This Once Popular Decor Trend Replaced Shiplap — Now It's Just As Outdated And Overused

Trends come and go — though some leave behind more decorator's remorse than others. One such trend that may be leaving you with a pang of regret is fluted detailing. Once all the rage, fluting even dethroned shiplap as the go-to way to add texture to plain surfaces. Now, however, this trend appears to be meeting a similar fate as shiplap, as many designers now see it as outdated and overdone.

Fluted details are vertical grooves that are etched into a material, often wood. It became the textured design trend that took over in 2025 as design enthusiasts embraced its ability to add depth and visual interest to surfaces. Unlike shiplap, which is traditionally used only on walls or ceilings, fluted details popped up on everything from wall panels and cabinetry to fireplaces and furniture pieces. If you're one of many who indulged in this trend, there's a good chance you wish you hadn't. Not only does the trend seem to have run its course, but as you've probably realized, cleaning your kitchen cabinets, wall panels, or any other surfaces adorned with these shallow ridges is a huge headache.

In an Instagram video, interior designer Eloise Rattle of Eloise Rose Design says fluted detailing "is the most popular interior design trend, but in my opinion, the most overrated." She adds that retailers oversaturated the market with fluted furniture and decor pieces, which caused everyone to jump on board. Now the trend is simply overdone. "It's a tacky, trendy fad that I guarantee you'll regret within the next two to three years," she says, adding that while it's still okay to incorporate small, fluted accents, going all in on walls and kitchen islands is overkill.

Aside from being an outdated home trend, the difficulty of cleaning fluted surfaces makes them an impractical choice for anyone who doesn't want to deal with the maintenance. Dust quickly accumulates between the ridges — and is especially obvious on dark wood surfaces, making it hard to ignore. Dusting these surfaces requires using a cloth or soft brush to get in between each groove. On kitchen cabinets or bathroom vanities, which tend to accumulate more grime and need more than a light dusting, the process is even more labor-intensive. First, you need to wipe between the ridges with a cleaning solution and then go between them again with a clean, damp cloth to remove any soap residue. On wood panels, which can be damaged by moisture, you'll need to go over a third time to dry everything off.