Between the grand Tuscan-themed kitchens to the overly-large wrought iron light fixtures hanging from our vaulted ceilings, homeowners in the early 2000s wanted to feel like royalty in their homes (no matter how small their dwellings were).
Part of that ostentatious trend was to buy large and bulky furniture fit for a medieval castle. Ornately carved dark wood furniture including chairs and four-poster beds seemed to be all the rage. Thankfully, we’ve now realized that it’s probably not the best idea to purchase a bed that takes up your whole bedroom!
Go Big or Go Home
Given the sheer size of televisions and sound systems from a few decades ago, it's no surprise that furniture designers had a “bigger is better” philosophy when it came to designing wall units. These bulky wall units often spanned from wall to wall and almost to the top of the ceiling.
From holding the latest CDs (remember those?) to grandma’s knick-knacks, these behemoths of living room furniture were found in almost every home. Thankfully, as technology has advanced and electronics have become sleeker and smaller, the need for these massive wall units has waned.
We’ll All Float on
The disconnect between “wow that looks great on Pinterest” and working in the real world has caused even the most experienced interior designers to commit some real home design sins. One trend that has come and (thankfully) gone has been floating steps.
These staircases with steps that seem to float in the air and missing rails are just an accident waiting to happen. In fact, these stairs are so dangerous that some areas don’t consider them to be up to building code. To be honest, we get nervous just looking at them!
Chatta-What?
If you grew up in the South, particularly Florida, chances are high that you owned or swam in a pool surrounded by Chattahoochee stones. These tiny and colorful stones were often used to create pool decks, facades of homes, driveways, and other areas.
If you had these, you knew the distinct and very painful feeling of stepping on them with bare feet or heaven forbid stepping on a loose and sharp tiny rock. While some people still choose these rocks to create outdoor areas, they’ve generally fallen out of fashion (and we're sure barefoot bathers are quite happy!)
Just Say “No” to Laminate Countertops
Whether it was out of budgetary concerns or purposeful design choice, many of us have visited or lived in homes with laminate countertops. Laminate countertops are typically made with layers of plastic, paper, and chipboard.
While there are some pretty nice looking modernized versions today, the laminate countertops of the ‘80s and ‘90s were pretty tragic. To make matters worse, they usually came in colors like pink, teal, or even (poorly done) faux granite or terrazzo finishes. Add to that the inevitable chipping and water damage, and these countertops quickly lost their luster.