As we enter the new year, we’re going to be inundated with hundreds of “Top Trends of 2022” articles. With everything from Pantone’s colour of the year to the latest and greatest home decor trends, you might be asking yourself -is it time to reimagine your home?
While it very well might be time to start thinking about new ways to update your home, doing so because of the newest trends may not be the best path to take. Much like fashion, design trends come and go quickly. Lest we never forget the low-rise jeans of the early 2000s or the parachute pants. They were so loved in the 1990s! These trends were fun while they lasted. But, what if I said that you had to live in those low-rise jeans and parachute pants for the rest of your life?
That’s what you’re signing up for when you decide to jump on the trend bandwagon. But don’t worry, all hope is not lost. There is a way to create a fashionable home that doesn’t need to be completely redesigned every 6 months.
There are 4 tips I like to share with my clients when they come to me with their latest trend inspiration and I am excited to share them with you so you can avoid the pitfalls of trends and reap all the benefits!
Focus on designing a classic home you’ll always love.
When you are initially designing your home, go for classic styles that speak to you but are also long-lasting and always in style. You need to ensure that your home not only looks great but also works well with your lifestyle.
Just because Grecian columns are the “it” design element when you are designing your home doesn’t mean you should build them into every room in your home. Instead, focus on adding elements to your home that will never go out of style—think hardwood floors, marble countertops, and neutral paint colours.
Not every trend is going to be right for your home. I can honestly say I have never jumped on the crop top bandwagon—sure, it’s a popular trend but I know it won’t look great on me. The same principle should be applied to your home when you are considering trends.
Some trends won’t work well in your home and that is totally okay. So when you are considering trends, really think carefully about your home and how they will impact the overall feel of your home.
Think it through
Don’t jump into a new trend without really thinking it through. You don’t want to splash a trendy colour or style all across your living room and realize after a few weeks that you, in fact, hate it.
Try living with the style for a while before you fully commit to it. To do this, cut out a few inspiration images and put them on your fridge or in your workspace. If after a month or two you are still smitten with the pictures, then maybe it’s time to find a way to incorporate the trend into your home. And even still, keep it on a small scale—don’t paint your entire home, start with a room or maybe even just a wall.
If you are still set on adding a trend or two into your home, there is a way to do it. My general rule of thumb is to keep all of your larger investment pieces as long term design elements in your home. Think sofas, dining room tables, and bedroom sets.
Your smaller, accent pieces can be seen as short (or shorter) term design elements.
These smaller accessories—like pillows, blankets, vases, and plants—are a great way to experiment with new trends. You can introduce new colours, new themes, and new design elements on a much smaller, more affordable scale.
And if you hate it… then you can simply switch it back out without too much stress.
Trends come and go, classical style is forever
My advice when it comes to trends is to stop feeling the pressure to keep up with them. Your home will thank you for it!