10 Outdated Home Decor Items To Say Goodbye To Before 2026

2025 is almost over, and as we look ahead to a new year, Southern designers are quite excited to say goodbye to some common decor items that they find are now dated—or blah! Below, they speak to 10 looks in particular that they’d rather not encounter once this year wraps.

Matching Furniture Sets

If you haven’t already parted ways with any matching furniture sets inside of your home, now is definitely the time to do so, according to Whitney Durham. She, like many other designers, consider matching sets to be dated and uninspiring. “It is much better to mix in various pieces for a more curated look, as if it was all purchased over time, not all at once,” says the founder of Whitney Durham Interiors in Atlanta, Georgia. With that, be sure to bring in a variety of different textures and pieces from a range of time periods, Durham adds, as these tactics will really help you to create a collected look that pros desire.

Impersonal Decor

Not every piece in your home needs to be filled with meaning, but it’s smart to incorporate a few personal finds into the mix rather than purchase everything from big box stores, explains Rachel Peck. “Take the time to find pieces that make your heart sing,” urges the founder of Rachel Peck Interiors in Austin, Texas. “Look for decor pieces on travel, at vintage shops, or at estate sales,” she offers, noting that items with a story will make your house feel more like a home, like grandma’s vintage Blue Willow china, as wall art.

Art That’s Too Plain, Too Small, Or Mass-Produced

The right pieces of artwork will work wonders in elevating your home, Peck explains, noting that anything too plain or too small is a no-go. “Art can help to bring depth and richness to walls,” she says. Can’t paint? Let art do the talking. “If you put great, one of a kind, captivating art or objects on the wall, no one will even remember that the house is completely white,” Peck adds. When it comes to selecting art pieces, the designer encourages going larger than you might initially consider in order to really bring the drama to your walls.

Whitney Jones, the founder of Whitney J Decor in Metairie, Louisiana, wants you to skip the mass-produced art once and for all. “These pieces, often bought in sets or just for color coordination, drain personality from a space.,” she says. “They make your home feel cold, neutral (personality-wise), and honestly, a little cheap.” Keep in mind that you don’t have to break the bank sourcing new, original art. Flea markets, sites like Facebook Marketplace, and local art fairs are all great places to shop without blowing your budget. “When your art tells your story, it stops being decoration and starts being a reflection of you,” Jones adds. “It is the easiest way to give your space an instant, authentic upgrade.”

Gallery Walls

Speaking of artwork, it might be time to take down that gallery wall, notes Elle Cole, who finds that it often resembles “visual clutter.” What to do instead? “Instead of a mass of frames, choose one or two commanding pieces that invite pause and reflection,” offers the founder of Elle Cole Interiors in Dallas, Texas. “Art should feel collected, not crowded, and the luxury of restraint speaks volumes.”

Basic Light Fixtures

Move over, builder-grade or dated lighting! “Those brushed-nickel chandeliers and flush mounts may have worked in 2010, but they lack the sculptural quality today’s interiors demand,” Cole says. “Lighting should be the jewelry of the room, not an afterthought.” She recommends investing in pieces like alabaster pendants, aged brass sconces, or artisan-blown glass.

All-Gray Everything

Please just say nay to all gray before year’s end. “Design in 2026 is about warmth—nuanced neutrals like mushroom, putty, bone, and ecru layered with deep marine blues, oxblood, and olive,” Cole states. “Replace cold grays with a palette that feels lived-in, graceful, and deeply human.” After all, gray everywhere is so 2010s.

Too Much Clutter

Peck wants you to make an effort to streamline all of your smaller pieces of decor ahead of 2026. “A bunch of small things on a shelf, coffee table, or mantel can make things feel cluttered and visually not as appealing,” she says. Instead, mix in objects of various heights that truly fit your space.

One item in particular that Shannon Cassell would rather not see again in anyone’s home? Beaded string decor, which is often strung on top of books or placed within a bowl on the coffee table. “Instead, opt for something meaningful to you or an interesting vintage piece,” suggests the founder of Shannon Cassell Interiors in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Wall Signs With Phrases

If your home still features word art, it’s time to move on, Cassell urges. “Please donate these and buy a piece of real art that you will enjoy forever,” she says. “It doesn’t need to be expensive, just special to you.” Even framing your own children’s art pieces, as Cassell does in her own home, is a great alternative approach.

Too Many Decorative Pillows

Cassell is all for keeping the decorative pillows in your home to a minimum. “We all want our spaces to be welcoming, which means your guest needs to actually be able to sit on the furniture,” she says. Use no more than three on a sofa and keep just one on a chair, she suggests.

Fake Plants

Greenery is great, but fake plants aren’t winners in Cassell’s book. “You do not need a green thumb for a house plant—if isn’t thriving, move it to another location,” she says. The designer will sometimes display a few small plants in a shallow bowl and keep them in the entryway or on a dining table. “Even a tiny plant mixed into your bar arrangement will bring that vignette to life,” she adds.