Sometimes a home starts looking dated without any major changes taking place. Your furniture may still be in good condition, and you might like most of your decorations, but a few older styles can make the whole space feel stuck in another decade.
If your rooms could use a refresh, start by looking at what you already have. These eight items may be worth removing, donating, or replacing with something that better suits your home today.
Heavy Matching Furniture Sets
A bedroom or living room filled with matching furniture can make the space look like a showroom from another era. Keep the pieces you still enjoy and mix in different wood tones, finishes, or styles to give the room a more relaxed look.
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Word Art and Inspirational Signs
Signs reading “Live, Laugh, Love,” “Gather,” or “Blessed” were once common home decorations, but covering every wall with sayings can make a room feel dated. Replace a few with artwork, photographs, mirrors, or vintage pieces that reflect your personal taste.
A set of simple picture frames can also give family photos, thrifted artwork, and prints you already own a fresh place to go. You don’t have to plan an entirely new wall arrangement to make a difference.
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Faux Greenery That Looks Obviously Fake
Artificial plants are convenient, but shiny plastic leaves and oversized arrangements can make a room look less natural. Donate the ones that look particularly unrealistic and try real plants, dried stems, or more convincing faux greenery if you prefer something that doesn’t need watering.
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Too Many Decorative Throw Pillows
There was a time when sofas were covered with matching throw pillows in every color and pattern. Keeping just a few with interesting textures or colors gives the sofa a cleaner look and leaves more room for people to sit comfortably.
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Tuscan-Inspired Decor
Dark reds, burnt orange, faux grapevines, rooster decorations, heavy wrought iron, and Old World kitchen accessories were popular for years. You don’t have to get rid of every warm-toned item, but removing some of the more theme-heavy decorations can make a room feel less dated.
Keep a favorite piece and pair it with something simpler, such as a plain ceramic vase or a wooden serving board. This lets you update the room gradually without replacing everything.
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Oversized Artificial Floral Arrangements
Large silk flower displays on dining tables, mantels, and kitchen cabinets can make a room feel dated, especially if the flowers have faded or collected dust. Smaller arrangements, a few branches, or fresh greenery can make the space feel lighter without taking attention away from the rest of the room.
A small bud vase is a nice option for a few garden stems or an inexpensive grocery-store bouquet. It adds a little color without taking over the table.
Decorative Items Filling Every Surface
When every shelf, mantel, table, and cabinet top has something sitting on it, a room can start to feel crowded and dated. Remove the decorations you no longer enjoy and give your favorite pieces more room rather than filling the empty spaces with new purchases.
Window Treatments That Overwhelm the Room
Heavy valances, swag curtains, layers of fabric, and ornate window treatments can block natural light and make a room feel smaller. If yours are still in good condition, consider donating them and switching to simpler curtains or leaving some windows uncovered.
If you still need privacy or want to control the amount of sunlight coming in, simple curtain panels in a solid color can give the windows a softer look without adding too much fabric.
