5 Decor Items Worth Reconsidering, According to Designers
As we move through the year, interior designers are making thoughtful choices about which trends to embrace and which to leave behind. “No Buy 2025" movements are gaining traction across social media, and sustainability becomes ever more important. So, we asked designers which items they're deliberately leaving off their shopping lists this year—and what they're investing in instead. Their answers reveal a collective shift toward authenticity, longevity, and personal expression over fleeting trends and mass-produced pieces. Here's what designers are saying "no" to this season.Fast FurnitureDesigners are unanimously turning away from poorly constructed, mass-produced pieces that lack staying power."The trend towards turning to 'fast furniture' to impulsively replicate every viral look is one I don't love," says Kathy Kuo, founder of Kathy Kuo Home. "My personal ethos is all about choosing timeless, well-made, and sustainable furniture and decor pieces, rather than the 'fast', disposable pieces."Philip Thomas Vanderford of Studio Thomas James agrees: "I'm consciously moving away from pieces that feel generic or purely utilitarian,” he says. “'Filler furniture'—those uninspired consoles, mass-produced side chairs, and forgettable accent tables—simply don't belong in well-curated homes."Instead: Invest in quality pieces with character and provenance. Look for artisan-made or vintage furniture that tells a story and will stand the test of time.Bouclé OverloadFollowTheFlow//Getty ImagesDesigners are now reconsidering the nubby texture that dominated interiors for years."This may not be a popular opinion but anything in a cream or white colored bouclé fabric is outdated to me these days and I have stopped sourcing that look for projects," says Aimee Meisgeier of AM Interior Design.Jen Baxter of Baxter Hill Interiors is skeptical of things that feel algorithmically overexposed, like scalloped detailing and white bouclé. “If it's everywhere now, there's a good chance we'll be cringing at it in 18 months,” she says.Instead: Meisgeier suggests alternatives like "sterling or mohair. Those fabrics also provide a beautiful warm and inviting texture but have not been so overused that they are now oversaturated in the design world."Matching Furniture SetsInstead of buying a matching set, some designers now prefer more eclectic, collected spaces.For Kerith Flynn, principal and founder of Margali & Flynn Designs, "buying full living or bedroom sets can make a room feel staged or uninspired."Instead: Flynn recommends you "mix materials and styles, like pairing a modern sofa with an antique side table, to create a more organic, collected look."Non-functional PiecesDesigners are tired of seeing spaces that sacrifice function for Instagram appeal.Whats out? "Design that's only made for the Instagram grid," interior designer Lori Evans tells us. "I'm talking about the kind of things that look great in the photo but don't really make sense to actually live with. A good example would be a sculptural chair that you can't sit in."Instead: "What I'm into for 2025 instead are homes and spaces that work for your real life, whatever that is," she says. "Livable, layered and personal over trendy and disposable any day."Overly Themed RoomsDesigners are tired of spaces that adhere too strictly to a single aesthetic."Rooms that stick too literally to one decor theme, like rope mirrors in every coastal home or Edison bulbs in every 'industrial' loft, feel kitschy and predictable," Kerith Flynn says."Farmhouse is top of my list," says interior designer Lori Evans. "It's run its course and honestly if you don't live on a farm you probably don't need an actual farm-looking house. Artwork of cows, galvanized tubs, mason jars, barn doors, you name it."Instead: Flynn suggests using "layered, eclectic storytelling. We like to draw inspiration from a style without copying it wholesale... The best-designed rooms today blend influences and reflect the personality of the people who live there, not just a Pinterest board."Julia CancillaEngagement EditorJulia Cancilla is the engagement editorat ELLE Decor, where she manages the brand's social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.
#decor #items #worth #reconsidering #according
5 Decor Items Worth Reconsidering, According to Designers
As we move through the year, interior designers are making thoughtful choices about which trends to embrace and which to leave behind. “No Buy 2025" movements are gaining traction across social media, and sustainability becomes ever more important. So, we asked designers which items they're deliberately leaving off their shopping lists this year—and what they're investing in instead. Their answers reveal a collective shift toward authenticity, longevity, and personal expression over fleeting trends and mass-produced pieces. Here's what designers are saying "no" to this season.Fast FurnitureDesigners are unanimously turning away from poorly constructed, mass-produced pieces that lack staying power."The trend towards turning to 'fast furniture' to impulsively replicate every viral look is one I don't love," says Kathy Kuo, founder of Kathy Kuo Home. "My personal ethos is all about choosing timeless, well-made, and sustainable furniture and decor pieces, rather than the 'fast', disposable pieces."Philip Thomas Vanderford of Studio Thomas James agrees: "I'm consciously moving away from pieces that feel generic or purely utilitarian,” he says. “'Filler furniture'—those uninspired consoles, mass-produced side chairs, and forgettable accent tables—simply don't belong in well-curated homes."Instead: Invest in quality pieces with character and provenance. Look for artisan-made or vintage furniture that tells a story and will stand the test of time.Bouclé OverloadFollowTheFlow//Getty ImagesDesigners are now reconsidering the nubby texture that dominated interiors for years."This may not be a popular opinion but anything in a cream or white colored bouclé fabric is outdated to me these days and I have stopped sourcing that look for projects," says Aimee Meisgeier of AM Interior Design.Jen Baxter of Baxter Hill Interiors is skeptical of things that feel algorithmically overexposed, like scalloped detailing and white bouclé. “If it's everywhere now, there's a good chance we'll be cringing at it in 18 months,” she says.Instead: Meisgeier suggests alternatives like "sterling or mohair. Those fabrics also provide a beautiful warm and inviting texture but have not been so overused that they are now oversaturated in the design world."Matching Furniture SetsInstead of buying a matching set, some designers now prefer more eclectic, collected spaces.For Kerith Flynn, principal and founder of Margali & Flynn Designs, "buying full living or bedroom sets can make a room feel staged or uninspired."Instead: Flynn recommends you "mix materials and styles, like pairing a modern sofa with an antique side table, to create a more organic, collected look."Non-functional PiecesDesigners are tired of seeing spaces that sacrifice function for Instagram appeal.Whats out? "Design that's only made for the Instagram grid," interior designer Lori Evans tells us. "I'm talking about the kind of things that look great in the photo but don't really make sense to actually live with. A good example would be a sculptural chair that you can't sit in."Instead: "What I'm into for 2025 instead are homes and spaces that work for your real life, whatever that is," she says. "Livable, layered and personal over trendy and disposable any day."Overly Themed RoomsDesigners are tired of spaces that adhere too strictly to a single aesthetic."Rooms that stick too literally to one decor theme, like rope mirrors in every coastal home or Edison bulbs in every 'industrial' loft, feel kitschy and predictable," Kerith Flynn says."Farmhouse is top of my list," says interior designer Lori Evans. "It's run its course and honestly if you don't live on a farm you probably don't need an actual farm-looking house. Artwork of cows, galvanized tubs, mason jars, barn doors, you name it."Instead: Flynn suggests using "layered, eclectic storytelling. We like to draw inspiration from a style without copying it wholesale... The best-designed rooms today blend influences and reflect the personality of the people who live there, not just a Pinterest board."Julia CancillaEngagement EditorJulia Cancilla is the engagement editorat ELLE Decor, where she manages the brand's social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.
#decor #items #worth #reconsidering #according