KNOWING WHAT DECORATING TRENDS TO FOLLOW AND WHICH ONES TO SKIP CAN BE A TOUGH DECISION. HERE ARE A FEW OF MY BEST TIPS.
As a blogger and designer, I understand that I shouldn’t sweat trying to follow all the trends that come in and out of style, or even attempt to predict or set new trends.
As part of the industry, I see so many trends and even for me, it can be easy to get sucked in and have fun joining in on some of them. I also see some people that always seem to dive in head first any time a hot new trend takes over. Over the past year or so, I’ve also been seeing people say they are going more timeless and classic to avoid all future trends. I’ve said it too, but that’s not the whole story.
As lovely as it sounds to say you are going to avoid all future trends, by sticking to classic and timeless design isn’t necessarily true forever. Just look at your own style over the past 10, 15 or 20 years. I can say that while certain elements have remained the same in my own style, my decorating tastes are not what they were years ago. We all change and evolve over time including our lifestyle, our place in life, etc. and therefore our home decor styles naturally evolve too.
So even though I’ve also said I’m looking less at trends and going for a more classic design style for my home, I’m under no delusion that the look I’m creating today is going to be the look I’ll have for the rest of my life. Who wants that anyway?
So, who exactly sets all the trends anyway?
Well, the answer is twofold.
On one side, trends are manufactured by the design industry. They basically create a trend by swaying our opinions. Think Target. I’m not picking on Target, I love shopping there but they are a great example of manufactured trends.
The color of the year, be it Pantone, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, etc. is another example. Pantone announces the color of the year and then you start seeing products featuring that color all over the place a couple months later.
The second side is Organic Trends. Organic trends are trends that blow up or go viral through Instagrammers, Bloggers, or other outlets.
Joanna Gaines and her modern farmhouse style with shiplap and industrial accents is a prime example of how the farmhouse style became so huge 10 or so years ago.
You could also say shows like HomeTown have increased the popularity of the grandmillennial trend.
Trends vs. Classic Design
For me, I have always felt like a balance between classic design and the latest trends is the best way to go with your home decor. Creating a foundation through classic design and then layering in touches of your favorite trends keeps your home feeling fresh while protecting you from having to redecorate every couple of years.
I can say from our current culture, DIY decorators, including myself, can constantly suffer from inspiration overload. From Instagram to Pinterest, and all the other media, we can easily be swayed into buying things that don’t necessarily fit our lifestyle or that we don’t truly love for the long term.
Trends = Season of Life
If you think of home decorating in terms of friends, you could call trends your friends for a season in your life. You know who I mean; those friends you had just in high school or college or a past job. Trends then are things you may regret later or something that requires your immediate attention. Yep, i can think of people (and decor) that fit into that category for me.
Not sure? If you can look at something and pinpoint a specific decade it’s from then it’s a trend.
Trends can be used to enhance your Décor
While I’m a firm believer in not chasing all the trends, what I do enjoy about them is that you can use them to keep your home feeling fresh and bring yourself joy. It allows your home to evolve slowly with you without breaking the bank.
I like to think about trends as accents or use trends in your home accents – the things that can be easily swapped out or replaced without a lot of money or effort. These include:
- Lighting
- Area Rugs
- Throw Pillows
- Wall Decor
- Small Accent Furniture
- Storage containers
- Accent wall treatments
Classic = Lifelong Companion
Classic decorating, unlike trends, is with you long term. It’s the things you always love no matter what even if it comes and goes from taking center stage. Unlike trends which can be demanding of your attention, classic decor is what sets the backdrop for your entire space or your entire home. These are the things you call tried and true or traditional. They are the little black dress of your home decorating.
These are also the things I strongly recommend making your investment pieces:
- Tile and stone work
- Millwork
- Large furniture pieces
- Large area wall treatments
- Flooring
An example of this in my own home is the hardwood flooring we chose. B and I didnt look at what was trending or popular three years ago, we went with what we loved – natural white oak. At that time, medium brown flooring wasn’t what was popular but we knew that it fit our home, our life and lifestyle and we’ve never once had second thoughts about our decision.
Know when Something Sparks Joy – It makes you happy
Our oak flooring again falls into this category.
If you aren’t sure for yourself, what do you find yourself pinning over and over again? Is it a color, a piece of furniture, a specific style? Looking at what constantly jumps out at you, especially when it’s repeated many times, will show you the things that fall into this category for you.
Learn to DIY or Thrift
I have been a DIYer and Thrifter for most of my life so I feel like it’s second nature to look at things and consider what I can thrift or DIY myself.
My Thrifted Wood Frame Chairs
My Thrifted Pinch Pleat Drapes for the Family Room
DIY Coastal Rope Mirror Inspired by Serena and Lily
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