Study: The Cheugiest Home Decor of 2022

Home decor trends come and go, but when are they officially past their prime or, dare we say, cheugy (pronounced chew-gee)? If you’ve never heard the term, it describes anything people generally feel is uncool, dated, or trying too hard. Things that have recently been dubbed “cheugy” include skinny jeans, avocado toast, and “live, laugh, love” decor.

To find out the cheugiest home trends, we surveyed nearly 2,000 Americans. We asked them to rate items and design styles based on five criteria: unsophisticated, tacky/cheap, dated, try-hard, and mainstream. From there, we calculated a cheugy score and crowned the cheugiest decor of all.

Key findings

• Word art, houseware with phrases, and animal print were voted the cheugiest decor.
• Mid-century modern is the most popular design style, followed by minimalism.
• Nearly seven in 10 have felt judged for their decor, primarily by family and friends.

The Cheugiest Home Decor

Respondents named word art, houseware with phrases, animal print decor, shag carpet, and farmhouse decor as the five cheugiest home decor items.

Each generation had its specific opinions. Gen Z sees houseware with phrases as cheugy (think a coffee mug labeled with the word “COFFEE”). Millennials fully understand just how cheugy word art like “Live, Laugh, Love” is, while Gen Xers wince at animal print decor, and baby boomers cringe at shag carpet.

The Most Popular Home Decor Trends

Now we know what people don’t like, but what do they like? Respondents across all generations love scented candles and accent walls.

They also appreciate affordable, self-assembled fast furniture—nearly eight in 10 furnish their homes with it. Fast furniture has gained popularity because it allows people to show off their personal style on a budget and stay up-to-date with trends. And despite its name, you can totally still contact a local furniture assembly professional to help.

Over three-fourths of respondents agree that mid-century modern and minimalist aesthetics are in style. Keeping with the minimalist aesthetic, two-thirds said they love all-white interiors. Open concepts also remain popular—87% said they like open kitchens, and 85% said they like open floor plans.

What styles don’t people like? Only about one in five resonate with Japandi, Hollywood regency, and boho aesthetics. Japandi is a combination of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian “hygge” (coziness). The design balances simplicity and warmth. In comparison, Hollywood regency espouses glamour and luxury: It’s all about bold colors and metallic accents.

A Majority of People Feel Judged for their Decor

You may have some kind of cheugy decor in your home—that’s okay! You also probably love it regardless of what others think. Your decor is your own: If it makes you happy and comfortable, that’s all that matters.

Despite nearly nine in 10 respondents saying their home is decorated to their liking, nearly three in five have felt embarrassed or ashamed by their home decor and nearly seven in 10 have felt judged for it. Over half of the time, that judgment came from family and friends.

That doesn’t stop the judged from making their own judgments of others’ decor. Seven out of 10 admit to judging someone else’s design choices. Gen Z is the most critical. Nearly 80% of Gen Z responders have judged someone’s decor, followed by 72% of baby boomers, 67% of Gen Xers, and 64% of millennials.

Everyone’s taste is different. Some prefer minimalism, while others maximalism. Some embrace kitschy or uniquely nostalgic items, while others prefer a sleek, modern look. If you’re struggling to find your style, you may want to seek advice from a local interior designer. Don’t be afraid to get creative and make your house truly feel like a home.

Methodology

Between March 29 and March 31, 2022, we surveyed 2,208 people about their decor preferences. Of respondents, 50% were male, 49% were female, and 1% were nonbinary or preferred not to say. 25% were Gen Z, 27% were millennials, 22% were Gen X, and 26% were baby boomers.

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