Things that Date your Home

Interior design is very personal. What you love may not be what your best friend loves. And that’s OK. Your home is your space, your sanctuary, the place you and your family spend quality time and connect.

That being said, when you are prepping your home to go on the market to get top price you need to appeal to the masses. "Project houses" tend to be bargain houses. The goal is for your home to feel current and move-in ready.

Here’s are some things that date your home and make it feel in need of an update. You may want to add some of these items to your to do list if you are looking to sell in the near future:

White Appliances



In kitchens with medium to dark cabinets, white appliances can stick out like sore thumbs. For an alternative, stainless steel has been proven to up a home’s resale value, and matte black appliances are also a nontrendy option.

Light Fixtures, Boob Lights

Replacing light fixtures can breathe new life into any space. People often think it’s difficult or expensive to replace light fixtures, and in reality, it doesn’t have to be either of those things.

You can find inexpensive light fixtures in modern finishes, and it is often a DIY project.

Floor To Ceiling Mirrors



The 80’s called, and they want their huge mirrors back. Less is more when it comes to mirrors in 2024.

Valances, Balloon Drapes & Swags, Lacey Drapes, Broken Blinds

Window coverings are one of the most obvious factors that date a room or an entire home.  Overwrought window treatments have gone the way of supersized shoulder pads. Take a more pared-back approach with curtain rods and finials, too, and opt for something both pretty and practical like Roman shades.

Lace drapes and sheers were once all the rage, but chances are, yours have seen better days. The ultra-delicate material tends to collect dust and yellow over time, leaving your view looking dingier than you remember.



Choosing the right custom window coverings can even improve the resale value of your home.

Pro Tip: Hang your new curtains as close to the ceiling as possible to draw the eye up, and create the illusion of taller ceilings.

A Faded Front Door



Try a fresh coat of paint. It’s easy to forget about your front door, but thanks to regular wear and tear, they can start looking dingy fast (and you may not love the color you picked five years ago, either.)

Glass Block Bathroom Windows

And shower walls. Glass blocks were popular in the ’90s. Today -- not at all.

Old Paint Colors



Are your walls hunter green, olive, peach, gold or mauve? If so, it’s time for an update!

Wood Wall Panels



It's hard to make a home look modern when it has paneling on the walls. Wood panels make your room look dark and dated. Consider painting or covering with drywall.

Popcorn Ceilings



Popcorn, stippled or textured — whatever you have — has been over for a long time.

Tile Countertops



Tile countertops may have been on-trend in the '80s and '90s, but there's a reason people rarely have them today. Tile counters make a home look dated and are prone to cracking. Also, keeping the grout clean is a tough job.

Carpeting in the Bathroom



Carpeting in the bathroom definitely makes a home look dated. And let's not even think about how difficult it is to keep bathroom carpet clean and free of mold.

Wallpaper Borders



While wallpaper in a modern pattern can be a fun way to upgrade a space, a wallpaper border instantly drags it back into the past.

Last Decade's Faucets



Replacing your old faucets with a timeless alternative is one of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to update your bathroom. Treat yourself to polished nickel, unlacquered brass or classic chrome sink faucets to achieve an enduring design you'll look forward to seeing each day.

Orange Cabinets, Pine Cabinets



Can’t replace? Giving your cabinets a coat of paint (you can’t go wrong with white) instantly updates a kitchen. And since the kitchen is central to the home, your entire home will get an updated vibe as well.

Red Brick Fireplace Surrounds 



The red brick fireplace that came with your home could be keeping it in the past. There are so many ways to makeover your fireplace, whether you slap on a fresh coat of paint or make it a dramatic focal point with new tile.

Design Tip

Should you consider trends when choosing flooring? Flooring is a big purchase. It’s expensive and difficult to change. For these reasons, it’s best to go to timeless choices over trendy ones.

Timeless floors are simple, almost boring choices, like classic brown hardwood floors that aren’t too dark or too light, neutral colored tiles in marble and natural stone (real or faux), and pale beige-toned carpets are most likely to stand the test of time. Home decor trends have a shorter cycle than ever, and many fads go out of style five or so years after they come in.

Picking something simple that has stood the test of time, is the best way to avoid buyer’s remorse.

Sometimes knowing the price of different window treatment options makes the choice easier. And there is certainly a wide range of prices.

As an example, let's assume you want new coverings for the four windows in your living room. Each window is 36" x 60". The installed cost for these 4 windows for each type of window covering is approximately:

Honeycomb $1580 (Applause by Hunter Douglas)

Shutters $1999 (White wood shutters with 3 1/2" louvers by Allgood)

Roman Shades $3585 (Vingnette® by Hunter Douglas)

The type of window shades makes a difference on your budget, doesn't it? Of course, there are many other options to consider, for instance, the operating system, from corded to power, or light filtering to black out.

Over time, the higher priced options tend to pay for themselves because of the longevity of the product. However, this doesn't necessarily make you feel better when you write the initial check to pay for it!