Why We Hate Certain Design Styles (and What That Reveals About Us)

Emotional design triggers by generation—and what each really wants now.

Every generation has its rebellion. And in interior design, that rebellion often looks like an allergic reaction to whatever defined the homes we grew up in.

What Millennials, Gen Z, and Boomers Are Rejecting—and Why

Millennials?

Millennials? They’re done with Tuscan kitchens. The heavy cherry cabinets, bronze scrollwork, and granite that looks like marbled rye—once aspirational—now feel like overcooked design. I’ve had clients walk me through their childhood homes and say, “Please don’t give me anything that looks like 2005.” What they want now is light. Soft woods, sculptural lines, natural materials that speak softly. Less theme, more texture. More stillness.

Gen Z?

Gen Z is rejecting the minimalist beige-on-beige aesthetic Millennials embraced as an antidote to chaos. In its place, they’re creating a world that feels alive. Irreverent, even. Think checkerboard rugs, mushroom-shaped lamps, curved seating, surrealist mirrors. For them, design is personality, not perfection. But if something feels mass-manufactured or influencer-packaged, they’ll spot it—and skip it.

Boomers?

They’re looking for quality. No more fast furniture. No more synthetic stand-ins for craftsmanship. They want walnut over veneer. Handwoven over mass-loomed. But they have their own design ghosts to exorcise—popcorn ceilings, avocado kitchens, wall-to-wall carpet in the bathroom. Now, what they want most is elegance that lasts. Not trend-driven. Just timeless.

“People don’t just hate a style—they hate what it reminds them of.”

How Past Experience Shapes Design Taste

I see this all the time with clients, especially couples. A particular color reminds one partner of a hard season in their life. A sofa shape echoes a divorce. A ceiling fan feels like growing up in a house that was always too loud. That history shows up in the smallest of decisions, and if ignored, creates friction that no furniture can fix.

I once worked with a couple who couldn’t agree on a dining room rug. He’d grown up with bold Persian patterns that felt rich and nostalgic. She associated them with a dark, cluttered apartment from her first marriage. They weren’t arguing about color—they were trying not to relive two entirely different pasts.

It’s something I explore deeply in Designing for Couples—a guide for navigating not just aesthetics, but emotional undercurrents in shared spaces.

Even color is never just about color. In The Best Paint Colors for Each Seasonal Type, I break down how light, memory, and psychology intersect to shape what feels “right” to someone—even if they can’t articulate why.

What Today’s Clients Want Instead

So when a client says they “hate” a certain style, I don’t just write it off as taste. I ask what memory it’s tied to. What version of themselves it reminds them of. Because what people reject in design often reveals just as much as what they embrace.

Millennials are investing in sculptural lighting, handmade ceramics, and layered textures that feel lived-in yet refined. Their spaces are curated but deeply personal. Think Belgian linens, plinth tables, and performance fabrics that hold up to real life.

Gen Z is embracing joyful irreverence. They love bold color, playful shapes, and pieces with a story—often mixing high-end heirlooms with quirky thrifted finds. This generation shops with intention and a sense of humor. They want furniture and decor that feels like them, not like a showroom.

Boomers are gravitating toward materials that will age beautifully. They favor investment pieces—solid wood case goods, artisanal lighting, and natural fibers. They’re buying less, but better.

And all of them, in one way or another, are trying to create something that feels like home—not in the sense of perfection, but in the sense of alignment. Something that reflects where they are now—not where they came from.

🔴 Rachel’s Rule: The design you hate the most probably belonged to someone you used to be.

The Emotional Intelligence Behind Great Interiors

Curious what style actually suits you now? My 2 Hour Design Consultation can help you decode that—and move beyond what no longer fits.

The most “hated” styles aren’t really about taste. They’re about time. About letting go of the visual language of a past self and making space for something new.

And the styles people love? They’re often what they wish they’d grown up with.

Good design isn’t just about what you love. It’s about understanding what you no longer need to live with—and what you finally deserve to live in.