According to CNN Money, here are 5 home renovation fads that we should try to forget:
The Great Room Craze - The Great-Room Craze of the 1980s was all about openness: Why should the kitchen be so removed? Why should there be any distinction between one room and another? The result is usually a great big mess.
Instead: A better option is to properly arrange a group of normal size rooms (with normal-size ceilings). Using french and sliding doors, rooms can be closed off when needed and opened up when you want a more spacious feel.
Stadium Kitchens - The "bigger is better" mentality helped put the kitchen on steroids. While it's true that many post-WWII suburban kitchens were cramped and drab, the response has been wildly disproportionate.
Instead: The perfect kitchen feels spacious but keeps everything close at hand. With a sensible layout, you don't have to take more than two steps between every countertop and no more than three steps between the work triangle of sink, oven and refrigerator.
Gaudy Garages - So now you have three cars. While the old one-car garage just isn't going to work anymore, beware the three-car garage in its traditional configuration of three cars side by side.
Instead: Break up the mass of a three-car garage by separating the third space from the other two. Doubling as a garden shed, the new structure adds utility while not overwhelming the house.
Porches in the Wrong Place - It's nice to have a screened-in porch, but what can be a problem is where you put such a structure.
Instead: Rather than obstruct your living and dining room views, place the outdoor space to the side, along an otherwise viewless hallway or kitchen. It may take a little creative thinking, but hey, that's why there are architects.
Built-In Lighting - Many homes built before WWII had almost no fixed lighting. The reaction to this was built-in lighting solutions that went overboard.
Instead: Don't have all of your lighting come from the ceiling. Use the walls for sconces while adding floor outlets so you can place lamps in the room. Combine these with switches and dimmers for creating different moods.
Check out the CNN Money slide show.
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