The 15 Biggest Design Mistakes in History
Design, at its core, is about evolution — of taste, of culture, of perspective. But along the way, history has gifted us some truly unforgettable missteps: rooms that went too far, trends that burned too bright, and ideas that simply didn’t age as gracefully as their creators might have hoped.
As Joe often says, “Good design should never have to apologize for itself — and bad design rarely knows it’s bad until it’s too late.”
Let’s revisit some of the boldest, strangest, and most regrettable moments in design history — and the lessons they leave behind.
1. The Carpeted Bathroom
Because nothing says luxury like damp shag underfoot. The 1970s gave us many gifts, but carpet in a bathroom wasn’t one of them. Lesson learned: luxury should appeal to the senses, not challenge them.
2. Popcorn Ceilings
Originally intended to hide imperfections, these textured monstrosities became a staple of mid-century suburbia — and a nightmare to remove. The takeaway? Shortcuts in design are never timeless.
3. The Tuscan Kitchen Craze
Fake ivy, faux paint, and enough heavy granite to sink a ship. The early 2000s went all-in on “Old World” Italian, but forgot that elegance doesn’t need to shout. Over-theme it, and it will age overnight.
4. Avocado Green Everything
From appliances to sinks to tubs — the 1970s obsession with avocado green was as bold as it was brief. Trend doesn’t equal taste.
5. Mirror Madness (The 80s Edition)
Entire walls, ceilings, even furniture — all mirrored in a desperate bid for glamour. The result? A disco ball you could live inside. Reflection should enhance, not overwhelm.
6. Open-Plan Overkill
Yes, light and flow are beautiful. But when every wall comes down, so does all sense of intimacy. “A home should invite connection, not chaos,” Joe says. Define your spaces — and your sanity.
7. The Inflatable Chair Era
Ah, the late ‘90s — when dorm rooms and teenage bedrooms were filled with squeaky, transparent blobs of air pretending to be furniture. Design should outlast a single semester.
8. Wallpaper Borders
Nothing dates a room faster than a tiny strip of daisies or sailboats hugging the ceiling. The lesson: details matter, especially when they’re inescapable.
9. Faux Finishes Gone Wild
Sponged walls, marbled columns (that weren’t marble), and metallics used with abandon. Authenticity always wins.
10. The Bathroom Phone
A relic of 1980s excess — phones installed beside the tub, because apparently, boundaries were optional. Convenience doesn’t equal class.
11. The All-White Everything Phase
Minimalism taken to clinical extremes. Beautiful in theory, exhausting in practice. “White can be serene,” Joe explains, “but without warmth and texture, it becomes sterile — not soulful.”
12. Wall-to-Wall Beige
A direct reaction to the chaos of earlier decades — and proof that too much neutrality can be its own kind of mistake. Balance colour with character.
13. The Step-Down Living Room
It looked glamorous on Dallas — but in reality, it was just a twisted ankle waiting to happen. Form must always meet function.
14. Overhead Fluorescent Lighting
The quickest way to make any space feel like an interrogation room. Lighting should flatter, not frighten.
15. The “Live, Laugh, Love” Era
Perhaps not a design choice in the structural sense, but spiritually — it belongs here. The decade that brought us mass-produced “meaning” in wooden block form taught us this: true personality can’t be bought at a big-box store.
Final Thought
Every era has its flaws — and that’s part of what makes design so fascinating. The best spaces evolve with their owners, adapting, refining, improving. As Joe says, “Design isn’t about perfection — it’s about progression. You have to know what doesn’t work to understand what will endure.”
Here’s to learning from the past — and designing for the future.
