Furious Home Decor Debate Erupts Over Interior Designer’s Viral TikTok Highlighting Trends That Scream ‘I Don’t Have Taste’

Ah, the wonderful world of social media: a place to find inspiration, follow the latest trends—or joyously band together with strangers to judge others’ tastes.

The latest victim of that less-than-positive pastime? Home decor.

Interior designer Bergen Flom kicked off a furious design debate on her TikTok account after deciding to “stir the pot—by inviting her 44,000 followers to name the home decor choices that they believe “scream: ‘I don’t have taste.'”

The interiors expert kicked things off with her own pick, a Tom Ford coffee table book, going beyond stirring the pot to smashing it, garnering tens of thousands of comments from would-be decor aficionados expressing their dislike of some of the industry’s most popular, and pricey, trends.

At the time of writing, Flom’s post racked up more than 9.7 million views and more than 16,800 comments, many of which vehemently agreed on one thing: Money doesn’t buy taste.

So, what exactly are the internet’s biggest interior design red flags?

One of the most upvoted comments dragged MacKenzie-Childs, the homeware brand known for its whimsical, hand-painted checkerboard patterns on teapots, plates, and almost everything in between. 

The brand rose to popularity in the late 2010s thanks to Instagram influencers and Pinterest-perfect kitchen flat lays. Soon enough, it was checkerboard galore across America, part of an aesthetic that’s been described as “cottage glam.”

But with teapots priced between $170 and $300 and cake stands that can cost up to $300 apiece, the look doesn’t come cheap. Some commenters called it overpriced, and one even likened it to a “paint your pottery studio” for the suburban mom. 

Next up for the keyboard warriors against tasteless home decor: an Hermès Avalon throw blanket, which earned additional hatred for being regularly draped across high-priced sofas, a trend favored by top influencers and reality stars alike.

The wool and cashmere blanket, marked with the iconic H logo and a bold geometric pattern, can cost anywhere between $2,000 and $5,000 and has been dubbed “the Birkin of the home” after becoming a status symbol among the wealthy.

Celebrities such as Meghan Markle (whose blanket appeared in her Netflix docuseries), Kylie Jenner, and other Kardashians have all been spotted with one. It even made an early cameo in the 2008 “Sex and the City” movie.

But that didn’t stop close to 50,000 people in the comments section of Flom’s post from declaring it a bastion of bad taste. 

To be fair, it wasn’t just luxury brands on the chopping block. Many commenters also took aim at Rae Dunn, the affordable homeware line known for its cream-colored ceramics with whimsical phrases like “But first, coffee” or “Blessed.”

Often found at T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods, or Marshalls for about $6 to $12, Rae Dunn pieces became a staple of farmhouse-chic decor in the 2010s, and an emblem of the “Live, Laugh, Love” lifestyle. Now, TikTok has officially put them in the cringe category, with one commenter going as far as to suggest that having “anything by Rae Dunn” in your home is a bad-taste red flag. 

Beyond brand names, commenters called out broader decor decisions.

Whether cheap or high-end, anything that seemed overdone got a beating. But it wasn’t just the usual suspects—TikTok had strong opinions on general design choices, too. 

Some of the most up-voted offenses? Ceiling lights but no lamps, painted bricks, no books or fake ivy, the color gray, no color at all, and the classic “white-beige-blob furniture.”

Many mentioned disdain for too much newness, or not enough value placed on history, with one person decrying anyone who would “rip up floorboards for vinyl flooring,” while another said that having “no vintage pieces” in a home signifies a less-than-sophisticated occupant.

Entire themes were also called out, especially when they didn’t match the home’s location, including the wildly popular beach house aesthetic and a Parisian vibe.

Some got social, even political. What indicated having bad taste? Having “a man in your house.” 

But beneath the judgment and the roasting, a clear theme emerged: TikTok hates trends for trend’s sake, decor that’s expensive without intention, or decorating in a way that’s inauthentic to the person. 

Whether it’s a style choice, a brand aversion, or comedic relief, at the end of the day, Flom’s post showed people have plenty to say about home decor and how to do it wrong. 

And according to a popular comment, the real crime isn’t what’s in your house, it’s being a hater.

“I believe you should decorate however you want without judgement. Unless you choose to buy Rae Dunn. You too shall be judged.”