I Stalk Home Décor Accounts—6 Design Trends That Are Dying

Interior design has always been a passion of mine, but it wasn’t until this year—with a lot of time on my hands and a cross-country move in the works—that I became a full-fledged member of the Instagram home décor community. And let me tell you. It’s a wonderful place to be. The social media platform is literally full to the brim of A1 interior inspiration, whether it’s brilliant young artisans sharing snaps of one-of-a-kind pieces they recently produced or interior designers posting scans from decades-old issues of Architectural Digest. It’s truly an endless supply of décor ideas. With that said, when an idea or concept heavily circulates the app, that’s usually an indication that it’s something we’ll see a lot of in the future. With months of stalking home décor accounts under my belt, I definitely have noticed a shift in the types of pieces and styles the design community has gravitated toward. The mid-century modern craze has held steady for a minute, and I honestly don’t think it will fade away anytime soon, and naturally, chrome and futuristic lamps have become two of the popular trends of the moment. Also reemerging as a big one to watch? Seventies-inspired burl furniture—from side tables to picture frames and more, the unique finish has supplanted walnut as the wood of choice. There are plenty more to cover, so get settled and read on for the top interior trends that are declining, according to Instagram, along with the trends we predict will blow up soon enough.

Remember when you’d buy a whole dining set with a matching table and chairs? Well, that’s pretty much on the back burner. Right now, the winning concept is to embrace the funky flavor of contrasting furniture. The idea is to find loosely corresponding pieces you really love and throw them all together. Think chairs in a different color than the dining table or a group of dining chairs of varying styles. The result is a space that feels eclectically rustic and personal.

If you have a tropical plant, this isn’t a call to immediately give it away. Fresh plants will never not be in style, but I’ve noticed a few varieties that are particularly in favor right now. A few years ago, the monstera craze wiped out nearly the entire supply of the variety in all of my local garden stores, and now, dwarf trees are becoming sparse. From large ficuses to mini olive varieties, these trees are used to ground a room in a way that brings nature indoors. After being inside for over a year, a little dose of the outdoors feels like a welcome proposition.

Yes, mid-century modern design is still alive and well. Even more than 50 years later, millennials especially can’t stop buying futuristic 1960s Italian lamps and Herman Miller furniture. But one hallmark of the retro design wave has particularly struck a chord: chrome. You’ll notice that items featuring the metal finish, like mirrors and dining chairs, are all very quick to sell out at places like Etsy and CB2. While decorating my new apartment, I too went on a chrome blitz, buying a Sonneman-inspired table lamp for my sideboard. You can easily inject this trend into space with a vintage light fixture or a mini side table, but to avoid a clash, keep the metals within your room to one shade.

As you continue down this list, you’ll notice that eccentricity and individuality are two overarching themes within the latest design trends. This also extends to wood furniture and accents: Burl has slowly picked up steam, appearing heavily in the latest collections from CB2 and more. Each piece of burl is completely unique, as it’s the result of abnormal and deformed growth within a large tree.

Here’s where it’s perfectly acceptable to embrace the quirky side of things. Playful lamps in a variety of sizes, shapes, shades are trending heavy, and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon. If you have the budget, Etsy is a great resource to find rare vintage lamps, or you can order one direct from a design studio like Entler or Eny Lee Parker.

We’ve seen this one coming for a while now, but it wasn’t until this year that the checkered trend really took off like wildfire. One of the easier ways to embrace the style is small objects to decorate a tabletop or mantle. On the opposite spectrum, checkered shag rugs are practically a fashion-girl staple—they’ll cost a bit more, but you’ll have yours forever.