I have spent enough time wandering through friends’ homes, furniture stores, and my own living room (usually with a grandchild tugging at my sleeve) to notice a funny pattern.

Some of us Boomers are trying awfully hard to seem hip, especially when it comes to decorating our homes.

And trust me, I understand the impulse. When I retired and suddenly had more time to stare at my walls, I felt a strange urge to modernize.

But somewhere between swapping out curtains and trying to understand what mid century modern actually means, I realized something important.

Trying too hard to look young usually does the exact opposite.

With a friendly wink and a bit of self deprecating honesty, here are ten home decor choices that tend to give away the game.

If you spot a couple from your own house, do not worry. I have had most of these in mine at some point too.

Let us get into them.

1) The “live, laugh, love” era that simply will not end

You have seen them. You might even have one hanging right above your mantel.

Those inspirational word art signs that remind us to SMILE or BREATHE or DREAM.

Look, I enjoy a good motivational quote. I read plenty of philosophy and older psychology books, and they often give me fresh ways to think about things.

But these signs became trendy about fifteen years ago, and younger folks tend to see them as relics from the early days of Pinterest.

When a house is sprinkled with them in every room, it does not come across as youthful.

It sends the signal that we are holding on to a trend that came and went.

2) Overusing gray everything

I remember when beige ruled the world. Then, almost overnight, gray became the new modern color.

And if you are anything like me, you probably thought, alright, gray it is.

The problem is that younger people have already moved on. They are choosing warm earth tones and natural materials.

Gray walls, gray couches, gray cabinets and gray rugs create what younger folks now call the Boomer attempt at trendy.

A little gray is fine. A whole house soaked in it feels frozen in 2016.

3) Faux distressed farmhouse furniture that looks a little too tired

I will admit it. I went through a chalk paint phase. For a while my home looked like everything had been gently attacked with sandpaper.

Blame those home renovation shows. They made it seem like the height of sophistication.

But the farmhouse trend has faded. The intentionally chipped paint and faux aged tables no longer read as youthful.

Younger people prefer either clean modern pieces or true vintage items that show their age naturally.

If your home looks like a set from an old barn themed reality show, it is a tell.

4) Too many throw pillows everywhere

I love a good throw pillow as much as anyone else.

But if your couch requires a full excavation before anyone can sit down, you might be overdoing it.

Younger people keep things minimal. Maybe two pillows with interesting textures. We Boomers sometimes stack them like we are preparing for a landing.

There is a line between cozy and cluttered. A mountain of pillows usually lands on the wrong side.

5) Trend chasing light fixtures that belong in a hotel lobby

This one always brings a smile to my face.

A friend of mine, let us call him Jeff, installed one of those giant metal orb chandeliers in his dining room because he saw it in a magazine.

When I walked in, I honestly wondered if I should check in for dinner service.

Oversized metal fixtures, industrial cages, and dramatic chandeliers were everywhere a decade ago.

But when Boomers install them now, younger people see it as trying a bit too hard.

Today the younger crowd prefers simple, warm, understated lighting. Less spectacle, more atmosphere.

6) Wall to wall motivational calendars and giant framed family collages

I adore my family. If you have been a regular reader, you may remember I once wrote about how my grandchildren often help me see things more clearly.

But even I admit that younger folks prefer subtle family displays.

Many Boomers, myself included at one point, use hallways and living rooms as full family exhibits.

Giant multi photo frames, calendars with everyone’s faces on each month, and rows of graduation photos from every decade.

A few photos are lovely. An entire gallery that takes up half the house can signal that we are decorating the way we always have rather than the way young people do today.

7) Overly coordinated matching furniture sets

Back in the day, buying a full matching furniture set meant you had made it.

Bedroom sets, living room sets, dining sets. Everything matching was the goal.

But younger people mix and match. They blend thrifted chairs with a modern sofa or pair an antique dresser with a simple bed frame. It feels personal and effortless.

When everything in a home matches too perfectly, it often looks more like the living room section of a furniture catalog than a youthful home.

8) Trendy slang artwork or neon signs

I have seen the neon sign trend in younger people’s apartments. But when Boomers try to copy it, it usually misses the mark.

A glowing sign that says Good Vibes Only above a breakfast nook does not come across as youthful. It comes across as trying to keep up.

Same thing with framed slang like It’s Lit or Yas Queen. We do not actually talk this way, and young people know it.

There is nothing wrong with playful decor. It just needs to be your version of playful, not borrowed from a twenty something.

9) The beachy decor style even when you are nowhere near a beach

For a while, my home looked like I lived in a coastal cottage despite the fact that I live nowhere near the coast.

Seashell frames, driftwood art, turquoise pillows, and signs that said things like Life is Better at the Beach.

Younger folks tend to see this style as a classic Boomer aesthetic. It is cheerful, yes, but it is also tied to a very specific era and age group.

Unless you really do live by the ocean, leaning too hard into beach decor can age your space quickly.

10) Massive entertainment centers filled with every device ever made

The great electronic shrine. We all know the one. The giant wooden wall unit with space for DVDs, CDs, cable boxes, stereo receivers, speakers, and sometimes even a VCR.

Younger people hang a slim TV on the wall and stream everything.

They do not keep shelves of physical media or twenty different remotes in a basket.

When someone sees that large cabinet with glass doors and drawers full of old movies, it does not say young.

It says I remember Blockbuster and I am not apologizing.

A few parting thoughts

Decorating should never be about fooling anyone into thinking we are younger than we are.

It should reflect our personality, our memories, and what makes us feel happy at home.

The funny thing is that when we stop trying to look youthful, we usually end up with a space that feels more timeless.

Let me ask you something. Which of these did you spot in your home? And which ones actually feel true to your style?

If you ever want help freshening up your home without pretending to be twenty five, I am always happy to talk it through.

After all, we have earned the right to enjoy our homes exactly as we like them.