Designers ALWAYS Skip These Overrated Home Features

Turns out, huge soaking tubs are more about aesthetics. "They take up a ton of space, use an incredible amount of water and most of my clients end up using them once or twice a year — if that," says Michelle Murphy of DEMI RYAN. "They photograph beautifully, but when you're sprinting through daily life, the idea of a long, luxurious soak rarely becomes reality."

Six interior designers agreed: Pot fillers are overrated. "The top needless renovation item on my list is the pot filler," says Nancy Davilman, principal designer and ND Interiors. "Rarely is a kitchen so large that carrying a pot of water from the sink to the stove causes any real strain. I feel they're a complete waste of money."

"They always seem like a good idea in theory — until you realize they interrupt a beautiful backsplash, require extra plumbing and ultimately don't save you any real effort," agrees Cathleen Gruver of Gruver Cooley.

"Fully open floor plans are overrated in my mind," says Hillary Cohen of HCO Interiors. "Homeowners can go through a lot of trouble and expense to have these massively open areas, and they end up missing the privacy and function that are provided by more traditional layouts."

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Unless you host on a regular basis, the formal dining room often sits untouched. "It's the room that's often the most expensive to decorate beautifully — and the most underutilized," says Nancy Davilman, principal designer of ND Interiors. "Clients with young kids often say they want 'an adult space,' but when it comes down to it, they rarely leave the kitchen or family room to use it."

"Formal living rooms are at the top of the list," agrees Olivia Botrie of Dart Studio. "In most homes, they become museum spaces that gather dust."

Four designers warn against overly ambitious or complicated smart home systems. "These systems are sold as easy to use, but they are expensive and prove difficult for the average person to use on a daily basis," says Patti Woods, principal designer of Patti Woods Interiors.

Most systems require constant upgrading and maintenance — you may even have to remove a system that's outdated or operated by a company that's gone out of business, according to Seth Ballad of Ballard + Mensua Architecture.

Half-enclosed or doorless showers might look beautiful, but they lack function in most homes. "Heat escapes, water splashes out and the whole experience becomes a daily frustration," says Lauren Saab of Saab Studios. "Here's a far better option: A fully enclosed wet room that feels intentional and immersive. They are properly sealed, thermally balanced and often include integrated heated flooring."

A few designers believe walk-in closets are a waste of square footage. "Giant walk-in closets that feel like a department store showroom can be more glam than practical," says Elana Tenenbaum Cline, founder of Carta Creatives. "We've seen clients invest heavily in closet builds that end up feeling too precious to function well."

Home theaters are rarely used as much as expected. "Dedicated home theaters often become a novelty instead of a meaningful extension of the home," says Galey Grimes of Galey Grimes Interiors. "They sound luxurious but often get skipped in favor of cozier, multi-functional living spaces that people actually use every day."

On paper, it sounds glamorous: one island for prep, another for serving or seating. "In practice, two islands often create more congestion than convenience," says Boutlie. "It breaks up the kitchen's flow and turns cooking into a relay race."

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Designers try to sway clients away from this techie home feature. "Backlit medicine cabinets and bathroom mirrors give off the worst, harshest light, and aren't actually helpful for makeup application," says Jennifer Press of Press Interiors.

Building a fireplace in the bedroom can be costly — and "most clients never light them," says Boutlier. "It's a romantic notion, the soft flicker of a fire at the foot of the bed, a glass of wine in hand, maybe snow falling just outside. But unless you live somewhere truly frigid, that fireplace becomes more ornamental than functional."

With a growing focus on health and wellness, at-home saunas have become more popular in recent years. "I can't tell you how many clients had a sauna installed thinking they'd use it all the time, just to have it transformed into a totally different space a few years later," says Press.

"We love utility and organization, but the palatial butler's pantry has become more symbol than substance," says Boutlier. "Unless you're hosting formal dinners weekly, it often ends up as a second kitchen collecting countertop appliances and dust."

Similar to saunas, steam showers have been all the rage over the past few years — but they're expensive to install. You need to purchase additional plumbing mechanisms and install shower glass air tight to the ceiling.

Not to mention, "it's highly advised not to use natural stone in your shower with steam (it's too porous) and it'll need to be treated often," according to Nicole Hirsch of Nicole Hirsch Interiors. "Forgo the steam and pour that money into stunning natural slabs and high-end plumbing fixtures."

"Balconies off primary suites are something clients think they will spend early mornings sipping coffee on — in reality, they never get used," says Sarah Snouffer of Third Street Architecture. "The required framing needed and the costs of the added material and exterior door is something we always steer our clients away from."

Instead, Snouffer suggests maximizing window heights and making the operable areas of the window as large as possible.