Have you fallen in love with a barn door you spotted in a magazine or open shelves in sparkling white, professionally photographed kitchens and thought, I bet those would look great in my home? Gorgeous new home trends emerge every year, and it’s easier than ever to stumble upon them—people share their dream rooms on social media all the time. But what looks great doesn’t always function well. Here are a few trends that may turn out to be impractical in real life.
1. BARN DOORS
Barn doors offer just the right amount of privacy—for a horse. Install one on a shared bathroom, and you may end up getting to know your roommate much too well for your liking. Many barn doors don’t actually touch the wall when closed, severely limiting privacy.
2. TINY HOUSES
It’s fun to watch people design tiny houses on TV, but after the cameras stop rolling, how much do they actually like showering in something the size of an airplane bathroom and storing their shoes in the oven? Do you really want to say “excuse me” to your partner every time you want to stretch your legs?
3. OPEN SHELVES
Open shelves in a kitchen look gorgeous in professional real estate photos and on home design websites; however, unless you never use your kitchen and only own four plates, they can end up highlighting your mismatched dishes and old mugs and looking messy in general.
4. ALL-WHITE KITCHENS
All-white kitchens are bright and lovely—for 10 minutes after they’ve been professionally cleaned. In reality, a little bit of gray, wood or stone with texture and color makes it easier to keep a lived-in kitchen looking clean.