performed by boxes and drawers. Their volume is used at 100%, whereas shelves – only half, maximum 2/3. In larger apartments, it's common to set aside a special room for clothes – a wardrobe, so built-in cabinets are not needed at all.

Open shelves, display cases with lighting, elegant niches – these elements of modern modular furniture allow you to constantly change the interior through new decor.

Design: 'Studio 3.14'

7. Setting Office Furniture at Home

Many work from home, but that doesn't mean the house should look like an office. A wide official table with documents, numerous stationery items, and a black/gray swivel chair – it's unlikely to harmonize with the comfort of a living room. Swivel wheels damage floor coverings, and they won't last even a year.

A popular solution is zoning, i.e., highlighting some area in the room for a workspace using color or constructing a partition. This is difficult and doesn't solve the problem in general. We propose a simpler solution.

What to replace it with? If space allows, it's better to make a separate study. If not, you should use the possibilities of modern furniture collections. Large manufacturers have business furniture in their lines that easily fit into any interior style. In a pinch – a light table and a normal comfortable chair without wheels – also a good option.

Design: 'Studio 3.14'

Learn about another 8 design solutions in finishes and decoration that it's time to abandon once and for all.