Are you searching for inspiration to decorate your house? With so many options available, it can be challenging to know which decorations and furnishings will truly make your house feel like a home. In these situations, it's best to turn to the experts for guidance. Joanna Gaines, interior design queen and co-host of the television show Fixer Upper, has become a household name for her ability to transform houses from drab to incredible. While she has a natural eye for decoration, Joanna has shared her knowledge and experience with the world by revealing which tacky items you should avoid in your home.
Animal Skulls
Fake animal skulls are popular with people who want to make their interior design game a little edgier, as there’s no doubt about the fact that these skulls can be pretty scary.
Of course, while many hunters choose to hang real skulls on their walls to show off their achievements, Joanna just doesn’t get why anyone would want to put the fake, plastic alternatives in their homes. Not only are they a little strange, but they’re also pretty outdated.
Makeshift furniture
Although there are many people out there who believe that crates offer a cool, rustic vibe to their interior design antics, Joanna Gaines just isn’t about that makeshift furniture life. She thinks that homeowners should either pay for the real deal or ditch the piece of furniture entirely.
This television legend hates it when she sees people use crates as television stands or pallets as bed frames, and she just can’t understand why anyone would want such a thing in their living and sleeping areas.
Plastic storage options
Many people find themselves gaining a huge number of belongings over the course of their lives, and there comes a time where they struggle to find places for these items to live.
Buying plastic storage containers can be a cheap and affordable way to keep these possessions safe, but it seems as though Joanna isn’t a fan. While the interior design guru understands why parents may want to keep their kids’ toys in these storage boxes, she doesn’t think any adults should have them in their houses.
Cables everywhere
If you look around your house right now, there’s a high chance that you have many electrical items that all come complete with their own cables. Of course, these cables need to be plugged in to work, and this can often leave you with countless exposed cables cluttering up your house.
While many people let these cables do their thing, Joanna thinks that homeowners should do everything they can to ensure that these cables are hidden from view. They could do this by covering them with furniture or using cable tidies.
Mandala wall hangings
There are three kinds of people in this world. There are those who love what the mandala stands for and ultimately want to emblazon their hands with this symbol, there are those who just love the aesthetics of these kinds of wall hangings, and then there’s Joanna Gaines.
While she understands that many young people and hippies like seeing these mandala wall hangings in their rooms, she doesn’t think that anyone should buy one of these wall hangings without knowing the meaning behind the mandala.
Faux plants
Buying real plants comes with some serious difficulties. They’re hard to keep alive, they attract all kinds of creepy crawlies, and they need to be looked after properly.
Because of this, many people choose to buy fake plants instead. While these plants can add some color and some freshness to your house, Joanna isn’t a big fan of these faux plants. In her eyes, they look pretty tacky, so she would rather that you didn’t have any plants at all than keep the fake ones.
Famous artwork
The world is full of famous paintings that are recognized by those who don’t even have a keen eye for art, and because of this, many people choose to put these famous paintings in their homes.
While these are not the originals, they are exact replicas and prints of these pieces of art – but Joanna Gaines is not a fan of when people put this artwork up on their walls. In fact, she thinks that putting such well-known artwork on your walls is a bad omen when it’s not the original and has been replicated so many times.
Matching the couch and the drapes
There was once a time when the latest interior design trend was to match your couch fabric with the fabric of your drapes, and while most interior design experts have moved away from this trend, there are still many old-fashioned homeowners who sport this look.
You can probably imagine what Joanna Gaines has to say about this. She is not a fan of this kind of look and instead promotes diversity and aesthetic differences within the home. In her eyes, things shouldn’t be too matchy-matchy.
Futons as furniture
If you’re an adult and still use a futon in your house on a regular basis, then Joanna Gaines wants to have words with you. In fact, she thinks that you should take that thing down to the local recycling center or charity store straight away.
Joanna doesn’t believe that any adult over the age of 18 years old should have a futon in their house. Most people should outgrow this piece of furniture when they leave their college days behind, and not take their futon with them.
Strange lamps
When it comes down to it, lighting is extremely important. The right lighting can set the mood for your house, enhance certain architectural features, and make your home more cozy. However, it’s safe to say that some people like to get carried away when it comes to their lighting exploits.
They often choose strange lamps with weird shapes and extra arms, and they often have more light bulbs than you can count. If this is the case in your house, Joanna Gaines would not be a fan of your decor choices.
Bookcase wallpaper
If you’re the kind of person who has always wanted a library in their home, then we can understand why this bookcase wallpaper would be appealing. After all, it gives you the idea that you have rows upon rows of books stacked up in the room – but it’s not quite the real thing, is it?
Joanna doesn’t know who people are trying to fool when they add this wallpaper into their homes, but she’s not a fan of it at all. She would rather than people put real books on the wall, rather than an image.
Chintz wallpaper
While there’s no doubt about the fact that flowery Chintz wallpaper is beautiful, it’s normally only beautiful when used in the right setting. This could be something like a New England hotel or a quaint little B&B on the roadside.
This type of wallpaper is pretty dated, which is why Joanna finds it pretty tacky. She thinks that modern homeowners should opt for something more modern in their houses, rather than something that will push them back in time.
Plastic couch covers
Whether you have children with sticky hands or dogs that love to play in the mud, plastic couch covers could potentially seem like a good idea. After all, these allow your kids and animals to jump on the couch as much as they want without ruining the material underneath.
Because of this, they can sometimes practically make sense. In terms of aesthetics, though, they don’t make sense in the slightest – especially to Joanna. In her eyes, they look extremely tacky.
All white everything
It’s fair to say that white walls and white furniture can look crisp and fresh, but there does come a time when you can overwhelm your room with this color. Joanna herself is a huge fan of white walls, but she also knows that there is a limit to how much you can fill a room with before it becomes sterile and uncomfortable.
When it comes to her aesthetic, she would stick to white walls or one piece of white furniture, while adding different accent colors to the rest of the room.
Bold walls
There are some people in this world who just love color, and they want to fill their houses with as much color as they possibly can. While bold walls work for these people, it seems as though Joanna has some bad memories when it comes to these kinds of colors.
When her family moved home when she was younger, Joanna remembers being thrust in front of some of the worst walls that she had ever seen, and she has since vowed to stay away from such bold colors.
Shot glasses
Many people find solace in collecting certain things over the course of their lives. They may collect refrigerator magnets, they may collect stamps, or they may collect shot glasses. In fact, it seems as though countless people love collecting colorful and themed shot glasses – and they even put them on show in their houses.
Joanna Gaines isn’t a fan of people using these things as ornaments and decorations, though, and believes that they should be stored away somewhere. To be more specific, she thinks they should be stored away where you can’t see them.
Gold fixtures
Interior design trends come and go, and this has certainly been the case for gold fixtures. During the 1980s, almost every house featured gold chandeliers, gold tables, and gold couch legs to boot.
While this was fashionable at the time, it’s no longer as cool as it used to be, and many of these fixtures are now old and weathered. Joanna isn’t about that gold life and thinks that homeowners should keep their gold fixtures to a minimum in their home. After all, too much gold is just too garish.
Pallet furniture
Pallets are normally used when businesses want to transport their goods in bulk, but more and more people seem to be using these wooden boards as makeshift furniture materials. While you can make these things into beds and coffee tables, that doesn’t mean that you should.
This interior design legend doesn’t think that these pieces of wood have any place within a family home, and there’s no doubt about the fact that she would steer clear of anything like this when decorating her own house.
Shag rugs and carpets
Once again, we’ve come across an interior design trend that was fashionable back in the 1980s. You just have to watch Austin Powers to know what shag rugs and carpets used to look like.
However, there are many houses across the globe that haven’t been updated since this era, so still rock the long tendrils and the thick fabric of these rugs and carpets. In Joanna Gaines’ eyes, these houses need to be updated ASAP, and these carpets need to be dumped in the trash where they belong. It’s time for an upgrade.
Wood paneling
To make their homes more rustic, many homeowners choose to stick wood paneling on their walls. They hope that this will turn their rooms into their very own woodland hideout, and they add a raw edge to areas such as the living room.
As you can imagine, though, Joanna is not a fan. In her eyes, a living room should be warm and inviting, and wood paneling just doesn’t give off that vibe. Joanna also doesn’t believe that you should try and make your home into something it’s not with these extra materials.
Windows without drapes
Natural lighting is the key to every interior design project, and it’s this natural lighting that can seriously transform a home. However, there comes a time when this natural lighting needs to be contained.
While some people feel the urge to keep their windows free of drapes, Joanna believes that even the biggest lovers of natural light should have drapes just in case. Not only does this keep things cozy, but it also offers a sense of privacy when the sun sets, and the darkness creeps in.
Blanket ladders
Joanna Gaines has a long list of interior design tricks that she thinks are tacky, and blanket ladders have a firm place at the top of that list. While some people like to add a new dimension to their homes and offer up some practical space for blanket storage, Joanna doesn’t believe that a blanket ladder is the right option.
If you want to have blankets in your living room or bedroom, it’s best to simply lay them across your couch or your bed and leave them there until you need them.
Too many patterns
If you’re the kind of person who likes bold interior design, then you’re probably not afraid to go big or go home when it comes to the patterns that you use. You might have a patterned rug, patterned cushions, patterned accessories, and then more patterns on top of that when it comes to your living room.
While Joanna herself is a fan of the odd pattern or two, she believes that there should always be a limit. If these patterns are fighting against each other to be seen, then you’re probably using too many.
Matching couch cushions
Although there’s no doubt about the fact that matching couch cushions aren’t the biggest interior design faux pas on this list, Joanna Gaines is still not a fan.
In her eyes, the cushions on a couch are there to accent the whole design and bring some more color and pattern into the room. When you match the color to the couch, you just add more material to an already bulky piece of furniture without breaking things up. It’s just too much for one room to take.
Wooden mallards
For some reason, people across the globe just love to fill their homes with wooden mallards. In fact, people love these animals so much that they collect them over the course of their lives.
While Joanna appreciates the fact that these things may be passed down from generation to generation, she’s not a fan of them herself. She would never buy one herself and would definitely never put one on show, and she wouldn’t advise anyone else to do so, either. But that’s just her professional opinion.
Piles of cushions
Joanna Gaines has a real eye for interior design, and she has stated many times that cushions on a couch do enhance the aesthetic and add something special to the whole room.
Yet, she also knows that people can go a little OTT when it comes to these cushions. They are often inspired by show homes where the couches are full of cushions because people do not sit on them. In a real home, though, these piles of cushions are just a little impractical.
Big Mouth Billy Bass
Everyone knows who Big Mouth Billy Bass is, right? This musical fish first came into our lives in 1998, even though it seems as though it’s been one of the most iconic inventions to grace this world.
While this fish may be iconic, it’s definitely not the most attractive or the most stylish of decorations. Because of this, Joanna would hope that most people wouldn’t keep it in their kitchen or living room. However, if you wanted to keep it in your garage, she’d be fine with that.
Mason jar inventions
We live in a world full of people who love to repurpose old items and turn them into something, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. Being thrifty can seriously work in your favor, but Joanna wants people to know when being “thrifty” actually just means that you’re adding more junk to your house.
While mason jars are a great addition to your kitchen as a storage solution, she doesn’t understand people who turn these things into other items such as lampshades or flower pots.
Pots and pan racks
If you only have a small amount of storage space in your kitchen, then it can sometimes make sense to utilize pot racks. After all, this means that you can hang up your pots and pans on the wall, and this means that they don’t take up valuable cupboard space.
As someone who has an eye for interior design, though, Joanna Gaines thinks that pots and pan racks are actually pretty tacky. She doesn’t think that this kind of kitchenware should be on show, but should instead be kept out of sight.
Fluorescent lighting
When you think of fluorescent lighting, you probably immediately think of hospitals, grocery stores, and factories. Yet, there are some people out there who still have fluorescent lighting in their home – and Joanna isn’t about that life.
She doesn’t understand why anyone would want such harsh and unattractive lighting in their home and thinks that these tubes should be replaced with something more stylish and more homely as soon as possible. You don’t even need to change it for something major, just anything else will do.
Room signs
Decorations come in all shapes and sizes, and there’s no doubt about the fact that everyone has their own personal taste when it comes to these accessories. Because of this, there are many homes across the world that have signs in specific rooms that remind you of the room itself.
For example, you may have wooden letters in the kitchen spelling out “Kitchen,” or you may have a “Laundry Room” in your laundry room. In Joanna’s eyes, these little reminders are completely unnecessary and not very stylish.
White appliances
Many people choose to fill their houses with white appliances because they are fresh, clean, and neutral. After all, when you have a white base to work with, you can paint your rooms any color and use any pattern you want.
While Joanna understands the appeal of wanting to buy white appliances, she has noted that this appeal can wear off pretty quickly for those who actually go through with this. After all, everyone knows that a white oven is going to get mucky and dirty pretty quickly.
Tumbled marble
Marble can be found in kitchens across the globe, but there’s no doubt about the fact that there are countless different varieties of marble that can be used. Some people just can’t get enough of tumbled marble, but it seems as though Joanna Gaines thinks people shouldn’t invest in such an addition.
While Joanna has nothing about marble, tumbled marble isn’t a wise choice because it already looks pretty dirty and grimy before it’s even been used. In her eyes, you’re paying for something that’s going to bug you forever.
Cheesy quotes
Everyone has quotes or phrases that really hit home with them, and for some people, these quotes become their motto. Because of this, many homeowners choose to incorporate these quotes within their houses and often have them stuck up or painted on their walls.
Although Joanna understands the emotions that are connected to these words, she thinks that pasting these quotes on the wall is pretty cheesy. She doesn’t think that words have a place on the wall and that people should decorate with paintings and mirrors instead.
French country style
There have been many different interior design movements over the course of history, and although Joanna Gaines has an appreciation for every single one of them, she thinks that people should be a little more careful when choosing theirs.
For example, she doesn’t think that anyone should welcome the French country style into their home. Of course, she can understand if you live in the countryside and have a connection to France, but for most people, the look looks pretty inauthentic and fake.
Speckled granite countertops
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and having large and substantial countertops is pretty essential if you’re the kind of person who loves to cook and entertain. While there are some people who will eventually choose to have speckled granite countertops,
Joanna wants you to really think about this decision. She believes that this trend has been chosen too many times by homeowners and that the whole style has now gone out of fashion because it has been severely overused.
Frameless posters on the wall
When you were in high school, you probably adorned your bedroom with all kinds of posters. Whether they were posters of your favorite movie or your favorite boy band, they were stuck to your wall with tack because you didn’t have the interior design eye you have now.
Joanna sees nothing wrong with showcasing your favorite albums or movies nowadays, but she doesn’t think that anyone should have frameless posters on the wall. If you want to show these posters off, pop them in a frame.
Uncomfortable chairs
Joanna and Chip Gaines are known for their large family and their love of entertaining, which is why Joanna is so against uncomfortable chairs. She doesn’t want any of her family and friends to be sat around the dining room with pains shooting up their legs and back…
Which is why she thinks that homeowners should invest in comfortable dining chairs. This will not only keep themselves happy and add a sense of luxury to their home but also keep themselves happy.
Distressed kitchen cabinets
In recent years, the distressed look has become extremely popular. Many homeowners like to think that their house looks lived in rather than brand new, and they go on a distressing rampage to make everything look older.
However, in Joanna’s eyes, there should be a stopping point. She doesn’t think that you should ever distress your kitchen cabinets in a new kitchen, as this makes the whole room look as though it’s falling apart and hasn’t been looked after. You won’t find these in her house.
Glass furniture
There was once a time when glass furniture was all the rage, and it seemed as though everyone wanted to fill their living room with a glass coffee table, glass TV stands, and even glass cabinets.
However, that time has now passed, and Joanna thinks that it’s a serious interior design faux pas if you still have some of these items in your house. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with having these pieces of furniture around your house, but you should probably steer clear of glass.
Old wooden kitchen cabinets
When you walk into a house for the first time, you can normally tell when it was last decorated by the shade of wood in the kitchen and the general kitchen layout.
That’s because every decade comes with its own specific style, and you could find dark wooden kitchen cabinets in the late 1980s and early 1990s. If your kitchen still has these dark cabinets, Joanna thinks that it’s time for you to undergo a serious upgrade and opt for something lighter and more modern.
Microwave over the grill
You probably don’t need Joanna Gaines to tell you that a microwave is a great addition to your kitchen. Many homeowners use this appliance on a daily basis and don’t know where they would be without one.
In older kitchens, though, you may find that the microwave is above the grill – and that’s something that should be changed ASAP. That’s not only because it looks pretty strange, but also because it can be pretty dangerous. Two heat sources on top of each other is a recipe for disaster.
Desks in the kitchen
If you work from home and love to be around your family, your kids, or your other half, you may like the idea of having a desk in the kitchen. This way, you can get your work done while still being involved in the general day-to-day life of your family.
However, this interior design expert doesn’t think that anyone should keep a desk in their kitchen. Joanna thinks it’s important to keep your office space and your kitchen separate, and not allow them to mingle in with each other.
Bold refrigerator colors
Your refrigerator is one of the most important appliances within your kitchen, as this is the vessel that keeps all of your food fresh and healthy. While some people like this large item to blend into the kitchen, there are others who want it to stand out.
So, they opt for a bold refrigerator color. While Joanna Gaines admires their playfulness, she doesn’t think that anyone should have such a bold refrigerator in their kitchen. It seems a little tacky in her eyes and brings attention to something that shouldn’t stand out.
Color-changing lights
When you make your way into a nightclub, you’re normally greeted with bright UV lights and color-changing lights that add a sense of fun to your night out.
These lights should definitely stay in the nightclub, though, and not be taken back to your home. That doesn’t stop people from doing exactly that, however. Joanna is not a fan of people who want to adorn their house with purple and green lights and believes that this whole vibe looks incredibly cheap.
Plastic dishes
There are many reasons why plastic dishes can be incredibly practical. Whether you’re hosting a garden party or whether you have young children, this plastic material works incredibly well when it comes to the potential for smashes.
Yet, that’s where your plastic dish usage should end. There’s nothing worse than seeing a grown adult use plastic dishes to serve up their dinner, as this just seems childish and unsophisticated. You can definitely make the step up to ceramic or porcelain.
Trinkets and small ornaments
One way to show off the personality within your interior design is to adorn your house with little trinkets and small ornaments. These may be objects from your travels, something that’s been passed down from generation to generation, or antiques that you have bought over the course of your life.
While there’s nothing wrong with having many of these items on show, you need to be careful that you don’t overpower your house with these things. When it comes to trinkets, less is definitely more.
Old lampshades
If you have lamps strewn around your house, you may have lamps that still have dated lampshades to their names. These lampshades were once fashionable, but have since become extremely dated and old.
However, most people don’t think about updating their lampshades, as they focus on other areas of their house before doing this. In Joanna’s eyes, though, just changing these lampshades can make a huge difference to your home and your whole interior design game. They can make your house look more modern and stylish in an instant.
Live, laugh, love signs
You probably don’t need us to tell you that “Live, laugh, love” signs have become extremely popular over the years. It seems as though most people need to be reminded that they need to have a smile on their face throughout their lives, but Joanna doesn’t think that this is the way to do that.
In her eyes, these signs are cheap and tacky and have no place within a home. They are extremely cliche, and because so many people have them, that’s the reason why you should take yours down immediately.
Barn doors
Many homeowners try to create the barnyard chic look within their home, and Joanna has no problems with that – as long as they do actually live in a barn or in the countryside.
These barn doors look pretty out of place when you’re living in a high-rise apartment block or house in the city, and she just doesn’t think that anyone should be inauthentic in terms of this aesthetic. Sure, Joanna is famous for her farmhouse aesthetic, but even she knows that this farmhouse look only works in certain houses.
Ruffled furniture skirts
Ruffled furniture skirts are, according to Joanna, a relic of the past, and they should be avoided as much as possible. When you design a room in your house, you want it to feel like a reflection of yourself as well as the time that you live in.
If all your chairs have ruffled skirts coming off of them, your house will feel more like your grandma’s than your own. Plus, furniture skirts can just feel way too prim and proper for most living spaces. There’s no fun suggested in them!
Tiled kitchen countertops
Finding the perfect countertops is a difficult process. They’re not quite as easy to replace or modify as furniture is, so you want to make sure that you get them right the first time. One general tip that can help you out here is to just avoid tiled counters entirely.
While they can look nice, they just aren’t functional. Dirt and food can get stuck in the spaces between the tiles, and that’s absolutely no fun to clean up. Messy tiles can also make a room look much worse, too.
Small rugs
While smaller rugs that don’t take up much floor space might seem like a good idea initially, they are actually a pretty big interior design no-no. Joanna gives a nice rule of thumb that you should stick to when deciding on whether you should have a rug or not.
She says that if your entire piece of furniture fits on it, then you’re good to go. If part of the furniture is on the rug and part is off, just ditch the rug entirely. Smaller rugs are, generally, not very useful.
Not using your unique style
With all of this said, it might seem like you can just listen to other people’s advice, buy all the perfect items, and have an excellently designed home. While these tips will definitely help you avoid any embarrassing decoration ideas that will make your friends scoff, Joanna says that you still need to find your own personal sense of style.
Without it, your home will be lacking life and personality, and what’s the point of that? Take the time to experiment and figure out what you like. Your home will be all the better for it.
Decorating for the sake of it
One general tacky mistake that people will often make without even realizing it is decorating for the sake of decorating. Joanna advises that you need to be decorating with a purpose. Yes, avoid placing the tackiest items on this list, but don’t just place non-tacky items willy nilly.
Instead, allow space to speak for itself when it feels more natural. Don’t force design statements, don’t clutter rooms, and don’t mess too much with a space that already feels like it looks great to you. Don’t just design for the sake of it.