Personal style is really about confidence—and that comes from not worrying about what others think of your home. That idea sits at the heart of “joyful decorating,” a mindset that’s encouraging people to move away from designing purely with resale value in mind. Still, this way of decorating has its flip side: people will always have opinions—especially interior designers.
While your home should ultimately reflect your own taste, there are certain choices that many professionals would label as tacky. Some of these trends weren’t viewed that way decades ago, but today they feel outdated. Often, what designers consider unappealing comes down to items that look cheaply made or overly generic, leaving a space feeling impersonal rather than authentically lived-in.
At the end of the day, you should decorate for yourself—but if your goal is to create a more polished, elevated look, it might be worth rethinking a few elements. Ahead, we’ve gathered 14 items and design choices that designers tend to instantly view as tacky when entering a home.
Matching Furniture Sets
The matching furniture in this living room doesn’t bring any character to the space.
One of the most polarizing topics for designers, it only makes sense that matching furniture sets are at the top of this list. Five experts independently called these out because they “flatten the space and leave no room for personality,” designer Tina Ramchandani explains. In fact, homes that utilize matching sets look too much like untouchable, sterile showrooms, adds designer Alexis Vitale. Instead, play with different but coordinating furnishings to make a space feel more curated, intentional, and warm. Embrace slow decorating and actually take the time to find pieces that go well together, but don’t look nearly identical, if you want a more personality-filled home.
Faux Florals or Plants
Faux flowers, especially when cheaply made, don’t bring the same “life” to a room that real ones do.
Anyone who lacks a green thumb but loves the look of greenery in their home knows the impact a fake plant can have on a space. However, for some designers, this is not the great solution one might think it is. While designer Amy McCoy thinks one or two faux plants can look fine, anything more than that is unacceptable (and likely dusty). Ramchandani only accepts them if they’re well-made (“I’d take no florals over bad florals any day,” as she puts it), and Danielle Chiprut of Danielle Rose Design Co. thinks you should either skip the faux florals completely or go for the real thing. “They lack the texture and movement that bring a space to life,” she adds.
Builder-Grade Finishes
The builder-grade fixtures in this kitchen lack character.
Whether you’ve moved into a new build or you’re renting a home that’s gotten a healthy dose of the landlord special, it’s time to replace those builder-grade finishes. “There are so many beautiful, well-priced options available now for hardware, tile, plumbing fixtures—you name it,” Ramchandani says. “There’s really no excuse for ‘basic’ when the alternatives are this accessible and impactful.”
Mismatched Mugs
Mismatched mugs like this look a bit messy.
While those mismatched novelty mugs may have worked in your college house or first home, you can allow yourself to upgrade your drinkware to something nicer. As designer Jeanne Barber of Camden Grace Interiors says, “You definitely don’t want to serve these to guests.” Don’t toss out that ‘World’s Best Grandma’ mug if it holds sentimental value, but maybe get an elegant matching set to put out when people come over.
Plastic Picture Frames
Anyone who loves visiting art museums knows the impact of a good picture frame, so don’t do your own artwork or photos a disservice by displaying them in cheap frames. “Old plastic picture frames always look tacky, and you know they’re just making the picture look bad,” Barber says. “Invest in some nice ones!”
Novel Wall Decor
A wall decal like this is a bit dated.
We’ve all seen those wall decorations that read ‘gather’ or ‘family’ or ‘live, laugh, love’ in someone’s home, but too many can feel overwhelming. “As a Southerner, I love the occasional framed scripture or quote to inspire a home office, but by no means should every wall in your home feel like a crossword puzzle,” designer Amber Guyton of Blessed Little Bungalow says. “Leave the excessive wall decals, quotes, and Hobby Lobby signs alone and be more intentional with art, photography, and sentimental decor instead.”
The same goes for word decorations that read like instructions, McCoy adds. It’s clear that you need to wash your hands in the bathroom—in a home, there’s no need for a sign that says the same thing in an oversized cursive font.
Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds take away some of the beauty in a room.
Do yourself a favor and replace your cheap vertical blinds with prettier window treatments. “Vertical blinds are tacky; they have no place in modern interiors, especially homes,” Barber says. “We encounter them most installed on sliding doors, and they’re almost always dirty from hand smudges.” Even with a smaller budget, you can find better curtains made from a beautiful fabric to replace these dust-collectors and immediately freshen up your space.
Themed Rooms
Even just looking at this dresser top, it’s clear there’s a coastal theme to this room.
Another space that takes “coastal” to the next level.
A design aesthetic is different than a themed room, and the latter is on multiple designers’ lists of tacky things found in a home, especially when it’s beach themed. “Overly done coastal themes in beach homes make me want to run for the hills,” designer Susan Petrie explains. She and fellow designer Taniya Nayak think a few coastal touches are nice, but the majority of the decor in these types of homes should still be meaningful and timeless.
Year-Round Holiday Decor
Every year after the winter holidays, there’s someone on social media who talks about leaving their decor up year-round and decorating their Christmas tree for other holidays and seasons. Well, nothing screams ‘tacky’ more to Petrie. “No one wants to see Christmas lights in the summer and cornucopias all year round,” she says. “There is a reason we decorate for the holidays only once a year.”
Huge Family Portraits
Though Hillary Cohen of HCO Interiors knows this is more of a hot take, she finds that huge family portraits right when you walk into a house are tacky. “I love family photos, but I think they are much better in smaller frames, or if they are larger wall art, they should be in a bedroom, hall, or not in the public area of the house,” she explains.
Gallery Walls
An overpacked gallery wall is tacky to designer Mark Schubert.
Before you get angry, designer Mark Schubert of Phillip Harrison Interiors isn’t calling all gallery walls tacky, just the ones that are overly busy, poorly curated, or unintentional and too trend-heavy. So if yours doesn’t fall into any of those categories, then you’re good! “When filled with mismatched prints, generic quotes, or random decor items, they can overwhelm a space and feel more like visual clutter than thoughtful design,” he adds.
Wallpaper Accent Walls
If you’re at all a design enthusiast, then you shouldn’t be surprised to see accent walls on this list. However, designer Kristyn Harvey specifically calls out wallpaper accent walls as being tacky. Wallpaper has a bigger impact on a space when it’s on every wall, creating a more immersive experience. However, if it’s only displayed on one wall—commonly seen in kids’ rooms—then it doesn’t really give you that captivating moment.
Motivational Posters
While these posters may be helpful, some designers feel like they don’t necessarily have to be displayed on the wall.
Do what you need to feel inspired, but those large posters with motivational phrases on them should maybe be kept off your walls, according to Harvey. “I think subtle art without text is just more thought-provoking and seems more handpicked by you,” she adds.
Curtains That Don’t Fit
These curtains don’t come close to
If you’re afraid of choosing the wrong size curtains, opt for full-length and wide, says Chiprut. “We’ve got strong feelings about curtains, and nothing makes a room feel more off-kilter than skimpy panels that don’t kiss the floor or barely cover the window,” she says. Your window treatments should feel intentional, functional, and beautiful—not awkward and ill-fitting.