What Is Considered Yesterday's Style in Interior Design: Part 2

In the previous post, we told about how in apartment finishing and decoration, modern orientation towards simplicity, naturalness, and comfort is violated. We also shared tips on what to replace outdated brands with. Today, together with Timur Abdrakhmanov, head of the design bureau "Studio 3.14", we continue our shortlist of solutions that it's time to forget.

Timur Abdrakhmanov EXPERT Director of Design Bureau "Studio 3.14"
1. Buying Kitchen Appliances Made of Stainless Steel

Kitchen appliances made of stainless steel are going into the past. Matte, glossy, and ribbed metal surfaces on cooktops, refrigerators, ovens, and sinks are hard to maintain – they quickly get stained by hard water and tiny cracks.

But the main issue is not that. They stand out too much against the general background, whereas in fashion – camouflage (mimicry). Kitchen appliances should blend into the walls, hide from view behind surfaces. For the same reason, bright-print aprons on the kitchen are no longer trendy – night cities, fruits, and flowers. These look unnatural and boastful.

What to Replace With? White kitchens are currently trendy: white cabinet panels and white appliances. White is a symbol of lightness and airiness, and a white kitchen creates space and positive mood in the morning. This might be a remnant of our general fascination with Scandinavian style, but this color has truly won our hearts.

Grandeur of the white style is emphasized by combining it with wood, which is a universal background for any kind of decor. With such a combination, you can easily build an interior in the shabby-chic, Provence, cottage, or classic style.

Design: "Studio 3.14"
2. Decorating Windows with Heavy Textiles and Valances

Curtains and bedspreads with large pleats and rigid shapes should be simplified. In any apartment, especially a small one, kilometers of draped curtains and valances made from jacquard or organdy significantly reduce space and block light. Moreover, they irritate the eye with their ruches and numerous folds.

What to Replace With? It's no longer a problem to choose textiles that can make a room lively and cozy. The rule for windows is "the simpler, the better," especially in small rooms. If you really love folds, you can make them from lighter fabrics like thin mesh or heavy veil gathered on ribbon. Instead of plush, tapestries, and jacquard for night curtains, use Roman blinds or narrow panels made of linen fabric.

Design: "Studio 3.14"
3. Betting on the Chevron Pattern

The chevron pattern was very popular in finishes (ceramic tiles, wall hangings) and decor (furniture upholstery, carpets, curtains, cushions, bedding) in recent years. Its elements look like the Latin letter V. It's also known as "Christmas tree" or "zigzag."

But despite its expressiveness, it has one flaw – artificiality. An abundance of zigzags contradicts naturalness, so chevron gradually gives way to more harmonious geometric patterns.

What to Replace With? In fashion is the Japanese pattern "shibori". These are patterns with mirror-reflected designs. The dyeing technique is complex: the material is folded and twisted, then tied and compressed. But the result is whimsical and different every time.

4. Copies of Paintings, Horns, and Taxidermy in Interior Design

Horns, heads, and taxidermy in interior design are not only out of style but also have a mocking nickname "Greenpeace in Shock". For urban interior design concepts, which dominate our perception, such elements are not just absurd but also frightening. Fake reproductions of famous paintings look false on walls, especially in paper form.

What to Replace With? It's better to buy an original work by an unknown but unique artist; abstract paintings are trendy now. Photographs and macramé wall hangings are excellent accents. Modern designers recommend decorating interiors with artificial skins, which is widely used, for example, in Scandinavian style. Horns and animal figures – yes, they are welcome too, but not as hunting trophies, rather as art objects. That is, these should be gypsum or plastic items in stylized forms.

Design: "Studio 3.14"
5. Metal Thresholds

Stitching metal thresholds made of metal plates are needed where floor coverings are poorly done: either the edges were not cut neatly, or the base (flooring) is uneven. In other cases, modern materials with grooves can be easily laid into the general contour without any thresholds. It looks beautiful when floor coverings don't crack apart.

But if there are different floor materials in rooms (tiles and parquet, parquet and laminate), then a transition between them must be arranged. Wood, for example, expands and contracts with temperature changes, while ceramic tiles do not. Therefore, these materials will destroy each other when in close contact, and the floors will buckle.

What to Replace With? If a boundary line cannot be avoided, use liquid cork compensator. It perfectly ensures the transition between any materials because it can compress and expand on its own, compensating for volume changes in floor coverings. Unlike rubber or synthetic sealants that harden over time, it doesn't harden and has a neat, stylish appearance.

Design: "Studio 3.14"
6. Uniform Hardware

In interior design, it's okay to mix hardware made of chrome, nickel, bronze, black or gold.

Working on Mistakes. Metal gloss in finishes adds sophistication to interiors. Especially when metal materials are used not only in fixtures but also in lighting and furniture elements. Choose metals according to the style: classic interiors – "warm metals" (copper, gilded, brass), Scandinavian style and minimalism – "cool" (silver, chrome, steel). More complex combinations in specific designs will be suggested by designers.

7. Artificial Materials in Finishing and Decoration

Glossy artificial materials in textiles and finishes give a room an unnatural look, and a house – a lifeless atmosphere. Huge butterflies and star clusters on the ceiling, brightly colored photos of famous paintings on walls, 3D photo prints everywhere, even on the bathroom floor, roses and peonies on curtains have invaded our living spaces and made them tasteless.

What to Replace With? Finish surfaces with natural materials: concrete, plaster, metal, wood, and natural stone. These will remain in trend for a long time. By the way, the current trendy style of loft is built entirely on such materials. Even a small piece of wall with natural brickwork can dramatically revitalize a room.

Design: "Studio 3.14"
8. A Single Pendant Light or Edison Bulb on the Ceiling

A flat apartment cannot have just one light source. No matter what kind of single light fixture it is – a large chandelier or vintage Edison bulb – it cannot illuminate the entire space. Comfortable lighting should be distributed throughout the room perimeter. Therefore, if central lighting is provided by a general chandelier, it should be supplemented with wall and floor lamps.

Neon lights and laser shows in the 90s style as a constant light source have also become inappropriate, as they are tiring and turn the house into a disco venue. This is fine occasionally, but not every day.

What to Replace With? Cozy LED lighting based on LEDs. They are 10 times more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs, last 50 times longer, and most importantly, provide even light distribution. True, they are expensive. Modern options include using bright main lights in the room and local LED backlighting in the form of flat panels between furniture elements or inside furniture. The key is to illuminate all levels of the space. Don't forget about candles.

Design: "Studio 3.14"