If you grew up in the ’90s, you probably remember these decorating styles without even trying. Floral couches, giant entertainment centers, brass fixtures, country kitchens, and enough patterns to make your eyes tired.
At the time, these looks were everywhere. You saw them in home magazines, model homes, TV shows, and probably in your own living room. They felt fresh and stylish, and nobody was thinking about how dated they might look 20 or 30 years later.
Fast-forward to today, and some of these trends are a pretty funny reminder of just how much home decor has changed. A few have made a comeback in newer forms, but plenty of them still look like they belong in a ’90s time capsule.
Here are 14 decorating trends that were all over homes back then and now feel very dated.
Ruffled Bed Skirts
Ruffled bed skirts were a staple in many ’90s bedrooms. They covered the box spring, hid whatever was stored underneath the bed, and gave the room a soft, romantic feel. They also came with a lot of extra fabric.
Today, beds with exposed frames or clean lines are much more common. Seeing a bed surrounded by layers of ruffles can make a bedroom look like it hasn’t changed since 1997.
Pastel Everything
The ’90s had a serious thing for pale colors. Mint green bathrooms, dusty rose walls, baby blue kitchens, and soft shades of lavender could show up from room to room.
A little pastel can still work, but covering an entire room in one of these colors can make it feel stuck in another decade. The color combinations were often so coordinated that everything seemed to match a little too perfectly.
Beaded Door Curtains
Beaded curtains were one of those things that instantly made a room feel cool. They were used as room dividers and came in all kinds of colors and patterns. Walking through a curtain of beads felt fun at the time. Living with one was another story.
They tangled, made noise every time you walked through them, and didn’t offer much privacy. Today, they mostly bring back memories of teen bedrooms, dorm rooms, and ’90s hangout spaces. They can still be fun for the right room, but they’re definitely a throwback.
Floral Sofas
A big floral sofa was practically a requirement in some ’90s living rooms. Oversized flowers in mauve, sage green, dusty blue, and beige covered couches and matching chairs. The goal was cozy and welcoming, but all that pattern on such a large piece of furniture can make a room feel incredibly busy today.
Modern living rooms tend to keep larger furniture pieces fairly simple and bring in patterns through pillows, blankets, rugs, or smaller pieces instead.
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Wall Stencils
Wallpaper wasn’t the only way people added patterns to their walls. Stencils were a big DIY project, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Ivy vines around the top of the wall, grape clusters near the cabinets, and sponge-painted clouds were some of the looks you could find in a ’90s home. For anyone who liked decorating projects, stenciling was an easy way to add a personal touch.
The problem is that those very specific patterns can make a room look dated almost instantly. Once you see a row of painted ivy around a kitchen, there’s no mistaking the decade.
Wallpaper Borders
Wallpaper borders had their moment too. You’d often find a strip running around the top of a wall in kitchens, kids’ rooms, bathrooms, and sometimes even hallways. Country scenes, flowers, fruit, teddy bears, and other themed designs were common.
They were a small detail, but they could make an entire room feel very ’90s. It’s also why wallpaper borders are often one of the first things to disappear during a home update.
Glass Block Walls
Glass blocks were everywhere in ’90s homes. They showed up in bathrooms, stairwells, entryways, and other spots where homeowners wanted some privacy without completely blocking the light. At the time, they looked modern and practical. Today, those thick blocks can give a room a more commercial or dated appearance.
Clear or frosted glass panels tend to have a much lighter look, which is why the chunky glass blocks stand out so much now.
Inflatable Furniture
If you had a ’90s teen bedroom, there’s a decent chance you wanted an inflatable chair. They came in bright colors and looked like a lot of fun. Sitting in one was a different experience. They squeaked, slowly lost air, and could get uncomfortably sticky in warm weather.
They were never really meant to be serious furniture, but for a while, that was part of the appeal. Today, they’re mostly remembered as one of those wonderfully weird ’90s trends.
Vertical Blinds
Sliding glass doors and vertical blinds seemed to go hand in hand. Those long plastic slats were practical enough, but they had a habit of bending, breaking, or disappearing one at a time. And who could forget the sound they made when you opened them?
Clack, clack, clack. Curtains, roller shades, and other window treatments have largely taken their place in updated homes. Vertical blinds still exist, but they can make a room feel like it hasn’t been touched in decades.
Fake Fruit Bowls
A bowl filled with perfectly shiny plastic apples, grapes, bananas, or pears was once a common kitchen decoration. The fruit never spoiled, never needed to be replaced, and always looked picture-perfect. The downside? It collected dust just as well as anything else.
Today, a bowl of actual produce or a simple decorative piece tends to look more natural. Fake fruit still has its fans, but that glossy bowl sitting in the middle of a kitchen table is very ’90s.
Terra Cotta Decor
Terra cotta was having a major moment in the ’90s. You could find the warm orange-brown color in floor tiles, planters, kitchen accessories, wall decor, and patio pieces. The earthy look fit right in with the decade’s love of Southwestern and rustic-inspired decorating.
Natural materials are still popular, but that particular combination of terra cotta tiles and matching accessories can make a room look like it came straight out of a 1990s home catalog.
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Track Lighting
Track lighting was once considered a sleek way to bring extra light into a room. A row of adjustable spotlights across the ceiling made a home feel modern and a little high-tech.
These days, those bulky tracks can stick out more than homeowners want them to. Recessed lights, pendants, and simpler ceiling fixtures have made the old track-lighting setup feel much more dated.
Bathroom Carpeting
Yes, bathroom carpeting was a real thing. Wall-to-wall carpet could be found in some ’90s bathrooms, where it was supposed to make the space feel warmer and more comfortable.
Thinking about it now raises a pretty obvious question: why put carpet in a room that’s constantly exposed to water? Tile, stone, vinyl, and washable bath mats make much more sense for a bathroom. The old carpeted bathroom is one ’90s trend that most people are probably happy to leave behind.
Oversized Entertainment Centers
Before flat-screen TVs became common, televisions were big, heavy, and took up a lot of room. Naturally, entertainment centers grew right along with them. Some were so large they covered almost an entire wall. They had shelves for VHS tapes, CDs, books, framed photos, decorative plates, and anything else that needed a home.
Once TVs became thinner and easier to mount on the wall, those giant wooden units started looking pretty excessive.
Still, there’s something nostalgic about them. They were basically the living room’s command center, and if you grew up with one, you probably remember exactly what was stored in every little cabinet.
