Not every trending kitchen or bathroom idea is worth following. Some are genuinely problematic from a maintenance standpoint; others are simply aesthetic choices that date faster than they appear. Here are the ten most overrated features — five in the kitchen, five in the bathroom — and what to do instead.
Most Overrated Kitchen Features
1. Tile Countertops
Tile countertops have been called one of the worst kitchen trends of the past 50 years, and for good reason. Grout lines between tiles trap dirt, grime, and moisture — making them difficult to clean even with regular effort. They stain, harbor odors, and are nearly impossible to sanitize properly on a surface used for food prep. Quartz, granite, or porcelain slab countertops solve all of these problems without sacrificing style.
2. Too Many Wall Colors
A kitchen with multiple competing wall colors reads as busy and harder to sell. One or two well-chosen colors — carried consistently through walls, backsplash, and cabinetry — create a kitchen that feels cohesive and current. Rich blues, greens, and black have replaced the multi-accent trend as the preferred approach for a bold kitchen palette.
3. Frosted or Opaque Light Fixtures
Frosted and heavily shaded light fixtures cut output and make kitchens feel dim and dated. Kitchens need good functional light — bright, directional task lighting above prep surfaces and clear, open pendants or recessed fixtures for general illumination. Anything that sacrifices light output for a decorative effect is a compromise you'll notice every day.
4. Painted Wood Cabinets (DIY Version)
Painting over quality solid wood cabinets — especially oak — is harder than it looks and rarely ends well. Wood grain bleeds through paint finishes without proper blocking primer and sanding, and the result often looks worse than the original. If you want painted cabinets, buy them painted from a manufacturer or commission a professional refinish with proper surface preparation.
5. Open Shelving Everywhere
Open shelving works well as an accent — a few strategic floating shelves above a coffee station or next to a range. But replacing all upper cabinets with open shelving is a maintenance commitment most people don't fully anticipate. Every item on display collects grease, dust, and cooking residue. For most kitchens, a mix of closed cabinetry and limited open shelving is the practical (and more visually calm) approach.
Most Overrated Bathroom Features
6. Wall-Mounted Faucets
Wall-mounted faucets are visually striking but create a significant long-term maintenance problem. Plumbing lines run through the wall behind tile or stone — which means that if a supply line develops a leak, detecting and accessing it requires removing finished surfaces. A deck-mounted faucet on a properly selected bathroom vanity is far easier to maintain and replace.
7. Ornate Design Elements
Gilded mirrors, heavily carved vanity frames, and over-the-top fixture flourishes age quickly and are expensive to replace when they do. Contemporary bathrooms are trending toward clean geometry and simple elegance — modern floating vanities, frameless glass shower enclosures, and restrained hardware that doesn't compete for attention.
8. Removing the Tub
Open-concept, no-threshold showers are genuinely popular and often beautiful. But eliminating the bathtub entirely in a primary bathroom is a decision that limits your home's resale appeal. Most buyers with children or those planning to age in place specifically want a tub option. If the shower-only aesthetic is what you want, consider keeping it in the primary bath and removing the tub from a secondary bathroom instead.
9. Barn Doors for Bathrooms
Barn doors look great in photos and became ubiquitous in interior design content over the past decade. The practical reality is less appealing: they don't fully seal a bathroom for privacy or sound, they require wall space to slide that you may not have, and as a heavy trend choice, they date faster than almost any other architectural element. Standard doors, pocket doors, or frameless glass pivot doors age far more gracefully.
10. All-White Everything
An all-white bathroom can be striking, but without contrast — a warm wood vanity, a natural stone countertop, a dark-framed mirror, or textured tile — it risks reading as clinical rather than elegant. Pure white on every surface also shows every water spot, soap smear, and scuff more readily than a bathroom with even one contrasting element. Use white as a foundation, not the entire palette.
Not sure which direction to take your kitchen or bathroom remodel? The ANVE Kitchen & Bath team in Paramus, NJ can help. Browse our tile collection, bathroom vanities, and bathtubs, or visit our showroom for design guidance from our in-house team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most overrated kitchen trend right now?
Open shelving used as a full replacement for upper cabinets is currently one of the most commonly regretted kitchen decisions — it looks great in styled photos but requires significant daily maintenance in a working kitchen. Tile countertops remain the trend with the most universally negative long-term reviews.
Should I remove my bathtub to create a walk-in shower?
In most primary bathrooms, keeping the tub is the safer choice from a resale perspective. If you're set on a walk-in shower, consider doing it in a secondary bathroom where the bathtub can be retained elsewhere in the home.
Are barn doors still in style?
Barn doors are less popular than they were at their peak, and most design professionals now advise against them for bathrooms specifically given the privacy and durability tradeoffs. As a heavy-trend item, they tend to date the spaces they're installed in more quickly than classic architectural hardware choices.
