Updated October 2026. We rewrote this 2017 piece on “outdated” décor that came back: which looks still work in 2026, how to mix them with a modern room, and how much to keep when you list the house. Staging figures are from NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Staging.
Yes, a lot of “outdated” décor is back. As of October 2026, brass, black accents, warm 1970s colors, big statement furniture and gallery walls all show up in new rooms again. The trick is the dose. Use one or two at a time. If you plan to sell, tone them down: 83% of buyers’ agents say staging helps buyers picture the home as theirs (NAR, 2025).
Jump to: 🏠 Brass · 💡 Gold and green · 📸 Black and white · 💲 When you sell · ❓ FAQ
Retro décor in 2026, in short
- Five “old” looks are back: brass, harvest gold and avocado green, black and white, oversized pieces and gallery walls.
- Use one or two per room; a whole room of them reads as dated, not retro.
- 83% of buyers’ agents say staging helps buyers picture the home; the living room is staged most (91%) (NAR, 2025).
- Painting the whole home is the project agents suggest most before listing (50%) (NAR, 2025).
Trends move fast, and no one wants a home that looks stuck in one year. Still, some looks we wrote off are back for good reasons. They feel warm, they last and they hide wear. Below are the five we first flagged in 2017, what they look like now, and how they play when you list the house.
Is brass décor back in style?
Yes, and it never fully left. The new brass is brushed or aged, not the shiny gold of the 1980s. It shows up on cabinet pulls, faucets, lamp bases, mirror frames and curtain rods. A small piece goes a long way. For ideas, see these chic and bold brass home décor ideas from digsdigs.com.
How to use it today: pick one metal finish per room and repeat it two or three times. Brass pulls in the kitchen plus a brass light over the table is enough. Mixing brass with matte black also works well. Swapping hardware is cheap, so it’s an easy test before you commit.
Do harvest gold and avocado green work in a modern home?
They can, in small doses. Harvest gold and avocado green were everywhere in the 1970s. Today’s versions are softer: mustard, ochre, olive and sage. They feel warm next to white walls and natural wood. A velvet chair, a rug or one painted cabinet run is a better start than a full kitchen.
Lighting changes how these colors read. Warm bulbs make olive look rich; cool bulbs can make it look gray. Browse a few contemporary lighting ideas before you pick a paint chip, and look at the color at night as well as at noon.
Is black and white décor still a safe choice?
Yes. Black and white is the one look on this list that never went out. What changed is how much black people use. Black window frames, black doors, black stair rails and black-framed art all moved into the mainstream. Back in 2018, Trendir called it early: black is coming back as the color of the year.
The risk is a room that feels dark or cold. Keep walls light, add wood or plants, and use black as the outline, not the fill. In a small room, one black accent wall can shrink the space in photos. Test it with a sample patch first.
Are oversized furniture pieces in again?
Big, soft pieces are back: deep sofas, curved sectionals, chunky coffee tables and large lamps. They suit open plans with high ceilings. The home décor trends roundup from Faris Team covers how the look has shifted.
Scale is the catch. The median new single-family home completed in 2025 was 2,142 square feet (Census Bureau), and many older homes are smaller. One large piece anchors a room. Three of them crowd it. Leave about three feet of walking space around the main paths.
How do you make a gallery wall look current?
Gallery walls came back because they’re personal and cheap. Family photos, prints, maps and kids’ art all count. What makes it look current is order. Use the same frame color, keep the gaps even (two to three inches), and line up either the top edge or the center line. These dining room wall décor ideas on InteriorZine show several layouts.
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Buy a home →Lay the frames out on the floor first, or tape paper cutouts on the wall. It saves a lot of extra nail holes. For more ways to add character without a big budget, see our ideas on creative ways to enhance your home décor.
How much retro décor should you keep when you sell?
Less than you live with. Buyers shop online first, and they need to picture their own things in the room. In NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 83% of buyers’ agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize the property as a future home. The rooms staged most were the living room (91%), the primary bedroom (83%) and the dining room (69%) (NAR).
| Retro look | Keep for listing photos? | Quick fix if it’s too much |
|---|---|---|
| Brass hardware and lights | Yes, if it’s one finish per room | Swap mismatched pulls; match the faucet |
| Gold and green walls | Usually no | Repaint in a light neutral; keep color in pillows |
| Black and white | Yes | Lighten dark walls; add a plant or wood |
| Oversized furniture | One piece per room | Store extra pieces during showings |
| Gallery wall | Thin it out | Remove family photos; keep 3 to 5 neutral prints |
Paint is the cheapest reset. In NAR’s 2025 Remodeling Impact Report, painting the entire home was the project agents most often suggested before listing (50%), ahead of painting one room (41%) and a new roof (37%) (NAR). Our list of paint colors that help homes sell faster covers which neutrals photograph well.
Kitchens matter most, and they’re where retro shows first. Read the design trends that make a kitchen stand out for small fixes, and whether a kitchen renovation is worth it before selling before you spend big. Building new instead? Here are 14 features to ask eco-friendly home builders to include. Can’t stage in person? Virtual staging can show an empty room furnished in a current style.
What does it cost to list a home you’ve restyled?
Your styling budget goes further when the listing fee is small. With Beycome’s flat fee MLS listing, Basic is $99, Enhanced is $399 and there’s $0 due to Beycome at closing. Your photos go on the MLS and out to the big home search sites. If you’re unsure how this works, our piece on whether flat fee MLS services are a gimmick or a gold mine walks through it. For more help, Concierge gives you an expert who handles the sale with you for $1,399, and you still make every decision.
Buying a home with dated décor? The Beycome buyer program has no upfront fee and is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents. Beycome keeps 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. On a $400,000 home with 3% offered, that’s $8,000 back. The credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers. A home that shows its age in photos can be a chance to negotiate, since paint and hardware are cheap to change.
Frequently asked questions about outdated décor that came back
What outdated home décor is coming back in 2026?
Brass, harvest gold and avocado green (now mustard and olive), black and white, oversized furniture and gallery walls. The current versions are softer and used in smaller doses.
Is brass hardware outdated?
No. Brushed and aged brass is common in new kitchens and baths. Shiny 1980s brass looks dated; pick a matte finish and use one metal per room.
Does retro décor hurt a home sale?
It can if it fills the room. Buyers need to picture their own things. Keep one or two retro pieces and neutral walls for listing photos.
What is the cheapest way to update a dated room?
Paint and hardware. Painting the whole home is the project agents suggest most before listing, at 50% (NAR, 2025).
Which rooms should I stage first before selling?
The living room, then the primary bedroom and the dining room. Those were staged most often in NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Staging (91%, 83% and 69%).
Are gallery walls still in style?
Yes. Keep frames the same color and the gaps even. When you sell, swap family photos for a few neutral prints.
Prices as of November 2026 and subject to change; Concierge is $1,399 and Basic is $129 in California and Illinois. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; taxes, title fees and any buyer-agent pay you agree to still apply. Buyer credit: minimum $1,499 kept by Beycome, lender approval, not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers. Staging and remodeling figures are surveys of agents and remodelers, not a promise of a higher price. General information; rules vary by state and MLS.
Sources
- NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Staging, read October 27, 2026.
- NAR, 2025 Remodeling Impact Report news release, read October 27, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Highlights of 2025 Characteristics of New Housing, read October 27, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
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