Given that designers spend their days and nights selecting all kinds of pieces for themselves and their clients, we wanted to know: Which trends are they ready to see go, and why? Read on for the seven furniture trends that top designers are ready to say goodbye to—some of their answers may surprise you!
Mid-Century Modern Pieces
Whether or not you’re ready to tuck that slat bench or Eames chair into storage is up to you, but some designers are eager to wave goodbye to all things MCM. “It’s time for this furniture design trend to take its place in the archives,” New York designer Kelly Walsh of Novel Abode said in an email. “I’m very much ready to only see this type of furniture when I’m watching Mad Men!” But, Walsh added, there are still plenty of ways to take cues from this style while making your home look contemporary. “If you’re looking for those clean lines and wood tones, Crate & Barrel has a beautiful selection,” she said. “And I’m confident Don Draper would agree!”
White Sofas
Sure, white sofas add that oh-so-chic touch to any living room and are a favorite among neutral fanatics. But designer Lisa Gilmore has had enough of these stain-prone pieces. “Even though there are fabrics that can make them more durable, I feel like it’s an anxiety attack waiting to happen,” the St. Petersburg, Florida, designer said in an email. Those of us with young children—or who frequently host cocktail parties featuring red wine—can most certainly relate. Gilmore urges individuals to take more risks in their spaces while moving away from all white. “Let’s be more bold, have more color, more pattern, and have some fun!” New Jersey designer Kerri Pilchik isn’t a fan of all-white furniture either. “I believe that color brings a room alive, and it doesn’t need to be relegated only to small accents,” she shared in an email. So you have full permission to think big.
Industrial Style Furniture
By no means does one have to live in a loft-like space to decorate with industrial-style pieces: The look has been popular for quite some time. However, Pilchik is happy to skip over live edges, steel pipes, and other industrial elements, which she said are “not my cup of tea.” Rather, she noted, “I prefer more classic lines and materials.” Unfinished wooden tables certainly do not fit into that category.
Angular Furniture
For Tracy Morris, a designer in the Washington, DC, area, angular furniture includes chairs with pointy arms or bed frames with sharp corners. “Believe it or not, I had a client break a toe on a sharp, angular platform bed,” she reflected in an email. “Can we do away with this one please?” Considering bedrooms should be soothing zones free of chaos, we have to agree.
Ornate Designs
Oversized brass mirrors and intricate light fixtures are timeless to many, but Long Island designer Courtney Sempliner is no longer feeling the antique-like vibe. “I am very ready to see heavy and overly ornate furniture move aside,” she noted. For Sempliner, this means fewer metal and upholstered pieces, stat! “The heyday of the heavy traditional look has passed, and a cleaner aesthetic feels refreshing and allows for easy accessorizing and layering,” she commented. However, it’s safe to say grandmillennials may feel otherwise!
Statement Pieces
Sure, showstopping finds are fun at first, but “then the novelty wears off and what are you stuck with for a very long time,” according to New York designer Marilyn Sygrove. Plus, rotating out pieces frequently is costly, she added in an email. “An example that I saw lately in a relatively new construction condo lounge space was gold painted tree trunk lamps and little occasional tables,” she explained. “In our interiors we go for timeless, elegant, sophisticated and uplifting. Sofas that are bulbous rather than graceful are a turn-off. Cutesy table and chair legs also don’t give a sense of permanency—playful for a moment, yes, but here to stay? No.”
Disposable Furniture
In a similar vein, Pilchik is opposed to disposable pieces that will not have longevity in a space. “I am tired of cheaply made, poor quality furniture that will be destroyed within a year’s time and have to be discarded,” she said. “Not only is it environmentally unfriendly, but it is a waste of time, money, and effort.” Pilchik urged those on a tight budget to go the vintage route instead and search for pieces to refurbish or reupholster. Saving the planet and your bank account? It’s a win-win!
