5 decor trends to ditch – if you want to call yourself a grown up

These are the home decor trends and bad habits you need to let go of if you want to (finally!) feel like an adult

Decor trends: Breakfast in bed
(Image credit: Toa Heftiba/Unsplash)

Not yet ditched the decor trends you loved as a student? Are you still sleeping on the same mattress you had at uni? Or perhaps you still can't quite bring yourself to buy frames for your prints and are just sticking them on with Blu Tack? As we grow older and change, so should our homes. In fact, upgrading your home decor can feel as much a part of growing up as changing your wardrobe or getting your driver's license. 

Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at FurnitureChoice.co.uk, reveals the interior decorating habits to ditch as you hit important life milestones such as finishing university, coupling up, and having kids.

1. Old mattresses

(Image credit: Dreamcloud)

Still sleeping on the mattress you've had since your student days? Replace it with a new one. The older you get, the more sleeping problems you will have, and a good-quality mattress will help mitigate (some of) the lack of sleep. Also, if and when you decide to couple up with someone, you will need as big a mattress as you can afford: believe us.

And, while you're at it – invest in a mattress protector to prolong the lifespan of your mattress and get some nice new sheets (nothing screams 'I refuse to grow up' more than old bedlinen that your mum bought you for uni).

2. Man-caves

Velvet upholstered tub chair in a man cave

(Image credit: Cuckooland)

Remember the days when it was trendy to have this thing called a 'man-cave'? Apart from everything else, they're an incredibly sexist idea: a man needs a room of his own, but not a woman – why? Also, an American study found that most men in their 30s who owned a ‘man cave’, or a room/space that’s seen as a sanctuary to play video games and watch TV, reported that their man caves were mostly unfinished and rarely used. So, man caves are a waste of space, literally. Ditch them and treat yourself to an extra bedroom, home office, or storage room instead.

3. Inspirational phrases

living-room-in-period-home-with-woodburning-stove-armchairs-sofa-bookcaes-and-mantlepiece

(Image credit: Future/Kasia Fiszer)

Don't get us started. 'Phrases such as 'Live, Laugh, Love’ are quite generic, so try personalising your decor and framed prints that are really individual to you to add some of your personality to your home', advises Rebecca. We couldn't agree more. Vases, pictures, and ceramic ornaments all make great additions to a mantlepiece (if that's what you're decorating).

4. Wall stickers

Green velvet sofa in front of a gallery wall

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

Wall stickers, decals, and anything that's attached to your wall with Blu Tack should be consigned to history as soon as you've finished university. Framed prints, photos, and paintings look much better and don't leave sticky marks on your walls.  

5. Cheap curtains

Bedroom curtain ideas

(Image credit: Fritz Fryer )

Not only do cheap curtain look unsightly, but they're also useless when it comes to trying to sleep (see our note above sleeping problems creeping in on you as you grow older). Add a baby to the equation, and you really need to invest in some nice blackout curtains, blinds, or even shutters. 

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Anna is a professional writer with many years of experience. She has a passion for contemporary home decor and gardening. She covers a range of topics, from practical advice to interior and garden design. 

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