Key Points
Wall-to-wall carpet is the 1980s trend interior designers hope never returns.Stapled-in carpeting is hard to clean and unhygienic, but warmth and texture can be added with rugs.Glass block, reflective surfaces, and matchy sets are ’80s trends that are easy to overdo, designers say.

If you grew up in the 1980s (or if you watched Stranger Things), chances are you’re familiar with some of the over-the-top styles and accents that defined the decade. It’s no surprise that designers still love some bold ’80s colors, patterns, and textures, but there are some design details that are best left behind.

One trend has interior designers hoping it never makes a comeback, despite its popularity in the decade of decadence. At its peak, it symbolized comfort, warmth, and luxury, but today it’s considered an impractical nightmare.

Meet the Expert

Carolyn Fife Bever is the principal designer and co-founder of Foundry-House interior design studio.
Karen Rohr is the principal designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors.
Tracy Morris is the principal designer at Tracy Morris Design.

Designers Say Wall-to-Wall Carpet is Best Left in the Past

Credit:

Dated bedroom with black bed and tan carpeting

“My hope is that we’ve all learned our lesson about wall-to-wall carpet, and we will not see this return,” Carolyn Fife Bever, principal designer and cofounder of Foundry-House, says. “It’s easily ruined, absorbs odors and dirt, and is impossible to clean completely.”

Bever adds that it’s crucial that whatever floor covering you have can be cleaned frequently.

“Wall-to-wall is not really designed for that,” she says.

Karen Rohr, principal designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors, notes that there are other ways to soften up (or cover up, if unslightly) floors, without having carpeting from baseboard to baseboard.

“Comfort does not have to mean carpet everywhere,” she says. “Today, we have beautiful rugs that can be layered intentionally … define areas, and soften a space without compromising cleanliness.”

Other ’80s Trends Designers Hope Never Resurface

Wall-to-wall carpet is a huge no, but it’s not the only design detail that reads as too 1980s.

“Design works best when it feels layered and livable, not locked into a specific moment in time,” Morris says.

Below, designers reveal other trends that may have once been considered daring and timely but now stick out like a sore thumb.

“The common thread is that these trends were very loud and literal, whereas today’s interiors prioritize … restraint, and longevity,” designer Tracy Morris says.

Restraint is key here, as designers do love some of these looks as smaller accents in today’s rooms.

Large Mirrored Surfaces

While one mirrored closet door is practical, an entire mirrored wall can quickly read “ballet studio” rather than apartment.

“We do not need reflection everywhere, and when mirrors are overused, especially on closet doors, they can make a space feel cheap rather than elevated,” Rohr says.

Reflective surfaces can create visual interest, but designers note that too many of these “hard” surfaces can throw the room off balance, making it feel cold and clinical.

“In any design, you want to mix soft and hard materials to create a balanced feeling,” Bever says.

Instead, try incorporating one one chrome lamp or one chrome vase for a more 2026-approved look.

Glass Block Everywhere

Additionally, glass block details did have a mini-comeback in 2025, but designers say it’s easy to go overboard.

“Mirrored walls and glass block all tend to feel dated and visually chaotic,” Morris says.

The popularity of glass block in the 80s was its use as a modern way to let light in while still ensuring privacy, and Rohr admits she still loves it for those reasons, but only when used thoughtfully and sparingly.

“The issue in the 1980s was overuse,” she says. “Glass block works best today as a moment, not a solution for every wall.”

In other words, try incorporating a glass block side table in a living room or room diver in a studio apartment—not an entire tub and or shower surround in a bathroom.

Overly Matchy Rooms

We are all for creating cohesion in a space, and the occasional matching in a room can do the trick. However, the 80s trend of forcing rooms to match throughout the entire space is a decor trend designers hope doesn’t return.

“When everything matches, there is little room for storytelling or individuality, and the home can feel more like a showroom than a lived-in space,” Rohr says.

Furniture isn’t the only aspect that fell prey to the overly matching concept, according to Bever.

“The 1980s certainly had its favorite hardware finishes, likepolished chrome, lacquer, lucite, gold, etcetera,” Bever says. “They seemed to be used all throughout a room, creating a very matchy-furniture store vignette feeling, which feels very one-dimensional and impersonal.”