Before we were lining up for the latest cell phone release, there was one phone everyone needed to have — the transparent house phone. With its clear exterior and busy intricate interior showing all of the wires and other components that make a phone work, nothing seemed cooler.
In fact, just seeing this phone reminds many of us of our childhood. But like the house phone itself, transparent phones soon fell out of fashion and now this once-admired phone belongs in the museum of bad product designs.
Heavy and Itchy — What More Could You Want?
When visiting a used furniture or thrift store, there's a good chance you will come across a heavy couch covered in thick jacquard fabric. Coveted for its durable and resistant construction, this fabric was once considered the height of wealth and sophistication.
Perhaps that's why it covered so many couches in the “nice” living room (you know, the one no one was allowed to sit in except for company). In reality, the jacquard fabric is itchy and heavy, not to mention is a major dust magnet.
Ye Olde Tacky Home
Call it romanticism of the old West, or maybe it was Western-themed shows and movies that fueled the desire to suddenly decorate our homes with a Southwestern theme. Suddenly it seemed like every living room had at least one pastel-colored painting of a desert landscape, not to mention cacti or terracotta-colored items.
Homeowners decided to tile their homes in Spanish terracotta floor tiles that matched perfectly against desert-colored sponge-painted walls. Thankfully, as minimalism and more contemporary design came into fashion, these desert designs slowly disappeared.
Definitely not Di-Vine
During the late ‘80s and ‘90s, many of us can recall either visiting or living in a house with large plants growing from the top of the cabinets or other high places. Whether real or fake, these overgrown plants seemed to overtake and practically spill over the cabinets.
If they were real then the chances of them attracting bugs were high. If they were fake they probably were covered in dust. Either way, we can't understand the appeal of them, especially not putting them at the top of these inaccessible places!
"Miami-Vice" Inspired Furniture
Blame it on shows like "Miami Vice," but suddenly, there was a time in the ‘80s and even early ‘90s when it seemed like everything was a similar combination of teal and soft pink. From furniture to wallpaper, these vaguely tropical colors reigned.
Put against white wicker furniture and some seashell accents, and we just described most of the homes and waiting rooms of that period! While there’s nothing inherently wrong with teal and pink, the combination tends to remind us too much of the apartments shown on "The Golden Girls."