I'm an interior designer. These 10 popular trends don't actually look good in real life.

A few design choices that look good in photos may not be so great in real life. BCFC/Shutterstock As a seasoned interior designer and television art director, I've seen design trends come and go. Bold wallpaper and painted countertops rarely ever stand the test of time. White outdoor cushions, dark wood floors, and high-pile rugs are often too hard to maintain. Some things look way better on a screen than they do in person. As an interior designer for more than a decade who's also worked as a television art director, I know this better than most. Here are a few trends and design choices that seem nice from afar but don't work nearly as well in real life. All-white interiors look stunning in a curated Instagram post, but in real life, they can appear sterile, cold, and lacking in character.