If you have a certifiably hot take on a current home design trend, you're not alone. Everybody has an opinion, and things become even more divisive when you look at specific tastes by generation. Recently, hundreds of baby boomers shared their unfiltered opinions on the most popular trends of 2024. Here are the design trends that people over 60 have very specific reasons for disliking.
1. Front-Facing Garages
"I don’t understand houses that have an attached garage in front of the living space. From the street, all you can see is a garage door. No curb appeal there." —Anonymous, 69, Massachusetts
2. Books Turned Backwards
"I hate it when all the books on a shelf are turned backwards. Who does that?" —Merwin, 73, Georgia
3. Clear Glass Shower Enclosures
"Clear glass shower enclosures mean constant cleaning of water spots; with frosted or textured glass, the spots never show." —Anonymous, 82, California
4. Plastic Patio Furniture
"Plastic patio furniture. I HATE IT! Cheap, ugly, uninviting." —Anonymous, 76, Arizona
5. Ugly Appliances
"Plain, UGLY appliances that cost a fortune and do not operate well for very long. What happened to the lovely colors from the '60s and '70s?" —Anonymous, 80, Florida
6. Gray Everything
"Gray is the most boring, drab color. Gray walls, gray floors, gray furniture, even gray-painted brick. I don't understand how people get excited about this." —Anonymous, 70s, Texas
7. TVs Above Fireplaces
"TVs mounted above fireplaces. Electronics hate heat. Those sitting on sofas have to unnaturally look up instead of straight ahead." —Terry, 70, Georgia
8. Top-Floor Decks in Senior Living
"Brand new large homes are popping up with the 'deck' on the third floor... and these are for over-55 senior living. WHAT?!" —Kathy, 75, Virginia
9. Horizontal Outlets on Baseboards
"Electrical outlet turned horizontal on the baseboard. I can only imagine how many times a plug will get knocked out when cleaning the floors." —Anonymous, 61, South Carolina
10. Open Floor Plans
"The open floor plan is terrible. When you are cooking, someone in the family room cannot hear anything at a normal volume." —Cheryl, 74, Virginia
11. Jacuzzis Next to Showers
"Luxury jacuzzis located right next to smaller showers. They're almost worthless. Most often, it is a dirty clothes hamper." —Karl, 69, North Carolina
12. Microwaves Over Stoves
"I hate microwaves over ceramic top stoves. I am short and find it dangerous. I could drop a dish onto the stovetop and crack it." —Shirley, 76, Ontario, Canada
13. Cookie-Cutter Coastal Contemporary
"'Coastal Contemporary' new constructions in Florida all look the same: white exterior, tall front elevations, wood-look garage doors." —Chris, 60, Florida
14. Bathrooms Without Doors
"My main bathroom doesn’t have a door, just a big opening. It's not only about privacy, but it’s cold in the winter." —Susan, 70, Colorado
15. Tiny Bedrooms
"Making bedrooms so small that you can barely get around even a small twin bed. You pay over $400,000 for a new home, and the kids' bedrooms are the size of a mobile home bedroom." —Anonymous, 65, Georgia
16. Laundry in the Closet
"Main bedroom closets combined with laundry rooms. Why do I want the moisture from the washer and dryer on my clothes? Mold and mildew come to mind." —Anonymous, 70s, Texas
17. All-Black Kitchens
"All-black kitchens and black appliances scream, 'I don’t cook, and I don’t clean.' Not for those of us who really use the kitchen." —JC, 60, California
18. Heavy Mattresses
"Thick, heavy mattresses that are too heavy to lift for older or disabled people, so you can’t make the bed properly." —Marsha, 79
19. Freestanding Tubs
"Free-standing tubs are dumb — everyone drips getting out all over the floor, and who cleans the tub?" —Sarabeth, 83, Pennsylvania
20. Multi-Colored Glass Backsplash
"That backsplash that has multiple colors — little brick-shaped pieces of glass." —Laurie, 62, Washington
21. Unvented Range Hoods
"I loathe the unvented range hood. It only serves to spread a mist of cooking grease all over the kitchen if it doesn’t vent outside." —Beth, 63, Pennsylvania
22. Tray Ceilings
"Tray ceilings are super wasteful when heating your home. Heat rises and fills the inverted tray, trapping the warmth." —Victoria, 70
23. Self-Mounting Sinks
"Having a self-mounting sink means you cannot merely wipe minor debris from the adjacent counter into the sink." —Anonymous, 82, California
24. All-White Kitchens
"The all-white kitchen is a nightmare, both to work in and to clean. It's especially boring for those of us who spend the majority of our time in this one room." —Liz, 73, California
What's a current design trend that you just can't get behind? Share your unfiltered home design opinions with us.
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