Unappealing Home Design Features: Make Sure Your House Doesn’t Have These

Every decade has had a fair share of debatable home design features ranging from the wood paneling of the 1970s to glass blocks and vertical blinds of the following decades. Home buyers are often repelled by outdated designs and offer less, keeping in mind the costs associated with covering up or correcting problematic areas.

As per a survey of property agents and interior designers, following is a list of the least liked features in the real estate arena.

Shag carpeting

Deep-pile carpeting with shaggy texture in a vibrant array of colors was quite popular in the 70s. It was considered to be kid-friendly, but the problems were trapping of dirt and getting easily matted, which required a shag rake to be used regularly.Though shag area rugs are sometimes linked to hipsters, most buyers turn away from the conventional wall-to-wall style.

Colorful toilets and sinks

If you’re looking to add some color, designers feel that commodes are not the place to consider. They say that since sinks and toilets are positioned center and front, they should not hurt the eyes. Tubs can be hidden from buyers by using shower curtains.

Buyers today do not wish their bathrooms to have remnants of the 70s and bring down their offer price when they know they will have to fix them.

Metallic wallpaper

The use of any kind of wallpaper is slightly dicey, primarily because of the problems associated with its removal. Prominent offenders are metallic wallpapers with silvery floral prints or bronzy metallic stripes. This flashy trend began in the 1970s and continued till the 1990s. Designers say that prospective buyers are also turned off by floral wallpaper borders which were quite ubiquitous in the 80s.

They advise that if there’s wallpaper in your home, you should get it removed and repaint your home before you put it up on the market.

Carpeted bathrooms

Some people like to have their bathrooms carpeted. According to experts, this is not a good idea since carpets can get matted and mildewed.

Carpets retain water and become big repositories for bacteria. If you do not wish to get your feet cold in the morning, it's better putting down a flat weave woolen area rug that can be easily cleaned. Investing in flooring with radiant heat might also be a good idea.

Sliding-plastic enclosures

Through the decades, plastic bathroom doors have become common, especially when there is a tub-shower combination inside. Plastic shower doors invariably have outdated gold trim and get soap scum all over. Potential buyers sometimes find these repelling and useless.

It’s better to have an easy-to-clean simple shower rod with a curtain. Glass doors that open are also easier to keep spotless as compared to those that slide on tracks. Sliding doors come off the tracks often and since the tracks are recessed, they attract grime and mildew.

The tracks are also functionally challenging. Young parents have a tough time bathing their kids by leaning over because the tracks come in the way. Seniors face problems due to the tracks as well since it adds to their problems when coming out of the shower.

Too many mirrors

While mirrors make rooms appear larger, they look downright tacky if they cover large expanses like backsplashes and bedroom ceilings. Large framed mirrors over fireplaces or hung in foyers for bouncing light can look nice, but huge, permanent full wall mirrors are definitely a no-no.

And in the end, a small tip: Minimal design is the best way to go. It will be appealing to all types of buyers.

Since home design can be an factor on a home’s true worth, it may be a good idea to get a valuation report. You can rely on a free home value report from Neighborhood IQ to learn what your home is worth.