It's hard to believe fluffy toilet seats were once in fashion. But bathrooms all over the Western Hemisphere once popped a shaggy wig over their toilet seat. The fact that there was no point to them at all other than to highlight a colourful bathroom suite is no wonder their popularity has now been flushed down the loo. And, don't worry we are not going to approach the subject of hygiene here, we are sure you can imagine!

Wooden, cardboard and plastic ornaments carved into three-dimensional words such as 'home' 'love' and 'Mrs & Mrs' (to name just a few) were once very popular. But, it seems the trend for more stylish neon wall art with aspirational quotes and personalised mantra's in funky fonts has blown the original chunky typo-trinkets off our shelves for good.

Remember the shiny plastic or dusty satin flowers of the 80s? They may have been easier to maintain and cheaper than buying a beautiful new display each week but the kitsch factor was off the scale. What made them worse was when they were potted in layers of coloured sand or dazzling and sparkly pebbles. 

Who remembers wanting to own a funky futon? The fad for multifunctional furniture and minimalist designs in the early 90s made these Japanese low-level beds super fashionable. Once they were given a western update with a wooden frame, the space-saving futon sofa bed became famous worldwide.

Ornate wrought iron furniture was quite the high-end addition in the 70s and 80s. Thankfully metal furniture has straightened out its lavish curves as sleek right angles or hairpin legs are the go-to look these days. 

Cork has been a flooring choice for decades. Made from the cork oak tree, it is a natural material mostly used in kitchens and bathrooms thanks to its waterproof qualities. But, it is the original sealant that gives it a shiny orange look that is now so out of date. However, thanks to technology and cork's sustainable and biodegradable properties, cork flooring is looking a little more attractive these days. Dare we say it, could cork be on its way back?

The puffy floral rugs were laid all over carpets in the 80s and 90s, adding a pop of feminine colour to beige interiors. For those who remember, wasn't brushing out the tassels every day such a pain!

Thanks to the popularity of much-loved metro or subway tiles in residential bathrooms, standard square bathroom tiles have been left behind. And, it's not just the bevelled brickwork that's taken over, mosaic penny tiles, hexagons and scallop-shaped tiles are the go-to bathroom tile choices over right-angles these days. 

A fireplace is always a beautiful focal feature in any room, so if yours is still fitted with an outdated gas fire, perhaps it's time for it to go. Can you believe that these gas fires were once thought of as cutting edge? Thankfully the trend has gone full circle and sustainable heating options are taking over as we try make our homes greener and more economical to run.

The odd piece of pine furniture here and there can add country charm but a full set of the knotty wooden storage is a no-no. In their prime the chunky dressers, drawers and full bedroom sets with orange finish were all the rage but these days a heavy pine presence is so passé. Why not give your pine furniture a revamp with paint? 

When the revolutionary 50s fitted kitchen exploded into our homes so with it came integrated refrigerators and cookers in a practical and affordable standard white finish. Thanks to technology and trends stainless steel, chrome, grey and even black and colour pop appliances have left white looking outdated and old fashioned. 

Homeowners loved to get creative with bold colours in the 70s and 80s and bathrooms were no exception. Colour clash shades from acid yellow to fuchsia pink covered the whole bathroom using tiles, shower curtains and towels. These days, the bathroom is seen as a soothing sanctuary, so, if do want to inject colour stick to one hero feature or just a few statement accessories. 

Named after soft vanilla petals of the magnolia plant the landlords' favourite neutral tone covered walls in almost every home in the 80s and 90s. Why? The buttery blend was considered safe, warm and can be matched with almost any furniture. However, with the introduction of all things Scandi white and cool grey reign and the once popular creamy shade of yellow seems to have had its heyday and turned sour. 

Here's another example from the 'magnolia' era. Beige layered with more beige was a safe colour choice and therefore very popular in the 1990s. Beige walls, beige lighting, beige furniture, beige window dressings – you get our drift. Thank goodness for the modern neutral palettes of today that blend greys, pinks, taupes and natural tones for a multidimensional look.

If you have tired wall art displayed in gilt frames in your home perhaps you need a new exhibit. Associated with stuffy old art galleries and antique stores the once considered ornate finish is now thought of as gaudy and out of style. The odd one or two can look quirky as part of a decorative gallery wall or upcyled with splashes of neon paint, but any more and it's time for a change of 'art'. 

We're not sure where to start with this one. During the 80s and 90s, savvy DIY-ers set about defining a whole new era of paint effects – from making rag rolling brushes from torn strips of cloth, to creating mottled patterns with sponges and stenciling quirky border patterns. That's right, textured paint techniques were all the rage and remnants of the craze can still be seen in homes today. Now's the time to brush these pattern effects off for good.

The colourful kaleidoscopic trend is finally hurting our eyes! Unless you are a hipster at heart of course. This arty colour technique dates back centuries but is probably best remembered by us as the go-to fabric for festival going rockstars and free spirits of the 60s and 70s. You can still get away with a touch of tie-dye in global schemes but perhaps it's best we leave the psychedelic versions back where they belong. 

Lacy net curtains could be seen hanging in the windows of almost every house on the planet at one time – and they served a very real purpose. Not only do they add a layer of privacy to ground-floor levels, but they also allow light into a room without creating glare. Yet these days, with so many sleek window dressing options available, we reckon it's curtains for nets – at least for now.

Also known as ruffled valance sheets, your dust ruffle bed skirts are crying out to be chucked. These over-the-top decorative covers were once used to keep dust from settling underneath mattresses, covering up unsightly bed frames in the process. While they may have once been a chic feature in a stylish boudoir, ruffled bed skirts are a sure-fire way to date your home.

Unless you're rocking a cool mid-century modern home with a butterfly roofline, there really is no excuse for excessive interior wood panelling. If your walls, doors and ceilings match, then you know it's time to take that cladding to the scrap heap. Freed from overbearing swathes of wood, your home will feel so much lighter and brighter. However, chic painted wood panelling on one feature wall or in a hallway is a big yes from us though.

We can't say we're sorry to see the back of 70s-style plaid. The younger sister of gingham, plaid patterns usually consist of loud colours in varying chequered styles. Don't get us wrong, there is a place for plaid, but it definitely isn't in a floral dining room!

In the 90s, very few teenagers were without a bean bag chair. Usually placed in front of TV screens or games consoles, bean bags enabled youngsters to lounge around in optimal comfort. Yet there's nothing stylish or modern about decorating your home with these shapeless seats – bin the bean bag and opt for an adult-friendly couch instead.

Another child of the 1950s, linoleum was once an ultra-modern interior feature that was seen as an affordable and durable alternative to traditional types of floor coverings. But with this new invention came a plethora of crazy patterns, colours and styles, usually in direct contrast to the rest of a room. However, lino is having a bit of a renaissance in modern homes as on-trend block colours and modern patterns make it a shortcut to creating a statement floor.

Ah, dried flowers. The 1990s saw these dusty arrangements take over our homes but as the trend for green houseplants took over, these dried ensembles have since been tossed to the wayside. As with bowls of fake fruit, it's time to let these chintzy bundles go but dried grasses and modern, informal arrangements are actually making a comeback.

During the 1970s and 80s, kitchen tiles travelled from our walls and floors onto our kitchen countertops. Thanks to their versatile colours, shapes and sizes, decorating your work surfaces with tiles allowed for a truly unique look, while their easy-clean finish made wiping up spills simple. Despite all this, tiled countertops have long been considered dated, so strip back your surfaces and opt for something a little less kitsch.

Patterned carpet is not the province of the modern home these days and for good reason. In the 40s and 50s, brightly-coloured motif flooring was everywhere, yet in recent decades this fad has faded. These days, more people are opting for neutral, block colour carpets or monochrome designs – a decision we can definitely get behind!

The 60s gave us many things, from audio cassettes to ATMs, but one item we can no longer think of with affection is the shag pile carpet. Thick and usually colour matched with other interior furnishings, shag carpets were once seen as a sophisticated, cosy addition to any room. Your floor doesn't need a cushion, so ditch the shag once and for all!

The rise of the feature wall has been nothing short of phenomenal. From damask prints to woodland scenes, glittery wallpaper to contrasting paint, no stone was left unturned in the quest to create a focal point in many a 00s living room. The most fashionable interiors now take a four-wall approach to wall coverings, opting for either all-out maximalism or stripped back plaster-effects. That being said, they will always have a place in our hearts!

Can't get enough of vintage décor? Step inside these time-warp homes of the past