My parents still live in my childhood house, which they bought back in the 1990s. And even though they’ve renovated and redecorated a few rooms since then, from the matchy-matchy bedroom sets to the warm color palettes in the family room, there’s absolutely no denying that this is a house of the ’90s.
That said, some ’90s interior design trends are undoubtedly better than others, and a few are even in fashion again today. But which are the best—and the worst—’90s decor trends?
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To find out, we spoke with two interior designers: John O’Hanley, Senior Interior Designer for New York-based design firm Vesta Home, and Michelle Wu, the Denver-based principal designer at Ku Interior Design and strategic advisor at Real Estate Bees.
After dishing on their favorite and least favorite ’90s decor trends, the two designers then collaborated on a final ranking of the best and worst ’90s decor trends. And interestingly, both O’Hanley and Wu have very strong convictions when it comes to 1990s interior design—including a few hot takes and disagreements! Keep reading for both lists.
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The 7 Best ’90s Decor Trends, According to Interior Designers
These are the best interior design trends from the 1990s, according to O’Hanley and Wu.
7. Tiled kitchen countertops
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“This may be controversial because there are definitely reasons why tiled countertops should have stayed in the past, but I’m kind of obsessed with seeing them come back in retro-inspired kitchens,” O’Hanley tells Parade.
And controversial they are—O’Hanley wanted tiled kitchen countertops to be No. 2 on this list, but Wu said they shouldn’t be on the list at all! So, they compromised on putting it in the last place slot.
“I’d actually leave tiled countertops off my best list altogether,” Wu says, noting that “the grout lines make them impractical for a hardworking kitchen surface.”
And although O’Hanley agrees that tile countertops “can be harder to clean and maintain,” that isn’t enough to stop him from recommending them for the right kitchen.
“They can be so good when they’re done intentionally,” he says. “I love the texture and personality they bring into a space. There’s something really charming about a tiled countertop, especially when it feels a little handmade or imperfect. I also think the amount of tile and glaze options available now has really elevated the trend.”
6. Sponge painted walls
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“Sponge painting was everywhere in the ’90s, and I definitely don’t need the actual sponge technique to come back,” says O’Hanley. “But I do think the idea behind it has. People wanted walls to have movement, texture, and depth instead of just being one flat paint color, and they were thinking about the ceiling as part of the overall room too.”
Nowadays, more and more people are embracing textured wall finishes like limewash, Roman clay and plaster, which O’Hanley sees as a “more natural and elevated” version of the trend, “rather than looking like someone literally dabbed a sponge across the wall.”
5. Defined and enclosed spaces
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Open concept floor plans have dominated spaces for a while, but Wu has seen more and more families returning to homes with defined and enclosed rooms, which was popular in the 1990s.
“The pandemic reminded us why enclosed rooms have value,” Wu explains. “When homes suddenly had to accommodate work, school, exercise, entertainment and everyday life at the same time, completely open floor plans didn’t always work. Everyone needs privacy and quiet at certain stages of life, or simply at certain times of the day.”
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4. Warm color palettes
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In the 1990s, warm color palettes were often used in homes—and these colors are coming back in a new way.
“Warm colors such as burgundy, forest green and earthy neutrals are returning, but I don’t think the colors themselves were ever the problem,” Wu notes. “What dates a room is often how colors are combined and used. A warm palette can feel completely current when it’s interpreted differently.”
3. Freestanding antique kitchen furniture
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“One thing I really love from ’90s kitchens is the use of freestanding pieces, especially antique hutches,” says O’Hanley. “They made a kitchen feel more collected and organic. Instead of everything being one continuous wall of cabinetry, these pieces added something unique and gave the room a little more character.”
He has observed people “holding onto these really well-made pieces and finding ways to incorporate them into newer spaces instead of getting rid of them,” and notes that the contrast between contemporary and traditional design elements in a kitchen “immediately gives the room personality and a little bit of history.”
2. Pattern and personality
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“I’ve always believed homes should have personality, and the 1990s weren’t afraid of patterns,” Wu says. “I’m glad to see pattern returning, although it works best when it has some breathing room. A successful room needs stars and supporting actors, not every element competing for attention.”
1. Natural wood cabinetry
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Wu has observed a return to natural wood cabinetry in kitchens in recent years.
“Natural wood cabinetry is back, but I’m not sure it ever should have been considered a trend,” says Wu. And that’s because, as she puts it, “wood is timeless.”
“It’s the species, stain and door style that can date a kitchen,” she explains. “Today’s return to wood tone kitchens shows how easily a classic material can be reinterpreted for a different era.”
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The 5 Worst ’90s Decor Trends, According to Interior Designers
O’Hanley and Wu agree that these are some of the worst design trends from the ’90s.
5. Overly matchy rooms
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When it comes to designing a room, there’s a big difference between subtle coordination and covering everything with the exact same pattern. In the 1990s, some designers took “coordination too far,” according to Wu, often outfitting a room with matching wallpaper borders, upholstery, accessories and more around one single motif.
“Cohesion doesn’t require everything to match,” she says. “I prefer to let a few elements be the stars and allow everything else to support them.”
4. Track lighting
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O’Hanley is very against the “industrial aesthetic” of track lighting in living spaces, and he’s “still actively removing it” from homes.
“The heavy hardware, bulky track, and rows of fixtures can make a ceiling feel busy and harsh,” he says. “Lighting in a home should feel layered, warm, and intentional.”
In fact, O’Hanley hates track lighting so much that he originally suggested ranking it as the No. 1 worst ’90s decor trend. However, Wu isn’t quite so anti-track lighting—so the two designers compromised at putting it in the No. 4 slot on this list.
As Wu explains, sometimes, track lighting is “the most practical solution, particularly when adding recessed lighting isn’t feasible.” She adds that “today’s track lighting has come a long way from its ’90s counterparts.”
O’Hanley also acknowledges that some modern versions of track lighting aren’t so bad, as they “are much cleaner and more thoughtful, with slimmer tracks, smaller fixtures and systems that almost disappear into the ceiling.”
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3. Awkward architectural features
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In the 1990s, a lot of designers added “deep niches, arbitrary ledges, odd angles and other architectural features” to homes, which Wu believes was “simply to create ‘interest.'”
However, contemporary homeowners often want to get rid of these features, which isn’t always easy.
“I’ve remodeled homes where we had to design around or disguise these features because they served no useful purpose,” she says. “Architecture should improve how a space functions, not create a problem the next renovation has to solve.”
2. Matching bedroom sets
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“In the ’90s, matching furniture sets made things easy,” says O’Hanley. “You could basically buy an entire room in one shot and recreate the same look you saw in a showroom or at your friend’s house.”
However, he is very much over this “boring and flat” trend, noting that “a room is much more interesting when you mix complementary forms, materials and finishes.”
If you want your bedroom to feel more personal, collect furniture that is cohesive rather than matchy-matchy. He jokes: “I want pieces to feel like cousins, but I don’t necessarily want them to be siblings.”
1. Carpeted bathrooms
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Wu and O’Hanley agree on the top 1990s trend that should never make a comeback: carpeted bathrooms.
“Carpet in bathrooms should stay firmly in the past,” declares Wu. “Bathrooms are wet environments, and an absorbent floor covering simply doesn’t make sense from a maintenance or hygiene standpoint. We have far better ways to make a bathroom feel warm and comfortable today.”
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Sources:
John O’Hanley, Senior Interior Designer at Vesta Home Michelle Wu, principal designer at Ku Interior Design and strategic advisor at Real Estate BeesHence then, the article about interior designers rank the best and worst 90s decor trends and they have some hot takes was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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