Let’s say goodbye to these trends for good!
Is there any word with more of a double meaning than the word “trendy”? Possibly yes, but when someone tells me something is trendy I can’t help but be reminded of Regina George complimenting that one girl’s skirt. Trendy can be cool and chic, but trendy can just straight up be tacky and kitsch. Whether you love them or hate them, trends are here to stay (for a bit). Here are some trends that I wish would go away forever.
Trend Offender 1: Backwards Books
Look, I get why this trend exists. This trend was made for people who hate clutter. Turning your books around allows you to minimize the busy look that comes with tens or hundreds of clashing book spines and turn all of your books into one large neutral fixture. But let me convince you not to do this. Turning all your books around is going to make it difficult to select a book. Yes, those spines actually do serve a purpose and the information on them is not meant to be hidden. Homes are meant to be lived in. The second I see a shelf with 300 backwards books I think “this person doesn’t read”. This feels like the ultimate “trying too hard” to me and it reminds me of the era when people used to dress their toilets up in frilly little decorative outfits. Nobody was ever fooled by that, and I really can’t imagine a scenario in which I see your carefully hidden book spines and I think “wow, what a great sacrifice of function for beauty”. Instead, arrange your books by colour or even cover the offensive books with labeled brown paper. I am absolutely okay with owning books that I haven’t read, but I’m not about to advertise that.
Trend Offender 2: Pencil or Sharpie Shiplap
Hate is a strong word, but drawing lines onto your walls to recreate the look of shiplap sort of reminds me of brick patterns on wallpaper. I feel like the beauty in shiplap is that it conjures up a vintage feel, and pencil lines shatter the illusion. I always think it is best to work with what you have, and if all you have is plain ol’ drywall there are a lot of options. You can either wait until you are in a place where you are able to take on the project of installing shiplap, or look at alternatives like board and batten or even peel and stick trim.
Trend Offender 3: Rae Dunn
I have some very strong feelings about Rae Dunn. Rae Dunn is an incredibly smart businesswoman who made hay while the sun was shining. I can see the appeal when it comes to her products and appreciate how recognizable her line is. The minimalist aesthetic she marketed was a goldmine and for a good reason, but hoarding the entire collection of minimalist pieces is the worst kind of juxtaposition. If I see more than two Rae Dunn products in the same place it sets my teeth on edge. Less is more and the novelty wears off quickly. A mug that says “HOCUS POCUS” at Halloween? Cute. A butter dish that says “SPREAD”? Okay. “LET’S EAT”! “STIR”! “DRINK”! “POUR”! It’s getting a little too bossy for my taste. I don’t open my door to be preached at and I don’t need it coming from inside the house. No thanks. Instead, opt for one piece, and consider making it a piece that isn’t always in view. Your spices can be labeled, but your toaster doesn’t need to say “TOAST”.
Did you just think to yourself “I don’t believe you that Rae Dunn makes toasters because I would have one if she did”? She does.
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