Ah, 2024—a year when design boldly ventured where no design should ever go.
Fueled by the relentless pursuit of uniqueness and an over-reliance on AI, this year’s trends were less about timeless elegance and more about testing the limits of human patience.
From pink-soaked living rooms that could induce migraines to “smart” gadgets that were smarter than anyone asked for, the design world delivered a steady stream of hilarity and horror.
Who needs practicality when you can have a seven-legged table, right?
Join us as we revisit the top (or bottom) trends of 2024—the ones that left us questioning not only the designers’ choices but also our own for allowing them into our homes.
Buckle up because it’s going to be a cringe-worthy ride with these 10 trends we can’t wait to forget!
1. Unhinged Maximalism
More is more—or so the maximalists screamed from atop their velvet-draped soapboxes this year. What began as a celebration of bold expression quickly spiraled into chaos.
Rooms became stuffed with clashing patterns, knick-knacks, and too many throw pillows. One viral example featured a living room designed entirely around a “jungle-meets-disco” theme, complete with faux foliage and a disco ball chandelier.
It turns out you can have too much of a good thing.
2. Sterile Minimalism
On the flip side, minimalism also took a turn for the absurd. In 2024, it wasn’t enough to have a clean, functional space—it had to look like a dystopian sci-fi movie set.
Kitchens were stripped of all personality, leaving only stark white cabinets, invisible appliances, and countertops so empty they looked offended if you placed a coffee mug on them.
Living in one of these homes felt like inhabiting a chic but unsettling doctor’s office.
3. Beige All the Way
The “Beige Age” peaked this year, and frankly, we’re all over it. Entire homes were swathed in a monotonous spectrum of beige, leaving spaces looking like oatmeal-themed prisons.
Designers swore it was “calming,” but it was more like living inside a latte without the caffeine boost. We get it—neutral palettes are versatile—but can we please invite any other color to the party in 2025?
4. Giant, Useless Chandeliers
Why have one light bulb when you can have a chandelier the size of a small moon? Oversized lighting fixtures dominated the year, often dwarfing the rooms they were meant to enhance.
The worst offenders were those massive, overly ornate designs that seemed to serve no purpose other than inspiring awkward neck-craning during dinner parties.
5. Barbiecore Burnout
The success of Barbie in 2023 brought us a tidal wave of pink in 2024, but this trend overstayed its welcome faster than a houseguest who “forgot” to bring wine.
Let’s not forget the Barbiecore office chairs with their faux-fur covers, ensuring that work from home comes with a side of static electricity. By mid-year, we were all begging to see literally any other color.
6. Mushroom Mania
Mushrooms crept their way into design in the form of lamps, stools, and even wallpaper. At first, it was whimsical; then it got weird.
Mushroom-shaped furniture was everywhere, with textures that made you feel like you were sitting on actual fungi.
Pair that with the earthy browns and greens of 2024, and it was less “enchanted forest” and more “rotting log chic.”
7. Enough with the Bouclé
Once hailed as the cozy fabric of the century, bouclé became this year’s design overachiever—and we all paid the price.
While its soft texture made for comfy chairs and sofas, the impracticality of cleaning it became painfully clear. Dropped a crumb? Forget about it. Got a pet?
Your bouclé sofa now has a fur coat of its own. By December, most of us had sworn off the fabric forever, opting for something less clingy—like literally anything else.
8. Slatted Wood Accent Walls
Slated wood accent walls were supposed to bring “warmth and texture” to spaces, but they often ended up looking like someone hastily glued a pallet to the wall.
These vertical slats were everywhere this year—bedrooms, living rooms, and even bathrooms—but their appeal wore thin quickly.
Cleaning them was a nightmare, and their overuse turned what was once an interesting feature into a stale cliché.
9. Open Shelving Has Got to Go
Open shelving in kitchens is 2024’s reminder that not all ideas are good ones. While it looked great in styled Instagram photos, it was a logistical nightmare in real life.
Who has time to keep their dishes artfully arranged at all times? Plus, if you live anywhere near dust (so, Earth), your “open and airy” shelving becomes a magnet for grime!
10. War Is Over: Millennial Gray Is Out
Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the death of millennial gray. Once the darling of modern interiors, this dreary shade clung to relevance for far too long.
In 2024, designers pushed it as a “timeless neutral,” but most of us just felt like we were living in a rain cloud. The good news? As we move into 2025, brighter, bolder hues are taking center stage!