As much as we love a specific decor or trend, it’s sure to go out of style eventually. After all, style isn’t eternal. No matter how much you’ve invested in decorating your home, things are sure to start looking dated over the course of time. Even normal wear and tear on your house can make it feel in need of a little revitalization. If you’re wanting to learn how to update a dated house, review our list of things that make your home look tired and what you can do to help it feel new again. (Then, check out this list that has plenty of other “dated” trends to look out for.)
Things That Make Your Home Look Dated
If your home is feeling a little “flat,” don’t worry — it may not need a complete overhaul. There could just be a few things here and there that are making it feel dated. Below is a list of items and features that are notorious for making your home look dated, along with some tips for decorating an old house to look modern:
Window Treatments
There’s a seemingly endless amount of window treatments out there, so it may be challenging to know what to choose to make your house look more modern. Maybe you’re wondering, are vertical blinds dated? Most likely, any vertical blinds in a house make it look a little drab. Other things that you’ll find in a dated living room are heavy fabric curtains, out-of-date fabric designs, broken or discolored blinds, and fringed trim. Consider replacing any heavy materials with lightweight, natural fabrics like linen. Opt for sleek roller shades or modern wood blinds for window treatments.
Paint & Wallpaper
Chips, scuffs, and marks on the wall can quickly make your house look tired. Outdated paint colors from years ago — like a heavy beige or maroon — can instantly date your house. While certain wallpaper from years ago probably looked great at first, it might look tired and dated now. If you have wallpaper borders along the top or bottom of your walls, consider removing them. Wallpaper can easily date a house, as patterns come and go quickly. A fresh coat of paint and wallpaper removal can do wonders for keeping your home looking fresh. If you’d like new wallpaper, consider a modern, fresh style that will look great for years to come.
Furniture
Furniture trends come and go throughout the years. Pretty soon you might realize that your favorite sofa is looking a little old. When it comes to furniture that makes your home look dated, low-quality pieces that lose their shape, or furniture in trendy prints and colors such as oversized paisley or a drab brown, don’t offer the best impression for your room. To give your space an instant lift, choose high-quality furniture with clean lines. Avoid buying trendy, oversized prints, as they won’t offer lasting value for your purchase. Modern, contemporary, or traditional furniture are always great, timeless choices for updating rooms.
Lighting
Shiny brass and gold lighting fixtures from years ago can make your room look a bit old. Frosted light fixtures often age a room, as well. If you’re finding yourself with outdated fixtures or standard lighting from when the house was first built, it might be time for a lighting refresh. Tone down harsh overhead lighting by adding some clear pendants. Remove flush mount light fixtures that offer little character and replace them with chandeliers or stylish, new ceiling lights. Also, consider adding a couple of lamps at eye level; this creates lighting dimension and adds warmth and coziness.
Wall Decor
When it comes to wall decor, less is more. Today’s trends lean more toward minimal, clean wall decor. If your walls are a little more cluttered, it can make the room feel tired, out-of-date, and small. Instead, add some large-scale art in simple, modern frames to make the room feel more updated. Floating shelves with a few pieces of your favorite art or a couple of loved books reduce clutter and keep things organized.
Cabinets
Rustic and Tuscan-style kitchens are a thing of the past. While brown isn’t necessarily an outdated color, too much brown, taupe, and golden yellow definitely make your kitchen feel old. Choose cooler tones in the kitchen for a peaceful, calming vibe. Dark green makes a great accent color whereas white, gray, and other neutrals are a safe choice for cabinets, wall color, and countertops.
Worn hardware and cabinet knobs can also quickly reveal a kitchen’s age very quickly. When considering new cabinets, think of keeping the kitchen bright and airy with just the right mix of wood and metal accents. Updating or even painting the cabinets can greatly impact a room. Mixing metals with the finishes is a great way to add some depth to your kitchen and cabinets. Try a stainless steel sink with aged copper cabinet hardware for a classic combination.
How to Update a Dated House
If you’ve looked around and realized your space is a bit more dated than you’d like, there are a few small, simple changes you can make to get things looking new again.
Tackle one room at a time
It might feel overwhelming to start the process of updating things. If this is the case for you, try tackling one room at a time. When you focus on revamping just one room, there are fewer decisions to make, and you can spend your time focusing on what you’d like to change. You may find that updating your house is easier when you approach it in manageable sections.
Turn to modern design
While modern or Scandinavian-style design is popular at the moment, it has also stood the test of time. It’s a design style that will look fresh for years to come. With its clean lines, minimalism, and monochromatic color palette, modern and Scandinavian-inspired furnishings are a smart investment for your home. Should you want to change the style in the future, you can add pieces here and there to update the style without feeling like you have to start from scratch. For these reasons, a modern design style is a great option for many people.
Hire the experts at San Francisco Design
Updating a house isn’t always an easy task. If you’re starting down the path of changing your outdated house, consider hiring an interior designer. When you hire an interior designer, they can manage the project quickly and efficiently. They bring fresh eyes and new ideas to the space that you might not have considered. Interior designers can help your project come to life and ensure you will have a functional, beautiful space. The experts at San Francisco Design can tackle any updating projects you’ve got up your sleeve.
How to Make an Old Room Look New? Partner with San Francisco Design
When you partner with San Francisco Design, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the process of updating your house. Our talented design team takes the time to get to know you, your design style, and your needs. No matter if your project is large or small, we will work alongside you to design a beautiful space that you love.
Stop by our Salt Lake City or Park City showrooms and you’ll see that we have some of the most beautiful pieces of furniture in the state. Our modern and contemporary furniture can be incorporated into almost any design style. Each high-end piece of furniture that we carry is carefully crafted to last for decades. You’ll be amazed at how much you can customize by choosing leather, fabric, or specific colors.
When you order furniture from San Franciso Design, you will receive a free two-hour design consultation for your house. We’ll give you suggestions on what you can update specifically in your house and how you can simply change things around to give your home a refresh. You can also opt for a full-service interior design to tackle large projects. Come see us and learn how we can help you refresh your space.
