A Gen Z interior designer shares the design trends that are making your home look dated (2024)

Although Shaw believes everyone should create a home that's personal and benefits them, some design staples are falling out of favor with homeowners.

Homeowners can trade the traditional farmhouse style for a more personalized flair

Over the past decade, Joanna Gaines has emerged as the undisputed queen of farmhouse design by renovating home after home with shiplap and rustic light fixtures.

But Shaw said that elements of modern farmhouse could pigeonhole some people.

"When you look at the old design styles like farmhouse or just big white spaces that are modern, the different design elements that you need are very straightforward," she said.

The "straightforward" traits of modern-farmhouse design often include large black-and-white spaces, an abundance of windows, carriage-style garage doors, shiplap, apron-front sinks, and other similar features.

"We're starting to move into something that's not so straightforward, so it can be much more personalized to each person," Shaw added.

One simple way to upgrade from the typical farmhouse style is to simply add color.

"This could include painting fun shapes on your wall with color, choosing a colored furniture piece instead of neutral, and much more," Shaw said. "It is easier to integrate more color when you have a white base between elements, so if you are uncomfortable with pairing multiple colors or scared to do too much, this is an amazing option."

All-white rooms are becoming less popular

All-white spaces exploded in popularity in recent years, but homeowners could start leaning toward pops of color.

"The big, white, bright spaces and carbon-copy furniture that all looks the same is starting to go because it's not something that benefits the average person," Shaw said.

"I've been seeing a lot of people going towards eclecticism and maximalism," she added. "Utilizing different colors, shapes, patterns, and textures can really help stimulate people — especially while we're indoors all day long."

While nautical styles might linger in coastal areas, people are moving away from cookie-cutter aesthetics

Like farmhouse, nautical designs already experienced their heyday, finding a consistent following in coastal areas like Cape Cod and along the Florida coast. Shaw said that social media might have sparked the push away from older, ocean-themed decor and other trends.

"We're spending so much time on our phones now, and what used to be really important on social media was the cookie-cutter influencer who did everything right," Shaw said.

She continued: "I think there is a correlation between people starting to become more comfortable on social media and people becoming more explorative in their spaces."

Shaw noted that she's seen people experiment more these days with color, patterns, and textures in home decor than in previous years.

"With decor, there is an emphasis now on very unique and exciting furniture pieces that were thrifted or DIYed as opposed to the light-gray pieces that were seen everywhere and emulated," Shaw said. "We are starting to see more murals, pattern mixing, and statement pieces throughout people's spaces, and no two feel the same. "

The pandemic cast a particular glare on nonfunctional homes

The COVID-19 pandemic forced billions of people to sequester inside for a year, and many discovered their homes weren't as beneficial as they thought. As Insider's Samantha Grindell reported, homeowners have started prioritizing comfort over formal decor.

"Functionality should always come first, but I think functionality is looking a lot different today than it used to," Shaw said. "People used to spend the night or the morning in their homes, then leave for the rest of the day. Now we're using our homes for so much more."

According to Shaw, the best way to make a home more functional is by "sitting down and evaluating what it is that you need most from your space."

"It helps to get very specific with the actions you will be doing and evaluate which elements would benefit from being near or far away from each other," she said.

It also comes down to people deciding how they want to feel in a space, Shaw said.

"This could mean doing things to make yourself more comfortable in the design of the space by adding more personalized decor," Shaw said. "It doesn't need to be drastic, either. It could be something as simple as using cool-toned lightbulbs to help you focus in your office and warm-toned lightbulbs in your bedroom to help you relax."

It's best to avoid copying designs straight from Pinterest

Pinterest was first launched in 2009, and it quickly became the go-to app for interior-design inspiration and picturesque home trends.

"I've tried so hard not to use Pinterest in the normal way," Shaw said, explaining that she looks for aesthetics instead of full-fledged designs for inspiration.

"So, you have to listen to yourself. What is your need for this space? Do you need something that is flowing? Do you need multipurpose use in your space?" she added.

She continued: "It's not necessarily copying the different decor elements but using it more as a way to find forms and shapes that can translate into a unique space. As I mentioned, everyone is so different."