• Insider spoke to interior designers about the decor trends from 2021 they want to leave behind.
• They think retro looks from the '90s and '80s are overused.
• Accent walls, yellow paint, and maximalism should stay in 2021. 

Oversized murals and accent walls are starting to feel dated.

Pops of colors are set to boom in home decor in 2022, but Andi Morse, the founder and principal designer of Morse Design, said she hopes those colors don't come in the form of oversized murals or accent walls.

"I'm not a big fan of murals or wallpaper on just one wall," Morse told Insider. "I prefer to cover the entire room in wallpaper."

Designers hope some '90s-inspired trends won't follow us into 2022.

"I'm glad to see some very nostalgic trends fading, especially the '90s teen-dream rooms," said Alessandra Wood, the vice president of style for Modsy.

Rather than feeling fun and vintage, some trends from the 1990s that have made their way back into people's homes just seem dated.

"Maybe because I owned a blow-up sofa, had rope-light accents, and walls plastered with photos of Leo and Freddie Prinze Jr., but this trend just makes me feel like I need to crack open YM and see what days of the month are best for my love life," Wood said.

The influence of the '80s is weighing on some designers too.

"I have not embraced the '80s retro vibes," said Caron Woolsey, the founder and principal designer for CW Interiors.

Home-decor trends in the 1980s included bold colors, clear lucite pieces, and geometric furniture.

"While I feel like that 'Saved by the Bell' style has its purpose in diners, it does not fit in with the aesthetic I ascribe to for elegant, timeless design for homes," she said.

Some are hoping there's a bit more minimalism in 2022.

Maggie Griffin, the founder and lead designer of Maggie Griffin Design, said she's tired of "an overabundance of trinkets" in people's homes.

"With an influx of online estate sales, it seems everyone is layering and leaning into the more-is-more aesthetic," she said. "I love a good statement collection, but be careful to avoid 'theme' decorating."

It's better to create balance in your home rather than filling every nook and cranny.

Other experts are sick of the color gray.

"I am tired and over gray," Morse said. "It has been overused and seems to be the go-to when people don't want to bother with getting creative."

Morse will likely get her wish, as Wood previously told Insider earthy neutrals like "camel, taupe, cognac, rust, and sage" will replace one-dimensional hues like gray and white in 2022.

But Morse is also hoping people stop using so much yellow in their homes.

"I also don't love the idea of pops of yellow," she added.

"Yellow was a big color this past year, and I just don't love it," she said.

But Griffin predicts people will gravitate toward yellow in the coming year, along with other "citrus" hues.

Designers don't love word-based decor anymore.

In recent years, people have started filling their homes with word-based decor, often in the form of signs, knickknacks, or murals.

Woolsey said she doesn't like word-based decor, as she thinks of it as "cheating."

The experts instead prefer people use antiques and textured furniture to bring dynamic decor to their homes.

And many designers are hoping people will do less new shopping for their homes.

A big reason antique furniture is becoming more popular is that it's a more sustainable option than a lot of fast furniture.

"I love the thought of continuing to shop local for used pieces versus sourcing everything brand-new," Griffin said.

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