The new year is all about letting go of what feels tired and welcoming in what feels fresh. And when it comes to , designers are more than ready to move on from a few looks they now consider passé. Curious what's on their "out" list for 2026? Keep reading for the five styles they're perfectly happy to leave behind.
Several designers say scallops are starting to fall by the wayside in 2026. "Scallops had a real moment, and in the right application they can still be charming," says Sara Swabb, founder of Storie Collective. But because the motif popped up everywhere, she adds, it eventually "lost the quiet elegance that made it appealing in the first place."
Madelaine Mayer, founder of AD:ROIT, agrees. "Scalloped edges can easily look juvenile and unsophisticated, and their ubiquity in the market has made the detail feel predictable," she says.
Swabb notes that she's all for keeping scallops to a minimum in the new year. "A scallop used with intention is lovely," she says. "A room filled with scallops starts to feel more like a theme than a design."
It's officially time to move past builder-grade finishes, Swabb declares, noting that people are "more design literate today" and want to customize their spaces rather than fall back on standard selections.
"People are looking for pieces with character and a sense of quality," the designer says. "When the bare necessities are treated with intention, the entire space becomes more elevated and personal."
Move over, light wood furniture -- richer tones are taking over in 2026. "Lighter woods like bleached oak, ash, and maple now feel stale and lackluster when compared to richer, darker species such as walnut and mahogany," Mayer says. She credits the rise of to the growing interest in vintage pieces, which typically feature these warmer finishes.
Mayer says it's time to leave tufted seating in the past. While she appreciates the look, she doesn't find it all that practical. "Tufted upholstery will always be firmer and more unforgiving than an untufted piece with the same construction and fabric," she explains, noting that the design also makes cleaning more difficult.
If you can't bring yourself to part with the aesthetic entirely, Mayer suggests dialing it back. "If someone loves the look, I recommend using the tufting detail on the outside face of the furniture rather than on the inside seating surface."
Designer Ashley Fiocco has seen fluted details on everything from backsplash tiles to fireplace surrounds to furniture, but she feels the look has had its moment. "It was cool and funky and fresh a few years ago when it first became widespread," she says. "Now it's been so overplayed everywhere -- I feel it's time to move on to more simple, classic lines again."