What makes the interior of a home look tired and dated?

[FindingMeno]

Interested in people's views as it's sometimes difficult to discern in your own familiar surroundings.

@ArabeI That sounds like my dream decor!

Still have my pine furniture from 90s when we first moved in, perfectly functional

the smell in the house is probably the most important thing (lack of fresh air and dirty oven fans)

But how is that 'dated'? A house of any vintage of decoration, whether it's 'orange pine and Artex' or 'Little Greene and DeVol kitchen' (or is DeVol now passé as well?) could be stuffy and smell of cooking smells.

I need a new bed and was planning to buy a French-style one. And have a wallpaper mural behind it . But is there anything left that isn’t dated?

@woodhill

Still have my pine furniture from 90s when we first moved in, perfectly functional

Me too Woodhill, in fact I bought most of my furniture 30 years ago, sofas aside.

I am going to get the milk painted pine (decent quality, dovetailed joints etc., etc., painted this year by a firm that used to do French polishing but have had to adapt and now paint wooden furniture. No plans to upgrade anything furniture wise.

In fact the only time I have changed anything are the the things that didn't fit when I downsized. Kitchen table - getting rid of huge dining room table, that sort of thing.

@Cattenberg

I need a new bed and was planning to buy a French-style one. And have a wallpaper mural behind it . But is there anything left that isn’t dated?

I wouldn't worry Cattenberg 😂, you can't win on this thread.

I mean, whoever thought that curtains were a no no certainly not most of the world.

Good idea with the painting idea. It's all well made

We will re think when we move

In a ‘omg when was this house last decorated’ way, 90s style stuff - loads of orangey pine, fluorescent pink walls, kitchens where the oven isn’t built in, nasty Lino peeling at the sides, leather sofas in mahogany colours.

In a ‘just behind the trend’ way, grey everything, mirrored furniture, crushed velvet.

@bofski14

Black ash furniture Shell shaped quilted headboards Pleated lamp shades Chinese lettering print anything Striped sofas Cane furniture China dolls Wall plaques about gin or cats Decals of any kind Rooms that are done with a theme colour eg red cushions, red rug, giant red flower canvas from B&Ms Moon and stars bedding Plastic toilet roll holders Lino Artex Sliding glass doors Square shaped lamp shades Kallax everywhere Borders

Strong list, the only thing I would disagree with is the shell headboards as I’m seeing them on loads of velvet beds… think they’re part of the whole Victorian house renovation look

We have just under sill length curtains in our bay window, if we had floor length it would cover the radiator, I'm certainly not going to move that. The curtains are just long enough to tuck behind the radiator when it is on.

My two cents:

• black ash or yellow pine furniture
• pine kitchens
• dark and shiny (mahogany) or varnished furniture
• mixed color splash-back or kitchen tiles
• delicate floral patterns
• fitted colored or patterned carpet
• figurines or statues
• word signs
• advertising, like retro adverts on enamel etc
• on show white kitchen appliances
• beds without headboards
• fabric headboards
• patterned crockery
• colored cutlery
• collections of things in cabinets
• tablecloths/doilies/patterned coasters
• Cath Kidston/Emma Bridgewater-type stuff
• Faux country cottage in any space that isn't, in fact, a country cottage
• Any kind of faux period features e,g. non-original leading on windows/chandeliers/regency or period stuff that isn't both real and in a property of a similar period
• Racks of cds/dvds/gaming stuff on show
• Princess decor: mirrored furniture, stuff with diamanté and Swarovski. Any kind of glitz or spangle, pictures of shoes or glasses of champagne
• Crystal drinking glasses
• Walls absolutely full of pictures and photos

-Laundry crisping on radiators

• Utilitarian toiletries on display in the bathroom, all round the bath tub etc
• Flipping pot pourri

I've got loads more.

Interiors snobbery is my only real vice and I'd never say it out loud.

The nicest homes IMO are simple and clean: no frippery, no pretense, nothing that will really date as such, nothing that needs to be expensive.

@ApolloandDaphne

Who gives shit? As long as your house is warm, comfortable and relatively clean nothing else needs to matter. Not everyone can afford to keep up with trends and what one person thinks is dated another will love.

Well, let’s not discuss anything that doesn’t involve grave consequences for somebody then. 99% of the threads on here can go.

I have a lot of mahogany, shiny furniture and lots of people love my house.

It’s not about liking or disliking it though. We can agree that something is dated, without insulting it.

I'm amused by the suggestion that Roman blinds look less dated than short curtains. With curtains I think it depends more on the fabric (and presence of pelmet/tie backs) than the length. Not sure what you're meant to do other than have short curtains if you have stuff in the way, like cupboards or furniture below the window.

Any kind of faux period features e,g. non-original leading on windows/chandeliers/regency or period stuff that isn't both real and in a property of a similar period

I live in a Victorian property which had all the features ripped out and was going to try and reinstate some of it - is that a bad idea then? I was thinking of hallway tiling, cornices and ceiling roses mostly. Really struggling with which windows to get as well. The whole street has sash/sash style windows except us. Ours are like this and I was thinking of replacing with something like this.

@PattyPan I like those new windows you've chosen. Restoration is a nice thing to do. I think my beef is more about theme-park houses, where the decor has nothing to do with the building.

Ah, I’m sorry I’ve caused a kafuffle with the sill length curtains 💐, for everyone I’ve offended.
Now, I do have a pair. But most of our windows have the radiator under or a console table, but I either don’t worry and draw the curtains anyone, or have blinds and dress curtains.
I do have other “dated stuff” -padded headboard, willow tree figures, some floral prints on cushions and probably loads more, but I like it. 😂
Shock horror from another thread, I even have some photos on the wall …

Cane furniture Is on its way back and padded headboards are very current, wallpaper is having a revival, patterns too, bright colours - but all this stuff comes back with a slightly different edge to it. As with most things it comes down to the styling and the architecture of the whole room.
And how dated is dated - for some on this thread dated is anything that isn’t on the forefront of house design…navy kitchens are still very current, but maybe not for the Nottinghill set. 😂

@TheDuchessOfMN

It’s not about liking or disliking it though. We can agree that something is dated, without insulting it.

I mean ‘dated’ is an insult isn’t it?

@steelseries

-Carpet in bathrooms or in downstairs hallways

• matching sofas and armchairs
• super polished dark wood anything
• DVD players
• ornate shaker-style cupboard doors
• curtains which stop short of the floor (particularly ones which only just cover the window)

Have you been in my house? We've been here 25 years. Love it.

I secretly love the thought of a fully carpeted bathroom. It will never happen, obviously.

We are getting some of that Timorous Beasties patterned carpet, I don't really care if it's dated.

Carpets that need replacing, walls that look like they need a lick of paint, old tired furniture.

Patterned 79s carpet
Carpet in the loo
Textured anaglypta wallpaper
Artex ceilings
Velour couches
Brass light switches
Those ornaments of houses and people on horseback
Brass candlesticks