I feel like every era has its signature decor pieces that feel fresh at the time but quickly reveal their age. While some dated elements have nostalgic charm, others simply make spaces feel stuck in the past. If you’re wondering why your home doesn’t feel current despite recent updates, these twelve pieces might be the culprit. Here’s what to swap them for to create a more timeless look.
Matching Furniture Sets
Those perfectly coordinated bedroom or living room suites that come as a package date spaces immediately. They signal a specific era when matching was considered sophisticated rather than generic. Instead, mix pieces from different sources. Pair a vintage dresser with a modern bed frame. Choose mismatched nightstands. Select a sofa and chairs that coordinate through color or style rather than being identical. This collected approach feels current and personal rather than catalog-ordered. The key is ensuring pieces relate through similar scale, complementary colors, or shared materials while avoiding exact matches.
Word Art and Inspirational Quotes
“Live Laugh Love,” “Gather,” “Blessed”—these mass-produced word signs peaked in the 2010s and now instantly date spaces. They feel generic and impersonal. Instead, choose actual art that resonates with you; a painting, photograph, or print that has visual interest beyond a trendy phrase. If you love text in decor, opt for vintage typographic prints, meaningful poetry framed beautifully, or custom pieces featuring quotes that genuinely matter to you rather than mass-produced platitudes. Original art or personally meaningful text feels intentional; word art feels like you shopped the home decor aisle at a big-box store.
Fake Tuscan or French Country Elements
The rooster-filled, faux-distressed, Tuscan-inspired decor of the early 2000s feels particularly dated now. This includes wrought iron wall scrollwork, rooster figurines, grape motifs, and that specific shade of golden-yellow paint. Instead, if you love European influences, look to actual vintage French or Italian pieces—a genuine wooden bread board, simple ceramic pottery, or authentic bistro chairs. Real items from these traditions have soul; themed collections feel costume-like. Embrace authentic pieces in natural materials rather than manufactured “country French” style.
Builder-Grade Brass from the 1980s-90s
The shiny, golden brass fixtures of the 80s and 90s; particularly in bathrooms and kitchaces, are distinct from the matte or brushed brass that’s current now. That specific yellow-gold, highly polished finish screams its era. Replace these fixtures with updated finishes: matte black, brushed nickel, aged brass, or polished chrome. If you love brass, choose modern versions with a brushed or antique finish that have depth rather than shine. Updated hardware modernizes spaces instantly and relatively affordably.
Themed Collections
Collections centered on a single theme. In other words, all roosters, all sunflowers, all lighthouse memorabilia… feel dated and kitschy. These collections often accumulate because well-meaning friends keep gifting items in “your” theme, creating visual clutter. Instead, edit down to one or two favorite pieces and display them thoughtfully. If you love a particular motif, translate it into something more sophisticated—a subtle botanical print rather than sunflower everything, or a beautiful vintage lighthouse photograph rather than figurines. One meaningful item honors your interest; twenty items feel obsessive and dated.
Mass-Produced Metal Wall Art
For some reason I absolutely loathe these. Those mass-produced metal wall pieces such as scrollwork, oversized clocks, geometric designs from home goods stores have saturated homes and now feel generic. They were everywhere in the 2000s and 2010s. Instead, invest in original art, vintage finds, or meaningful photographs. A framed textile, a collection of vintage plates, or a gallery wall of family photos adds the personality these metal pieces lack. If you love metal, seek out unique vintage pieces or contemporary metalwork from actual artisans rather than mass-manufactured designs.
Plastic Faux Flowers
While quality faux florals have improved dramatically, cheap plastic flowers still read as dated and obvious. Those dusty arrangements that have sat unchanged for years collect grime and make spaces feel neglected. Instead, invest in high-quality silk or dried flowers that look convincingly real, or commit to fresh flowers regularly. Even one stem in a bud vase feels more special than an elaborate plastic arrangement. Dried elements like pampas grass, eucalyptus, or bunny tails offer long-lasting beauty without the plastic look.
Miniature Furniture
It’s those skinny console tables, tiny lamps, and narrow chairs. It was popular when spaces were over-furnished, but now feels timid and dated. Modern aesthetics favor substantial pieces with presence. Instead, choose appropriately scaled furniture that fits your room without apologizing for taking space. A generous console table, table lamps with substantial bases, and comfortable-sized chairs look current and functional. Oversized pieces feel confident; undersized pieces feel apologetic. This doesn’t mean cramming in massive furniture, but rather choosing pieces with appropriate visual weight for their function.
Overly Distressed Shabby Chic
The heavily distressed, chalky painted furniture popular in the 2000s feels particularly dated now. This includes pieces that are intentionally aged-looking with exaggerated wear, chipping, and distressing. Instead, if you love vintage, seek out actual vintage pieces with authentic patina, or choose furniture in natural wood finishes. Real wear from years of use has character; manufactured distressing feels costume-like. Clean-lined furniture in natural materials or painted in solid, undistressed colors feels more current.
Matching Bathroom Accessory Sets
Those coordinated bathroom sets, like a matching soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, trash can, in a specific pattern or color date spaces to their purchase era. Instead, mix individual pieces that relate through material or color without being identical. A ceramic soap dispenser, a wooden toothbrush holder, and a simple white trash can create more interest than a matched set. Choose quality individual pieces that can outlast trends rather than sets that mark a specific moment.
Vertical Striped Accent Walls
The accent wall trend, particularly in vertical stripes, had its moment in the 2010s but now dates spaces immediately. These bold walls were everywhere in design magazines and now feel like they’re trying too hard. Instead, paint rooms in solid colors or use subtle texture through wallpaper or material. If you want wall interest, consider board-and-batten, picture frame molding, or a single color in a sophisticated shade. These architectural details outlast painted patterns.
Specific Trendy Colors
Certain colors instantly reveal their era: the burgundy and hunter green of the 90s, the chocolate brown and teal of the 2000s, or the gray-everything of the 2010s. While these colors aren’t inherently bad, their saturation in a specific era dates them. Instead, choose colors that have appeared consistently across decades—navy, forest green, terracotta, cream, black, white. These colors have staying power because they’re rooted in nature and classic design rather than trend cycles. You can still use trendy colors as small accents, but build your foundation on timeless tones.
Dating isn’t necessarily bad—some vintage aesthetics are charming and intentional. The problem comes when dated elements are unintentional, making spaces feel stuck rather than styled. By replacing these twelve dated pieces with more timeless alternatives, you create spaces that feel current without being trendy, and personal without being stuck in a particular era.
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