18 Home Decor Trends That Are More Pretty Than Practical

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There’s nothing wrong with following design trends and aspiring to create a stylish home that could be a featured spread in HGTV magazine. But many trends walk a fine line between form and function when they should be embracing both. If you love a particular trend, by all means, try it out, but remember your home also needs to function well. Therefore, be aware of home decor trends that are pretty but not practical.

1. Replacing Kitchen Cabinets With Floating Shelves

The idea of swapping out upper cabinets for shelves became a popular way to open up a tiny kitchen and make it feel bigger. It also serves a more minimal style preference but doesn’t work well in the average kitchen. You lose a large amount of storage and must be very intentional about what you keep on the shelves. It also becomes a cleaning nightmare, since everything is out in the open collecting dust.

Learn more: How To Remove Floating Shelves

2. Barn Doors

Barn doors are another trend that skyrocketed in popularity and seem to be the go-to in the new construction of large, modern homes. At first, you saw these doors in modern farmhouse design, but they quickly extended to other styles. A barn door between two rooms, for example, a dining and living room, makes sense. However, don’t put barn doors in the bedrooms and bathrooms. They don’t block sounds or smells, making them impractical for places where privacy is paramount.

3. Exposed Lighting

Styles ranging from vintage to industrial often feature exposed lighting that uses an Edison bulb. As steampunk gained popularity, exposed bulbs started popping up even more places, in lamps, overhead fixtures, and wall sconces. The Edison bulb has a cool look, but be cognizant of how the glare affects the mood of your space with no shade or globe to diffuse the light. Exposed bulbs can also be hard on the eyes.

4. Full Bathrooms With Wallpaper

Wallpaper is making a comeback, or more accurately, is back. There are more patterns and styles than ever, allowing you to make a bold statement, add a quirky touch to a space, or create a stately atmosphere. However, putting wallpaper in a full bathroom is a trend you should reconsider. Unless you find a wallpaper specifically designed for wet areas, the paper traps moisture, breeds mildew and mold, and leads to major ick.

Related: How To Paint Over Wallpaper In A Bathroom

5. Vessel Sinks

Bowl sinks are beautiful, with many colors and materials, from copper to glass. However, vessel sinks aren’t always the most practical choice. They work fine in a powder room where the most action is hand washing. However, when it comes to brushing your teeth and washing your face, it’s difficult to maneuver the high sides; they splash more, and you need to clean the inside and outside of the sink.

6. Interior Living Walls

If gardening is your thing and you were born with a green thumb and have time to spare, then a living wall may be a great choice. However, for the average person, these green walls add more maintenance to an already packed schedule. Living walls also tend to get heavy as vegetation grows, so it’s vital to verify your wall can support the final product. If you don’t stay on top of maintenance, a wall full of dead plants doesn’t just look bad; it’s a potential fire hazard.

7. Chandeliers Over The Tub

It’s a good bet that you’ve seen a picture of a gorgeous bathroom with a beautiful tub sitting below a fabulous chandelier. It looks elegant, luxurious and inviting. However, do you want to bathe in a tub full of water directly under an electrical light fixture? If you decide to take the risk, you better have tall ceilings. Parameters in the NFPA 70, National Electrical Code require the lowest part of the fixture to be at least 8 feet above the highest part of your tub.

Be Inspired: 39 Of The Best Primary Bathroom Ideas

8. Large Pot Racks

Pot racks provide storage options for cookware in a small kitchen, but if you can store your pots and pans elsewhere, do it. Pot racks sound like a great idea in theory, but think about the reality. Do your pots and pans look shiny and new, or are they covered in burn marks? Doesn’t sound very aesthetic. Also, mounting a large pot rack in the middle of your kitchen can block light and sightlines to other parts of the space.

9. Dining Benches

Dining benches are often paired with chairs to create a versatile seating arrangement around a table. However, this is another trend that’s better to skip unless you’re significantly pressed for space. A bench isn’t the most comfortable place to sit when enjoying a lengthy meal with friends and family. If you must use a bench, consider making it the children’s seat.

10. A Walk-in Closet In The Bathroom

A luxe primary bedroom with an ensuite is the holy grail for many homeowners, and a walk-in closet is often another must-have. But reconsider connecting the closet to the bathroom. It seems convenient — hop out of the shower and go straight into the closet to get ready. However, it puts your clothing very close to moisture and humidity. If the closet is in the bathroom, it could be tricky to get to it when someone else is using the bathroom.

Be Inspired With 43 Of The Best Small Bathroom Ideas.

11. All-White Interiors

Remember the seemingly never-ending trend of all-white everything? It’s still a popular design choice for many, although color is making a comeback. However, even though all-white rooms can seem clean, bright, and fresh, they can also come off as cold and sterile. Plus, they’re a nightmare to keep clean, so if you have kids or pets or don’t enjoy cleaning 24/7, this isn’t the trend for you.

Learn about 50 Of The Best White Kitchen Ideas That Aren’t Boring.

12. Backless Barstools

It’s common to have barstools at your kitchen island to provide extra seating for people to gather. However, steer clear of backless designs that don’t provide appropriate support and can be uncomfortable. Instead of your kitchen being inviting, the lack of comfy seating could discourage people from hanging out in the space.

13. Matte Finishes In Kitchens

Matte cabinets, especially black but they can be any color, are a trending design in kitchens. And, they do look incredible. However, in a bustling, busy room like your kitchen, they aren’t very practical. The matte finish is unforgiving when it comes to dust, fingerprints, grease, etc. They show everything, so unless you plan to clean them daily or you don’t actually cook in your kitchen, pick a different finish.

14. Limewash Walls

Limewash walls are beautiful and undoubtedly make a statement. However, if you do it incorrectly, it can turn into a design pitfall. It’s important to have a professional do the project, which means paying more. One wall averages about $1,000; however, for limewash to work, you really need to commit to doing it in the entire space, which means a heftier price tag. Therefore, as an accent wall, it’s not very practical, but if you have the budget for the whole area, go for it.

15. Open Staircases

Do we really need to go into why this design trend isn’t practical? It might look cool, but it’s ridiculously unsafe. Whether you have kids, pets, or only adults in the home, a staircase with no railings is asking for trouble. It’s also trickier to meet the requirements in the International Building Code if installing an open staircase.

16. Full Bathroom Mirrors

One of the latest trends in bathroom design is bringing the mirror all the way to the vanity, so it’s behind the faucet. It provides a seamless look (as long as you have a beautiful faucet that you want to see the back of all the time). However, from a practical standpoint, it’s a cleaning headache. Every time you wash your hands, brush your teeth, etc., the water splashes on the mirror, leaving unsightly spots.

17. Tiled Countertops

Tiled countertops went out of style for a while, but now they’re starting to make a comeback. When first installed, a countertop covered in gorgeous tiles looks amazing and can also be a more affordable way to redo outdated counters. However, if you’re like most people and use your kitchen daily to cook, your kitchen gets messy. Grease, splatters, and spills are the arch-nemeses of grout, leading to stains and discoloration if you don’t keep up with proper maintenance.

18. Colored Refrigerators

If you love a retro style and are ready to commit to a turquoise or bright red fridge, take the plunge. However, proceed with caution when choosing a colored refrigerator. Fridges aren’t cheap, and if you decide to change your kitchen style in a few years, what happens if your orange fridge doesn’t go with your new design plan?