Is Your Living Room Decor Dated?

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Living rooms have evolved quite a bit over the last few decades – and we’re not just talking about the size of TV screens. Certain decor trends that were once popular have become less stylish over time. If you want your living room to look modern, you may want to get rid of any of the following features.

Floral print

Flower power was all the rage in the 60s and 70s. This resulted in floral patterns being adorned on everything from wallpaper to furniture. Nowadays, floral prints are typically viewed as dated. This is particularly the case with multiple different floral designs, in which the textures can often clash. Floral print can still be incorporated tastefully into a living room, but you need to avoid adding too much of it to a room. It’s often safer to stick to small accessories like cushions rather than entire walls. Floral wallpaper or floral furniture covers that have become faded should definitely be replaced.

Brown leather

Leather sofas are still popular and trendy, however you should avoid brown leather. This color hasn’t been popular since the 80s. Black, grey and white leather are much less likely to come across as old-fashioned. Obviously, it also comes down to the style of sofa. A lot of modern furniture is very minimal with an emphasis on smooth textures. You should try to avoid furniture with frills and wrinkles as these are much more associated with older furniture.

Dark wood

Too much dark wood can make a room look gloomy and smaller. Light wood is favored nowadays because it reflects light and creates a greater sense of space. That isn’t to say that you can’t still use dark wood in a living room – you just have to be more careful about how you use it. Dark wood works best when contrasted with white and other bright colors. If you have a large living room and you want it to feel smaller and cosier, dark wood can also achieve this.

Heavy curtains

The days of thick billowing curtains are over. Nowadays, light straight curtains are all the rage – they’re easier to clean and they don’t distract from your windows themselves. Blinds are also very popular as they can provide an even greater level of light and privacy control. The only places heavy curtains really work are on large windows in period homes. Otherwise, you should swap them for lighter curtains or blinds.

Popcorn ceilings

From the 1950s through to the 1980s, it became popular to add a ‘popcorn’ effect to ceilings. Such ceilings have a bumpy texture due to a mix of paint and fibers, which was designed to help sound-proof rooms. Many of the first popcorn ceilings used asbestos fibers, although many later ones used styrofoam once it became known that asbestos was a health hazard. You should definitely consider removing your popcorn ceiling if you think it has asbestos in it. However, even styrofoam popcorn ceilings are worth getting rid of because of their dated appearance and their tendency to create harsh shadows.