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House Beautiful’s report lists 13 home design choices that interviewed designers said they would not use in their own spaces. Their concerns include upkeep, installation, cost, durability and day-to-day function; the recommendations are expert opinions, not evidence that every feature is unsuitable for every home.
House Beautiful has published a list of 13 home features that designers said they would not choose for their own spaces, pointing to practical drawbacks such as maintenance, installation difficulty, cost and limited everyday utility. The report offers expert opinions for homeowners weighing renovation choices, rather than a universal assessment of how each feature performs.
The article covers a mix of finishes, furniture and built-in amenities. Tile specialist Jamie Chappell of Fireclay Tile says handmade zellige tile can be slow and difficult to install because pieces vary in size and thickness. She also says the surface can chip, craze or stain and needs regular sealing. Chappell raises similar upkeep concerns about cement tile, describing it as porous and vulnerable to stains and etching, while noting its weight and labor-intensive installation.
Other designers focus on how features affect a room’s use. Yvonne Harty of Harty Interiors says waterfall kitchen islands can reduce storage and seating, cost more, and leave corners prone to chipping. Designer Brieanna Cunningham of C&C Partners adds that such islands can limit storage and outlet placement. Harty also questions freestanding tubs in smaller bathrooms, where cleaning behind the tub can be difficult and the placement may lose the intended visual effect.
The list also includes smart-home packages, white linen furniture, built-in coffee makers and disposable furniture. Cunningham says smart-home systems can be expensive and may be affected by Wi-Fi outages, malfunctions or software updates. Designer Jessica Alpert warns that white linen is hard to keep clean in busy homes and says built-in coffee makers require ongoing cleaning. Cara Shahbandi of Stanton Home Design recommends saving for furniture designed to last rather than buying low-quality pieces that may need replacement quickly.
Renovation Costs Meet Daily Use
The report’s main point is that a feature’s appearance does not tell homeowners what it will demand after installation. Cleaning, sealing, repairs and replacement can add ongoing work or expense beyond the initial purchase price. For people planning a renovation, considering those costs before committing can help them judge whether a visually striking choice fits their routines and budget.
The designers’ comments also illustrate a trade-off between style and function. A waterfall island may suit a large kitchen but sacrifice storage or seating; a freestanding tub may work in a spacious bathroom but be awkward in a tight one. Those are attributed professional judgments, not findings from a comparative test. The best choice can depend on room dimensions, household needs, materials, installation quality and willingness to maintain the feature.
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What the Designers Flagged
House Beautiful frames the list around the difficulty of choosing features that will remain satisfying over time, amid quickly changing interior trends. Its source material names zellige tile, cement tile, waterfall islands, smart-home systems, white linen furniture, built-in coffee makers, disposable furniture and freestanding tubs among the 13 choices discussed. The supplied excerpt does not identify all 13 features, so this article does not infer or add the missing entries.
The article presents comments from a handful of design professionals and does not describe a survey, product testing or an industry-wide consensus. Its examples are best read as cautions to weigh against individual circumstances, rather than instructions that homeowners should remove existing features or avoid them in every project.
“Because each piece is handmade, there’s a lot of variation in size and thickness, making installation slow and tricky.”
— Jamie Chappell, Fireclay Tile
Limits of the Advice
The source presents designers’ opinions but gives no independent testing, cost comparisons or maintenance data to quantify the drawbacks. It does not establish how frequently the cited problems occur or whether they apply to every product, installation or household. Some issues, such as smart-home reliability or the practicality of a tub, may vary with the system, room layout and user needs.
The supplied report excerpt also omits five entries from the headline’s 13-item list. It is therefore unclear from the provided material which additional features the full article discusses. No information is provided about follow-up research, a formal industry response or changes to product guidance.
Decisions Before Renovation
The report does not announce a product change, new rule or scheduled next development. For homeowners, the practical next step is to compare purchase and installation costs with maintenance, cleaning and space requirements before choosing a feature. Designers quoted in the article suggest alternatives in some cases, including a furniture-style island, a separate coffee bar or a more practical tub arrangement.
Those options are suggestions, not guarantees of lower cost or better performance. Homeowners considering a specific material or built-in system can seek project-specific advice from qualified installers and designers, and ask how repairs, upkeep and replacement would work in their particular space.
Key Questions
What is the report about?
House Beautiful lists 13 home features that designers said they would not choose for their own spaces, citing concerns such as upkeep, cost, installation and practicality.
Why did the designers criticize zellige tile?
Jamie Chappell of Fireclay Tile says its handmade pieces vary in size and thickness, which can make installation slow and difficult. She also says the tile can chip, craze or stain and needs regular sealing.
Are waterfall kitchen islands always impractical?
No. Harty and Cunningham point to possible trade-offs, including less storage or seating, limited outlet placement and corners that can chip. Whether those drawbacks matter depends on the kitchen and the homeowner’s priorities.
Does the report prove these features are bad investments?
No. The source provides designers’ opinions and does not report comparative testing or quantified costs. The concerns may help guide planning, but they do not establish that every example is a poor investment.
Source: housebeautiful.com
