Every Millennial Owned It –– The Fruit Decor Obsession We'll Never Understand

Home decor trends seem to come and go like the seasons. Mushroom-themed decor first appeared in the 1970s and was revived by Gen Z. In the mid-2010s, one fruit ruled the home: the pineapple. Not real ones you could actually eat or the pineapple SpongeBob lived in under the sea. We're talking about gold pineapple jars, pineapple-shaped salt and pepper shakers, throw pillows, wallpaper, and just about anything else that could be decorated with this spiky tropical fruit. It's one of the home decor trends every millennial has likely had at one point.

Pineapples paired perfectly with millennials' love of rose gold and other metallic hues. It was all about making things look glamorous without spending too much money. The big question is whether this trend is unique to the 2010s. Not really. Pineapples have long been associated with luxury and hospitality. For a long time, you couldn't grow pineapples in Europe, and importing them from the Caribbean was costly. As far back as the 1500s, if someone gifted you a pineapple, it signified something special.

Americans picked up on the tradition in the 1700s and 1800s, treating pineapples like a celebratory item and making them the centerpiece of the Christmas table. You would most commonly see pineapple decorations on homes in the South. In other words, millennials didn't pull their love of pineapple decor out of thin air. They were technically reviving a lost tradition and putting their own spin on it. They used pineapples to add a touch of whimsy to their homes, and it wasn't long before pineapple decor was ubiquitous.

Millennials saw no reason to confine pineapple decor to the kitchen; they scattered the fruit throughout their homes. They used them as sculptures on shelves or as containers, such as cookie jars. They featured prominently in wall art. So. Much. Wall. Art. The angular shape of the pineapple paired nicely with the leading design trends of the 2010s, like geometric details. Pineapples also evoked the warm tropics but were more subtle than sand dollars, thick rope, and other beachy decor. Millennials are known to love metallics, and metallic pineapples abounded, adding a little glam and a fun focal point to rooms with a decidedly neutral palette.

Why isn't pineapple decor popular today? The trends oversaturation is probably to blame. While it used to be fun to hunt for just the right pineapple accent for your home, the thrill evaporated when every shelf in every home decor store was stocked with pineapple-adorned items. When something is mass produced, it stops feeling quirky and individual. Pineapples eventually went the way of word art, another 2010s art trend that's officially outdated. However, there's something oddly charming about finding one today. If you find a gold pineapple while thrifting, you might be tempted to set it on your desk as a reminder of an era when blush pink sofas, greige walls, and metallic accents ruled home decor.