Designer Reveals 5 Outdated Solutions That Will Ruin Any Interior

What design approaches have lost their relevance and can even spoil a fresh renovation, is explained by Evgeny Koblov — leading architect and managing partner of the oldest Moscow architectural firm A+A.

Evgeny Koblov, Architect

It's important to remember that even a genius idea can be visually or technically misapplied without professional approach, negatively affecting the overall look of a completed interior. But there are five solutions that simply have no chance for stylish realization.

Multi-level Ceiling

This style is absolutely outdated and only spoils the visual perception of a room. Sometimes I visit old interiors, and such ceiling design looks excessive. I would like to emphasize levels that follow a curved shape, giving a smooth flow to multi-step ceilings.

For example, when gypsum boards are installed in a snake-like pattern or in an elliptical form. Such a solution must be supported by wallpaper patterns on walls or tile ornaments on the floor to look harmonious in the overall space. A standalone element of this kind looks disconnected from the environment. According to design principles, any line should have a beginning and an end, and this line's completion point shouldn't be just a random place.

Design: Olga Sokolova

Glossy Ceiling

Many prefer this way of decorating a ceiling, thinking that a reflective surface will add airiness to the room and make it visually larger. In reality, this approach does not work.

Gloss only simplifies, cheapens, and ages the interior. Rarely do I allow its use, but only in professional hands of a designer who can make such a ceiling minimalist, harmonious, and stylish within the overall interior composition.

Halogen Fixtures

This includes minimalist recessed spotlights and fixtures with small glass panels or mini 'crystal' shades that create glare on surrounding surfaces.

These lighting elements make even the newest renovations look old, as they have completely lost their relevance. They don't look as aesthetically pleasing as modern equivalents. Therefore, as an alternative, I recommend LED light sources that not only don't burn out during voltage fluctuations or drops but also look harmoniously in any stylistic direction.

Design: Vlada Vologirova

Different Color Temperatures for Backlighting

In one room, I recommend combining no more than two color temperatures, or better yet, stick to just one. If one chandelier gives warm light and other light sources give cold light, it visually appears discordant. It seems like the space is filled with different light zones, breaking the interior and straining our eyes constantly adjusting to varying lights.

When choosing bulbs, pay attention not only to power rating but also to color temperature indicated in Kelvin. Another point: Chinese LED lights often have a greenish undertone. So, by trying to save money, you might end up with the right color temperature but an unattractive green tint.

Bright Colors

I personally wouldn't recommend experimenting with saturated, unusual shades in your interior to master color theory on the fly. Not all designers are skilled at working with vibrant color schemes.

For example, buying red or yellow parquet today is not a problem — such materials are available in many stores. But when such an extravagant finish appears in an interior, usually without supporting color accents, the room visually feels heavy and complex, lacking comfort. If you want brightness, add it using elements that you can easily remove or change: textiles, sculptures, paintings, dishes.

Design: Evgenia Demidova

Cover Design: Victoria Vishnevskaya