If you’re still enamored with jumbo sectionals that consume over half of your room’s square footage or large “Eat, Pray, Love” signs presiding over all-gray furniture (with matching gray walls), it’s time for a change. These furniture trends are declining in popularity, and investing your hard-earned money on outdated items is the last thing you need. Furniture is a substantial investment meant to last several years, but keeping up with the ever-evolving trends while aligning them with your taste can be overwhelming unless watching HGTV is your main hobby.
To help guide your search, Onions Australia consulted seven interior designers through exclusive interviews to gather their insights on which furniture trends are falling out of favor and what’s replacing them. The key takeaway? Bulk is out, as are matchy-matchy sets and all-gray profiles. Essentially, any trend that promoted sterile showroom-like appearances at the expense of personality and character is becoming obsolete. Additionally, fast, distressed, and boxy furniture that people have grown tired of over the years are on their way out. Let’s explore the furniture trends you should avoid and those you might consider investing in for your home.
Oversized sectionals are making space for their modular equivalents
In the past, millennials represented a generation raised on large, cushiony sectionals — an era where families gathered in the living room, watched Christmas movies while reclining with popcorn, and cuddled with pets. This sense of comfort continued through the 2000s, even during economic downturns. However, as Gen-Z — with their strong preference for renting and flexibility — takes the lead, oversized sectionals are becoming a thing of the past. Chris Turner, owner and designer at Studio Nisho, notes in his exclusive interview with Onions Australia, “We’re starting to see furniture that’s almost entirely meant for comfort take a backseat to more modern and tailored options.”
Instead of bulky couches with fluffy cushions, modular sectionals are gaining popularity as they don’t occupy the entire living room. Modular sectionals consist of separate pieces that can be combined or detached as needed, offering flexibility when resizing furniture during relocations. They also allow for easy replacement of damaged pieces. Additionally, you can experiment with different arrangements, like L-shape, loveseats, U-shape, or pits, keeping things fresh, timeless, and proportionate to your room’s size and zoning.
Distressed farmhouse furniture has lost its rustic charm, tipping the scales to a more modern look
Joanna Gaines popularized the modern farmhouse aesthetic through her show “Fixer Upper” on HGTV, introducing exposed beams, shabby chic chandeliers, and distressed furniture. Homeowners deliberately aged cabinets and dining tables to evoke the simplicity and charm of farm life. However, Turner observes, “The whitewashed, distressed look that is a big part of farmhouse style decor is overdone, and I think we’ll see that trend slow down quite a bit.”
Dani Gottschalk, interior designer at Tinzeltown, agrees, specifically criticizing the coastal farmhouse sub-genre: “If your furniture looks like it was washed up on the beach and leaves a splinter after a gentle stroke, call the furniture ambulance and get rid of it. If it is not properly coated with paint, get some. If it has an uneven finish and looks like someone took a rock to it, replace it!” Distressed furniture is officially going out of style. Turner advises replacing it with warmer and modern style furniture within the farmhouse style. Match wood tones or organic fabrics with warm neutrals for a contemporary touch, or seek furniture with subtle patinas and cleaner lines.
All-gray furniture is falling out of favor with homeowners
In the 2010s, gray emerged as the go-to neutral, dominating the interior design world with gray floors, walls, and furniture. However, Artem Kropovinsky, founder and principal interior designer at Arsight Studio, clarifies in his exclusive interview with Onions Australia that the all-gray trend has overstayed its welcome: “The trend of using exclusively gray colors is disappearing because people are bringing back personal style through colorful design choices. Gray continues to rule the neutral category yet no longer controls how furniture looks.”
With gray fading, what colors are gaining traction in 2025? “The design trend now opts for softer tones, including brown, deep green, and soft pastels instead of monochrome trends,” explains Kropovinsky. If “color of the year” trends are any indication, he’s spot on. For example, Pantone’s mocha mousse color, highlighted in the Pantone x Joybird collaboration, can be used in furnishings like couches or chairs. Another way to update existing furnishings is to swap cushions or seats for linen or woven fabrics in earthier colors like sienna or pinks. Essentially, homeowners are seeking comfort by using earthier colors on their furniture — just not from oversized couches.
With sustainability on the rise, fast furniture is losing its appeal
Minimalism and Ikea had their moment in the early 2010s, and with quality furniture priced high, homeowners turned to affordable fast furniture. However, the cheap prices often meant flimsy materials, leading to a culture of disposal that clogged landfills with furniture hard to recycle, conflicting with sustainability goals. Kropovinsky sees fast furniture as a trend of the past due to growing consumer interest in sustainable, skillfully-crafted products.
To afford well-crafted products without breaking the bank, Kropovinsky suggests choosing durable furniture from sustainable brands, second-hand markets, or vintage stores. Refinish or re-stain older items to fit your interiors, or repurpose them. Upcycling vintage trunks into coffee tables is currently popular. Challie Stillman, vice president of creative at Resource Furniture, adds, “Investing in high-quality pieces is always the number one way to make a home look expensive, no matter the square footage, but the real key is quality pieces that work for your rooms.” Follow these tips to ensure you’re buying furniture built to last.
White oak furniture isn’t as hot as you would think
Surprisingly, white oak isn’t as trendy as once thought, at least when it’s the “lone” finish in a room. Recently, white oak was the furniture industry’s “It-girl,” known for warmth, sophistication, and resilience in busy areas. However, Teri Simone, head of design and marketing at Nieu Cabinet Doors, offers a different perspective in her exclusive interview with Onions Australia: “We are seeing people getting comfortable with wood tones that aren’t all identical.” Contrasting different wood finishes is in, with designers looking to “wood drench” the room by “bringing in rich walnuts and MCM-inspired design and choosing one contrasting wood tone to pair with white oak flooring or cabinetry,” Simone elaborates. Walnut or smoky-elm colors typically provide rich contrast, adding coziness to living rooms. Maple and cherry finishes are also popular, complementing white oak as it ages into warmer undertones. Whichever finish you choose, stick to warmer undertones to avoid competition with the oak.
Matchy-matchy furniture sets aren’t cutting it anymore
In pursuit of “cohesion,” homeowners previously matched all furnishings, from beds and side tables to cabinetry. While this eliminated guesswork, it rendered rooms predictable and flat. Matching furniture sets are going out of style, insists Bree Steele, product and design manager at RJ Living, in her exclusive interview with Onions Australia. “Identical furniture sets are losing favor as part of the trend towards cozy, relaxed interior spaces.”
With personality and self-expression key, homeowners are curating varied pairings. Showcasing unique pieces from travels or antique stores allows for individuality. “Instead of every piece matching perfectly and creating an over-engineered space, people are mixing materials, textures, and shapes to create a layered space that truly reflects their personality. Think timber and stone mixed with plush upholstery, rather than an all-coordinated look.” Keep matching pieces (such as bedside tables) to a minimum, and embrace thinking outside the box. Home improvement stores are catching up on the matched set’s demise, so expect diverse combinations on your next visit.
Curves are in, boxy sofas are out
Once introduced as ideal for contemporary designs, boxy sofas now date your home. Their sleek lines and geometric shapes, while functional, lack warmth for intimate spaces. With loneliness and isolation increasing, people crave conversations, and curved silhouettes support this. Called conversation or crescent pieces for a reason, “Boxy, ultra-structured sofas with sharp edges are out! Instead, people want soft, organic forms that prioritize comfort over stylish looks,” explains Steele. Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs, shares similar views in her exclusive interview with Onions Australia, saying, “Harsh, clinical minimalism is being replaced by softness — think rounded edges, textured fabrics, and cozy silhouettes.”
Curved furniture adds softness to rooms, promoting a more organic layout. “The shift toward modular, curvaceous designs reflects a growing preference for flexibility and fluidity in living spaces,” adds Steele. They support the resurgence of the art deco movement, another unexpected trend returning. “Softer shapes, sculptural furniture, and deeper seating invite warmth and comfort,” Curtis clarifies. Curvy silhouettes extend beyond couches, including arched headboards, coffee tables, floor lamps, and more.
Bulky furniture in outdoor spaces is being replaced with something breezier
Reflecting changes in interior furniture designs, creators are slimming down outdoor furniture. “As part of the movement towards simplified and ‘humanized’ spaces, big and clunky outdoor furniture is being replaced with lighter, sculptural pieces with much slimmer profiles,” says Steele. Compact options suit small backyards where oversized furniture overwhelms, inspiring homeowners to convert rooftops or balconies into social areas. Their lightweight nature provides greater functionality and convenience.
Additionally, outdoor furniture trends embrace the organic aesthetic gaining popularity. “This trend has also translated into a move toward natural finishes and curved designs that speak to a more effortless and organic approach to outdoor living, one with character and adaptability,” Steele adds. Look for curly profiles in teak finishes that blend with the outdoors while adding coziness. For sustainable options, choose furniture made from FSC-certified wood. Ensure durability by investing in weather-resistant fabrics for cushions and lightweight, sleek wrought iron chairs to prevent nature from undermining your efforts.
