7 Design Solutions That Are Outdated

It's not necessary to follow interior design trends totally: to modernize your space, sometimes just a few fresh solutions are enough. But first, it's worth getting rid of major outdated home trends — we're telling you about the most hopeless ones.

Strict Symmetry

"Mirroring" furniture and decor around a table, TV, or fireplace is a beautiful technique, but it's outdated and extremely impractical: few people enjoy endlessly readjusting pillows and arranging chairs that someone will inevitably move out of their "correct" position.

INSTEAD: create a symmetrical composition from two to four items. Arrange the rest as you wish: relaxation is in trend.

Design: Oksana Butman

Blurred Prints

Leave them for children's rooms: unreadable, faded, and blurry patterns rarely look impressive.

In terms of zoning or accent placement, wallpapers and textiles with such prints are often ineffective.

INSTEAD: choose items and materials with contrasting, complex patterns. These are the solutions that leading interior brands showcased at the prestigious Salone del Mobile Milano Moscow this fall.

Design: Margarita Rasskazova

Metals in One Tone

Until recently, the idea of combining different types and shades of metals in one interior seemed like a trendy misunderstanding.

Today, an interior composed entirely of one type of metal is simply outdated and can't be called anything else.

INSTEAD: mix metals following a simple rule: there should be something in common in the combination, such as similar texture or a unified warm or cool tone.

Design: Artpartner

Monochromatic Rugs

Monochromatic rugs without patterns are generally suitable for offices and other public spaces.

Choosing monochromatic rugs for home is acceptable only if the décor and furniture are colorful and vibrant. In other cases, they're boring.

INSTEAD: take a look at the stunning rugs from the Salone del Mobile Milano Moscow exhibition designed by Patricia Urcola and other designers. Unusual, vibrant, and highly creative — these are exactly the models trending now.

Design: CC Tapis

Wardrobes

Clumsy wardrobes with questionable shelf depth, sliding mirror doors, and strange decor were extremely popular in the 2000s.

This is exactly one of those cases where it’s better to just leave them alone — we for sure won’t miss them.

INSTEAD: design your ideal wardrobe yourself, considering only your own needs, and have it custom-made. Moreover, this option is just as affordable as a built-in wardrobe.

Design: Artpartner

Large, Multi-Seat Sofas

Substantial sofa-transformers that are used for sleeping and hosting guests in the living room area are going into the past.

They're being replaced by compact models like "loveseat" or multi-seat ones that are more elegant — for example, sofas on thin legs.

INSTEAD: pay attention to trending sofas from the Salone del Mobile Milano Moscow exhibition. For example, the Moroso factory showcased mini, unobtrusive, and quite spacious models.

Design: Moroso

Furniture Sets

Pairs of items are not forbidden, especially since trendy eclectic furniture sets don't suit every interior.

These refer to sets of a table and six to eight chairs or matching armchairs. Factory-made wardrobes are no longer relevant.

INSTEAD: selecting furniture from different manufacturers in a harmonious combination can be challenging, but it's also fun and ultimately results in something exclusive.

Design: ToTaste Studio