We’ve all seen them (or lived with them): the “dream” shower that takes an hour to clean, the trendy flooring that looks dirty five minutes after mopping, and the open layout that amplifies every single noise in the house.
Before you commit to that Pinterest-perfect design, take a reality check.
Here are 22 home features homeowners regret most once the dust settles—and the smarter, time-tested alternatives to choose instead.
1. Gray LVP flooring (The “Flipper Special”)
Problem: The “all gray everything” trend has oversaturated the market.
Gray floors often make a home feel cold, sterile, and artificial.
On social media, this is frequently mocked as “Millennial Gray” or “Flipper Gray,” and it dates a renovation to a very specific 3-year window.
Better options:
- Warm wood tones: Opt for white oak or medium-brown flooring, which is timeless and warms up a space.
- Natural stone look: If you want cool tones, look for slate or limestone-look tiles rather than gray wood.
- “Greige”: If you must go gray, choose a warmer “gray-beige” that mixes well with wood furniture.
2. Barn doors on bathrooms
Problem: Barn doors look rustic in photos but provide zero sound blocking and poor privacy.
They leave large gaps around the edges, meaning smells and noises escape easily—a disaster for bathrooms or home offices.
Better options:
- Pocket doors: If space is tight, a high-quality pocket door disappears into the wall but seals better than a barn door.
- Standard hinged doors: Nothing beats the acoustic seal of a solid-core swing door.
- Decorative only: Use barn doors only for pantries, laundry rooms, or closets where sound doesn’t matter.
3. Open shelving in the kitchen
Problem: It looks airy and beautiful on Instagram, but in reality, it requires constant dusting.
Every dish you own ends up covered in a film of grease and dust unless you wash them daily.
Better options:
- Glass-front cabinets: You get the visual “openness” and can see your pretty dishes, but they are protected from dust and grease.
- Limited accent shelf: Use just one small open shelf for cookbooks and plants, but keep the actual dishes in closed cabinets.
4. Double vanities with one shared counter
Problem: Two sinks crammed into a 60-inch vanity leaves zero counter space for either person.
You end up with two people elbowing each other and nowhere to put a toothbrush or curling iron.
Better options:
- One large sink: A single large trough sink or just one centralized sink leaves significantly more counter space and storage drawers.
- Separate vanities: If space allows, split the vanities onto different walls so you aren’t standing shoulder-to-shoulder.
5. Linear shower drains
Problem: They look sleek and spa-like, but cleaning them is a stomach-turning chore.
You have to lift a long, heavy metal grate to clean the trough, which accumulates hair and soap scum across the entire width of the shower.
Better options:
- Square tile-in drains: These disappear visually like linear drains but have a much smaller footprint to clean.
- Hidden offset drains: Place a standard drain in a corner or under a teak bench so you aren’t standing on it.
6. Impossible-to-clean accent walls
Problem: 3D geometric wood trim, shiplap with deep grooves, or rough stone walls are massive dust magnets.
Cleaning the hundreds of little ledges on a geometric wall is tedious and often neglected.
Better options:
- Wallpaper: High-quality peel-and-stick wallpaper offers pattern and color but is smooth and wipeable.
- Paint color blocking: Use a deep, moody paint color on one wall for drama without the physical texture issues.
- Large-scale art: A gallery wall creates a focal point without permanently altering the drywall structure.
7. Kitchen exhaust venting indoors
Problem: Venting a microwave or hood back into the kitchen (recirculating) simply blows smoke, grease, and smells right back into your face.
It leaves a sticky residue on your cabinets and ceiling.
Better options:
- External ducting: It is worth the renovation cost to run a duct to the outside.
- High-CFM Insert: If you must recirculate, buy a high-end hood with professional baffle filters that you wash weekly.
- Cross-ventilation: Ensure there is an operable window near the stove.
8. TV mounted above the fireplace
Problem: This is often the only spot builders leave for a TV, but it forces you to crane your neck (the “front row at the movie theater” effect).
Plus, heat and smoke from the fire can damage the electronics.
Better options:
- MantelMount: Use a pull-down mount that lowers the TV to eye level when you want to watch it.
- Side-by-side layout: Place the TV on a low console next to the fireplace, not above it.
- Frame TV: If it must go there, use a TV designed to look like art so it’s less of an eyesore when off.
9. Pot fillers (The “Pasta Arm”)
Problem: They look professional, but they only solve half the problem.
You can fill the pot at the stove, but you still have to carry the boiling hot, heavy water back to the sink to drain it.
Plus, it’s an extra plumbing fixture behind your expensive stove that can leak.
Better options:
- Prep sink near stove: A small sink in the island behind the stove allows you to fill and drain pots easily.
- Better faucet hose: A high-quality main kitchen faucet with a long reach often does the job just fine.
10. Painted cabinets in high-traffic zones
Problem: White or blue cabinets look crisp, but paint chips.
Wood stain fades; paint cracks.
High-traffic areas (like the trash pull-out or under the sink) will show wear, scratches, and water damage much faster than stained wood.
Better options:
- Stained wood lowers: Use natural wood for the lower cabinets (which take the abuse) and painted cabinets for the uppers.
- Conversion Varnish: Ensure your cabinets are finished with a factory-applied catalyzed varnish, not just sprayed latex paint.
11. Tiny laundry “closets” in hallways
Problem: Trading a laundry room for a laundry “closet” saves space but creates a functional nightmare.
There is no room to sort dirty clothes, fold clean ones, or keep the washer door open to prevent mold.
Better options:
- Mudroom combo: Combine the laundry with a mudroom to allow for messy sorting and drying racks.
- Deep shelving: If a closet is necessary, ensure it is deep enough to leave the washer door ajar without blocking the hallway.
12. Extremely high ceilings (20+ feet)
Problem: They sell the house (“Look at this volume!”), but you pay for it forever.
They increase heating/cooling bills, make the room echo loudly, and make changing lightbulbs or painting a nightmare.
Better options:
- 10-12 foot ceilings: You get the open feel without the massive energy penalty.
- Coffered ceilings: Add beams or coffers to bring the visual scale down and add character.
13. Open floor plans with no separation
Problem: When the kitchen, living room, and dining room are one giant box, you hear everything.
The blender, the TV, and the dishwasher all compete.
Cooking smells travel to the sofa, and there are no walls to place furniture against.
Better options:
- Broken plan: Use half-walls, glass partitions, or double-sided fireplaces to create distinct zones while keeping sightlines open.
- Cased openings: Wide doorways between rooms keep the flow open but block some sound and smell.
14. Freestanding tubs (that gather dust)
Problem: They are a stunning focal point, but cleaning behind them is difficult (creates a “dust trap” corner).
They also have no ledge for your shampoo, wine, or book, and are harder to get in and out of than built-ins.
Better options:
- Undermount tub with deck: A tub set into a tiled deck offers a place to sit, easy cleaning, and plenty of ledge space.
- Large luxury shower: If you aren’t a “bath person,” skip the tub entirely and double the size of the shower.
15. Carpeted stairs
Problem: The carpet on the edge of the step (the “nosing”) wears out incredibly fast.
Vacuuming stairs is a heavy, dangerous chore, and cleaning spills from vertical risers is nearly impossible.
Better options:
- Hardwood with a runner: Install wood stairs with a removable carpet runner. It provides safety/grip but is much easier to replace than fully tacked carpet.
- Full hardwood/LVP: Easy to sweep; just add slip-resistant tape or finish if you are worried about slipping.
16. Cheap “Builder-Grade” flat paint
Problem: Builders love flat paint because it hides drywall imperfections. Homeowners hate it because you cannot wipe it clean.
If you touch it with a wet rag, the paint rubs right off.
Better options:
- Eggshell or Satin: Always upgrade walls to at least an eggshell finish for wipeability.
- Quality primer: Ensure new drywall is properly primed so the paint doesn’t soak in unevenly.
17. Trash compactors
Problem: A relic of the 90s.
They encourage you to keep garbage in the house for weeks (smelly!), require expensive specialty bags, and the crushing mechanism frequently jams or breaks.
Better options:
- Dual pull-out bins: A standard cabinet with two large bins (trash/recycle) is the modern gold standard.
- Compost system: Reduce trash volume naturally by composting organic waste.
18. Jack-and-Jill bathrooms
Problem: It sounds efficient, but in practice, it causes conflict. One sibling locks the other out and forgets to unlock it.
Guests accidentally walk in on someone. It’s a privacy logistical struggle.
Better options:
- Hall access: Have the bathroom open to the hallway rather than the bedrooms. It solves all the locking issues.
- Split vanity: Put the sink area in the hallway/open area and only put the toilet/shower behind a closed door.
19. Central vacuum systems
Problem: You have to drag a 30-foot “crush-proof” hose around the house, which damages baseboards and knocks over vases.
Suction often drops over time due to in-wall leaks that are expensive to find.
Better options:
- Cordless stick vacuums: Modern Dyson/Tineco vacuums rival central vac suction and are much easier to grab for quick messes.
- Robot vacuums: Set-it-and-forget-it maintenance for daily dust.
20. Heated driveways
Problem: The ultimate luxury item that often turns into a maintenance headache.
Electricity costs are astronomical, and if the tubing cracks, you have to jackhammer up your driveway to fix it.
Better options:
- Snow blower: You can buy a top-tier snow blower for 5% of the cost of a heated driveway.
- Heated mats: Use portable heated mats just for the walkway or stairs to prevent slips.
21. Hollow-core doors
Problem: They feel cheap, rattle in their frames, and block zero noise. If someone is watching TV in the next room, you will hear it.
They also dent very easily.
Better options:
- Solid-core doors: The price difference is often only $50-$100 per door, but the feel and soundproofing are vastly superior.
- Solid wood jambs: Ensure the door frame is solid wood, not MDF, to hold the hinges better over time.
22. Pocket doors (standard grade)
Problem: Standard pocket doors wobble, get stuck off-track, and are difficult to lock. If they break, you often have to cut open the drywall to fix the hardware.
Better options:
- Surface slider: A barn-style door (where appropriate) is easier to fix since the track is accessible.
- Quality hardware: If you use them, upgrade to heavy-duty “Johnson Hardware” (or similar) ball-bearing tracks.
Design for your Tuesday, not your Saturday party
It’s easy to fall in love with a design trend you see online, but remember: you don’t live in a curated photo. You live in a house with messy kids, muddy paws, and laundry that needs to be done.
When choosing finishes, the best test is to ask yourself: “Will this annoy me on a busy Tuesday morning?”
If a feature requires extra cleaning, blocks traffic flow, or complicates a simple task like washing your hands, it’s not worth the aesthetic points.
Skip the trends that create friction and prioritize the timeless, durable options that make daily life easier.
Your future self—and your future resale value—will thank you.