Designers are increasingly blunt about one thing: the wrong wood finish can date your home faster than almost any other detail. As tastes shift toward softer, more natural textures, a once-coveted glossy look is now the finish experts most often flag as a problem. If you are planning to repaint cabinets, refinish floors, or buy new furniture, reconsidering that classic high-shine surface could be the difference between a space that feels current and one that looks stuck in the past.
Instead of treating wood like a surface to lacquer into submission, designers are leaning into finishes that let grain, tone, and texture breathe. The move away from heavy sheen is not just about aesthetics, it is tied to broader shifts toward authenticity, comfort, and even how your brain responds to the materials you live with every day.
Why High Gloss Wood Suddenly Looks So Dated
The finish designers are urging you to rethink first is the ultra-reflective, high gloss coating that once signaled “upscale.” On cabinetry, floors, and furniture, that mirror-like shine now reads as harsh and overly formal in most homes, especially when paired with modern lighting and open layouts. Designers warn that High Gloss Finishes can make a room feel more like a showroom than a place you actually live, which is why they are at the top of the “avoid” list if you want a timeless look.
That critique is echoed in broader design conversations about “Super shiny surfaces,” which have been singled out as one of the most jarring trends in recent years, the kind that makes you want to “Grab your sunglasses” when you walk into a kitchen full of reflective cabinet fronts and polished counters. When you combine glossy wood with stainless steel appliances and other slick finishes, the effect can be visually exhausting rather than luxurious, a key reason designers now steer clients away from that classic high-shine treatment and toward subtler options that age more gracefully in everyday light.
The New Mood: Authentic, Tactile, And Less Processed
What is replacing that glassy look is not a single “it” finish, but a broader preference for wood that feels honest and touchable. One influential perspective describes “The most significant trend emerging right now” as a renewed interest in authenticity, a focus on “what things are as opposed to what they appear to be,” a shift that has shaped work by the firm Arkin Tilt Architects in Berkeley, California and is captured in a detailed FALL 2022 design analysis. In that context, a thick, glossy coating that hides grain and texture feels out of step with where interiors are headed.
Designers are also paying attention to how your brain and body respond to surfaces. In a discussion labeled “The Psychological Impact,” one report notes that “Neuroscience” research, using sensor-based methods, shows that our sensory systems respond strongly to micro-irregularities and tactile variation, which is exactly what heavy gloss tends to erase. That same analysis points out that a popular porous material is “Porous and Prone to Staining,” a reminder that the most practical finishes are not always the most sealed or synthetic, and it underscores why many designers now favor more natural-feeling wood treatments that invite touch rather than repel it, as detailed in a recent The Psychological Impact discussion.
From Super Shiny To Soft Sheen: What Designers Recommend Instead
If you are phasing out high gloss, the next question is what to choose in its place. Designers consistently point to matte and low-sheen finishes as the most reliable way to keep wood looking current. Professional finish makers describe Matte Finishes as “Perfect for” creating a subtle, elegant look on wood surfaces, emphasizing that this kind of finish provides a natural, understated appearance that still “exudes sophistication.” That softer sheen lets grain and color come forward without the glare, which is why so many designers now default to matte or satin on cabinets, built-ins, and furniture.
Designers also caution that the problem is not just shine, but how certain stain colors combine with it. In a widely cited list of finishes to avoid, experts flag red- or yellow-toned pine and other heavily tinted treatments that skew orange, especially when they are paired with a glossy topcoat. Those finishes are singled out as making homes look stuck in a previous era, and the same report recommends shifting toward more neutral stains and matte or satin finishes if you want your woodwork to feel timeless rather than trendy.
Color And Tone: Why Mid And Dark Woods Are Back
Alongside the shift in sheen, there is a clear move in color and tone. After years of pale, almost bleached woods dominating Instagram feeds, designers are now embracing richer hues again. One trend report notes that Mid-toned wood is gaining popularity for those who want a balance between light and dark finishes, with these tones adding depth without overwhelming the room. That middle ground works especially well with softer sheens, because the color variation and grain pattern become the star instead of the gloss.
At the same time, darker woods are no longer treated as off-limits. A recent forecast notes that “Whether” it is cabinetry or furniture, dark wood is starting to fall back into favor, and adds that “While” light wood has been all the rage, deeper stains are returning as a way to add drama and warmth. Designers quoted in that report, including the principal designer of Cerminara Design, frame this as a pendulum swing away from the all-Scandi, all-light look and toward more layered, classic interiors, a shift captured in a detailed Nov trend roundup.
Natural Wood, Not Painted Floors, Is The New Status Look
Designers are not just rethinking sheen and color, they are also re-evaluating how much of the wood you should cover up at all. One flooring forecast notes that “Speaking of” floorboards, painting them, no matter their width, is a firm “no” for the coming year, with one expert recalling “There was a moment” when painted floors peaked but arguing that the new priority is letting materials retain their natural character and “newness.” That perspective, laid out in a detailed guide to outdated flooring trends, dovetails with the broader move away from high gloss and heavy surface treatments.
The same instinct is driving a resurgence of natural finishes on doors, trim, and cabinetry. One analysis titled “The Timeless Allure of Natural Wood” explains that homeowners are rediscovering how untreated or lightly finished wood can add warmth, sophistication, and elegance without feeling fussy. “Here” the argument is that natural wood finishes are making a comeback because they highlight grain and texture instead of burying them under layers of shine, a case made in detail in a report on The Timeless Allure of Natural Wood and its renewed popularity.
Texture, Neuroscience, And Why Wood Is The “It Girl” Again
Underneath all these finish debates is a bigger story about why wood itself is having a moment. Designers argue that, Unlike other materials, wood is not just a visual element, it “speaks to something deeper,” making it a uniquely welcome addition to any room. One trend piece even calls Unlike synthetic surfaces, wood a kind of emotional anchor in a space, which helps explain why so much attention is now focused on getting its finish right rather than simply making it as shiny as possible.
That renewed focus on texture also helps explain why certain “Super” glossy trends are being retired in favor of more tactile options. In a widely shared critique of “10 Horrifying Home Design Trends,” one section singles out “Super shiny surfaces” and tells readers to “Grab” their sunglasses, a vivid way of underscoring how fatiguing all that reflectivity can be in real life. When you combine that critique with the neuroscience-backed emphasis on micro-irregularities and the growing preference for authenticity, it becomes clear why designers are urging you to trade in high gloss for finishes that let wood look and feel like itself, a shift that aligns with the broader move toward Super thoughtful material choices.
How To Update Your Own Wood Finishes Without Starting From Scratch
For homeowners, the practical takeaway is not that you must rip out every glossy cabinet or floorboard, but that you should be strategic about where and how you dial back the shine. If you are planning a kitchen refresh, for example, you might keep existing wood species but sand down a high gloss topcoat and replace it with a satin or matte sealer that better suits current tastes. Designers who warn against “High Gloss Finishes” in Dec trend roundups often suggest that even a small shift in sheen can make a dated cabinet profile feel surprisingly fresh, a point reinforced in a detailed High Gloss Finishes breakdown that also calls out gray-washed looks that may not stand the test of time.
On floors and furniture, you can take a similar approach, prioritizing surfaces you touch and see most often. Refinishing a dining table in a matte or low-sheen finish, for instance, can instantly make it feel more contemporary and more comfortable to use, since you will not be staring at reflections every time you sit down. If you are choosing new pieces, look for descriptions that highlight natural grain, mid-toned or dark stains, and matte or satin topcoats, all of which align with the direction designers are heading. The goal is not to chase every micro-trend, but to move away from the one finish, high gloss, that experts across the board now agree is the fastest way to make your woodwork look out of date.
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