Glass etching is a classic art form dating back centuries ago. During the ‘80s and most of the ‘90s, etched glass seemed to have a moment. From etched glass statues to etched glass doors, we couldn’t get enough of this trend.
Most of the designs ranged from geometric shapes to scenes featuring wildlife like birds. While this trend is certainly not the worst of the decade (remember these are the decades that brought us the mullet), most of us are happy that this trend is no longer in style.
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.
Shut the Barn Door
Fans of Chip and Joanna Gaines may want to skip this one, but many interior decorators will agree with us when we say “enough with the barn doors.” Yes, there are instances where a barn door will enhance the look of an older renovated home.
Today, however, we are seeing new homes with barn doors and it just looks out of place. Not to mention that barn doors don’t really provide privacy or soundproofing. If you're considering putting barn doors to replace the regular swinging doors of your bathroom, you might as well put nothing!
Mirror Mirror on the Wall — Literally
In addition to letting us know if we have spinach in our teeth, mirrors can transform the look of a room by making it look bigger or more glamorous. Perhaps those benefits made us want to cover our entire walls with mirrors.
A common feature in many of the expensive homes of the ‘80s, mirrored walls may have seemed elegant, but they also had the side effect of making us feel like we were in one giant funhouse in the worst way possible. Just imagine how hard it was to clean these massive mirrors...
Gray Gray, Go Away
When it comes to home decor trends, every decade has its favorite color palette. From the avocado greens and harvest yellow of the ‘70s to the pastel overload of the ‘80s, there are some colors we just automatically associate with certain decades.
Years from now, we’ll probably look at the gray obsession of the 2010s with the same disdain. While gray can be relaxing and easy to match, it can look a bit depressing and drab. Between gray floors and walls, this gray overload makes us look forward to watching this rainy-day-colored trend go away.