9 home trends from the early 2000s that you forgot existed

Interior design in the early 2000s was all about comfort and practicality. While this generally made for great living experiences, the trade-off saw some not so great aesthetics.

Take a look back at some of the biggest Australian design trends from the beginning of the 21st century.  

1. Huge entertainment units

While the television screens of today are bigger than they were 15 years ago, large and bulky entertainment units were all the rage in the early 2000s.

After all, where else were you going to store the VHS player, DVD player, Blu-ray player, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, speaker system, CD player and Foxtel box?

2. Feature walls

How do you spice up your home with a limited budget? While the answer today might be to buy some inexpensive homewares (Target and Kmart, we’re looking at you), in the early 2000s it was all about the feature wall.

Painting a feature wall in a bedroom or living area was one of the most popular home DIY projects undertaken in Australia over the late 1990s and early 2000s, as inspired by renovation and lifestyle programs of the time such as Changing Rooms, Backyard Blitz and the early years of Better Homes and Gardens and The Block.

• Related:​ 1980s interior design trends are coming back
• Related: Architecture trends for 2018
• Related: The 1970s trend making a comeback

Feature walls commonly featured metallic paints, patterned wallpaper or bold shades of purple, blue and pink.

3. Metal bed frames

Current bed frames are generally quite neutral, allowing beautiful sheets and cushions to make a statement.

However, this was not the case in the early 2000s – a time where statement bedheads in wrought iron were the height of fashion.

4. Granite kitchens

If you built a kitchen in the early 2000s, chances are there was grey, beige or black granite on almost every surface.

This material was often paired with similar toned wooden cabinetry and chrome stools that lined the kitchen bench top.

5. Stainless steel appliances

No kitchen renovation was complete without some stainless steel appliances in the early 2000s.

Stainless steel fridges, toasters, kettles, microwaves, ovens and dishwashers were inserted into numerous Australian homes over this period by consumers attracted to their durable, sleek and shiny look.

As a bonus, the all-matching appliance look suited the all-granite kitchens mentioned above.

6. Spa baths

Bathrooms with gleaming white spa tubs were the height of luxury in the early 2000s.

With the pace of modern life now leaving little time for indulgent spa baths, these have since been replaced with statement showers, while freestanding baths serve as a more decorative pieces for occasional use.

7. Nautical theme

You’d be forgiven for thinking there was a rule stipulating all early 2000s coastal homes were to be decorated in a nautical theme.

Beach homes in this period were very commonly furnished with distressed white wooden pieces, shells, blue fabric lounges and framed art prints depicting sailing ships.

8. Dark wooden furniture

Naturally textured furniture with a glossy finish was in vogue in the 2000s and mainly used on coffee and kitchen tables.

The organic shape brought a rustic, earthy and country element into homes.

9. Futuristic furniture

There was a revival of 1950s and ’60s style futuristic furniture in the early 2000s, but unlike the original pieces that inspired them, these replicas proved incapable of standing the test of time.

This trend was a favourite particularly among children and teenagers of the generation.