HGTV Home Design Trends That Should Stay In The Past

Everyone loves binge-watching their favorite shows on HGTV. From "Fixer Upper" to "Property Brothers," the network features plenty of great comfort television for lazy Sunday mornings and beyond. In the span of just one hour, you can watch inspiring design hosts complete a home renovation process or happy house hunters purchase a new home. However, there have been some design trends popularized on the channel that frankly we're over — we're looking at your shiplap walls, Joanna Gaines. 

What may look amazing on television sometimes simply doesn't translate into everyday life, and there's nothing worse than spending a lot of time and money on renovations only to realize that your new home is unlivable. The history of design is filled with wildly popular, yet regrettable trends that are either impractical, impossible to clean, or downright ugly. Whether it's questionable DIY artwork or open floor plans, here are 13 design trends from HGTV that are better left in the past.

According to the Sherwin-Williams Designer Panel (via Apartment Therapy), which conducted interviews with 250 top interior designers and decorators, it's time to say bye bye to the gray-on-gray look. Popularized by HGTV shows such as "Property Brothers," the neutral gray color palette trend is everywhere these days. "Property Brothers" star Jonathan Scott stated in an interview with SheKnows that his favorite color is gray because it creates a crisp, fresh, and clean effect. While Scott notes that gray is great because it's easy to match and combine with different trends, the homogenous design is starting to feel a bit drab. 

Fans in an article from Country Living express the wish for HGTV to mix it up more and break away from using excessive amounts of gray in all of their home renovations. Those who hate on the color gray say that it is boring, depressing, and too safe. Following the pandemic, designers and homeowners alike are gravitating toward bright and fun colors, which indicates it might be time to take a break from shades of gray.

In HGTV shows like "Christina on the Coast," it seems like no home renovation these days is complete without a sleek set of stainless steel appliances. These appliances have been in demand since the early 2000s, when stainless steel became a status symbol representing modern, futuristic luxury. As the equipment of choice for professional chefs and commercial kitchens, stainless steel also shows that one is serious about cooking. However, sources like Forbes say this design trend is past its prime. These surfaces tend to get streaky, cloudy, and covered with fingerprints very easily, and therefore effort is needed to keep them looking clean. 

Additionally, the material is not eco-friendly, requiring the mining of raw minerals such as chromium. Interior design experts say that the gray look is outdated and custom color choices are the new trend to watch out for. Tones like cherry red have the potential to make a much bigger impact than stainless steel while reflecting the unique personality of the homeowner.

Perhaps one of the most impractical design tips featured on HGTV's "Fixer Upper" is storing large amounts of firewood inside the home. While Joanna and Chip Gaines often include a statement pile of firewood next to beautiful fireplaces, this design element is simply a bad idea. In the modern home Joanna designed for Dean and Brittany Wixsom, she included a slanted cutout for stacked firewood next to the faux concrete fireplace. But even if you live in areas with really cold winters, firewood is best kept out of your home. 

According to The Spruce, storing wood anywhere inside your home can lead to unwanted house guests such as insects or rodents. Keep pests at bay by storing firewood outside and remembering to always inspect it before bringing indoors. Look over the logs, shake them, and knock them together to get rid of any pests that are on the surface or starting to emerge. Firewood should ideally be stored outside, off the ground, away from trees and buildings, and sourced locally.

Another trend regularly featured on "Fixer Upper" is open shelving. Devotees of this look either install open shelves in a couple key locations or do away with their cabinets completely. While this look might work for minimalists or people who only own four dinner plates, most of us have too much stuff lying around for it to be a practical option. From cookbooks to Tupperware and other kitchen gadgets, open shelving lets it all hang out and quickly turns into an eyesore for the average homeowner, per Realtor. 

At the end of the day, the time it takes to keep these shelves looking neat is simply not worth it. Another problem to keep in mind before trying this trend for yourself is that when it comes time to take dishes down from the shelves, you will have to wash off the dust that has collected. In the long run, this means double the washing. Overall, standard closed cabinets will help keep your kitchen looking more neat and clean.

The mid-century modern trend came roaring back from the 1920s and into our living rooms. The aesthetic, which is characterized by sleek lines, ornamentation, organic shapes, and a retro feel emerged in the years following World War II. While it fell out of fashion by the 1960s, mid-century modern made a comeback by the mid-1990s. The design aesthetic makes regular appearances on HGTV, such as in the pictured home renovations from "Christina by the Coast." However, Forbes notes that this is a fading trend moving aside for warmer, more eclectic pieces. 

Although certain elements might stick around, living spaces plucked from an episode of "Mad Men" are decreasing in popularity as younger generations move away from trends favored by their parents. While overdone mid-century modern design is best left in the past, a softer and more minimal version, dubbed "mid-century boho" by Apartment Therapy, is sticking around. To get the look for yourself, add lots of houseplants to your shelves, opt for natural textures, and go for worldly patterns to mix it up.

With the rise of modern farmhouse design, barn doors became all the rage. It's almost impossible to tune in for an episode of "Fixer Upper" or "Property Brothers" without falling under the spell of these rustic sliding doors. Not only charming and decorative, there are also practical reasons for the barn door craze. Not every room or hallway has enough space for a traditional swinging door and they are cheaper than traditional pocket doors. However, Realtor reports that designers say that people are moving away from this once-popular trend, as what was once cute and trendy is now tacky and overdone. While the look might work if you actually live on a farm, in most cases it will look too contrived. 

Apart from aesthetics, barn doors do not create any seal between the wall and door. This means they have poor sound control and will not block out light or odors. If you still love the look of these doors, follow your interior design dreams. Just keep in mind that most potential homebuyers will consider the trend as an eyesore.