We love trendy designs as much as the next person. After all, there’s something refreshing about bringing some new and popular design elements into your home. Whether it’s a throw pillow or a completely redesigned kitchen, trendy designs you see on Pinterest or in high-end magazines are part of what makes interior design fun.
However, trends by definition are short-lived. Fun while they last, they often go out of style as quickly as they came. This means giving into trendy designs could make your home a revolving door of new aesthetics. That constant cycle is not only exhausting to keep up with but quite expensive in the long run.
For homeowners looking for quality of design over quantity, timeless design offers a break from the rat race of interior design trends. When you opt for high-quality and classic furniture or timeless decor, you can create a space that lasts for years without feeling dated. For your forever home, timeless design can truly be your best friend. But how do you figure out what’s enduring and what’s not? Keep reading to learn more about our Salt Lake City interior designers’ take on evergreen styles for your home.
How Long Do Home Decor Trends Last?
What’s the shelf life of a style like a modern farmhouse or mid-century modern? How about colorful ikat prints or marble countertops? Those are difficult questions to answer. Generally, the simpler a trend is, the longer it can last. Busy, highly detailed trends are more recognizable and therefore fade out of style faster. Think of intricately veined granite countertops or textured sponge painting — both recently had their moment for a decade or so, but we’re doomed to go out of style because of their bold, recognizable looks.
In fact, researchers in Denmark have discovered that today, trends stick around for an even shorter length of time than they did years or decades ago. That’s because with our abundance of digital content, design concepts become oversaturated quickly and new ideas can spread with lightning speed.
Keeping up with trends is a constant game — and with today’s rapid trend lifecycle, you’ll have to refresh your look even more often than before.
What Makes Design Timeless?
There’s one solution to never-ending trends; timeless design is an aesthetic that have been used for years and yet still feels beautiful, functional, and desirable.
Depending on the specific interior design piece you’re searching for, timeless design can take different shapes. For instance, when it comes to wall color, white is a safe but sophisticated option. White is always in style and never fails to feel fresh and crisp as the backdrop for your space.
Here are a few examples of how to find timeless decor or furniture for your home, no matter what you’re looking for:
Coffee Tables
Simplistic coffee tables offer the most staying power when it comes to timeless design. Look for clean lines, uncomplicated shapes, and timeless materials like glass, iron, medium-toned wood — or a natural stone like marble.
Hardwood Floors
Tile and carpet have a tendency to become dated fairly quickly because manufacturers often change the color, texture, and material for these flooring options. Hardwood floors, however, have been timeless design staples of interior spaces since all the back to America’s colonial days. Real hardwood floors in light or medium-toned stains never look dated and form a simple, functional, and naturally beautiful foundation for the rest of your interior.
Light Fixtures
Don’t overlook timeless light fixtures in your space; they can be a dead giveaway of dated design. Choose simple chandeliers to replace tired flush mount fixtures or old ceiling fans, or consider installing recessed lighting for a well-lit space that lets the furniture and decor make the statement.
What are Some Examples of Timeless Furniture Design?
Timeless furniture design includes styles that have been popular for more than one time period or decade. This can include a wide range of styles from Colonial or Victorian to French Country or Art Deco. But for many homeowners, the attainable yet enduring style that fits our modern homes often includes the following looks:
Mid-Century Modern Furniture
Designed in the 1950s and 1960s, mid-century modern is an interior style that has grown even more popular in the last 10 to 20 years. Based on the vintage, classic looks popularized more than 50 years ago, mid-century modern is here to stay. The adaptability of this style makes it easy to fit into any style of home. And its clean lines, simple color scheme, and rich wood tones make it simple enough to avoid the quick trend burnout.
Modern Minimalist Furniture
With applications in interior design, fashion, architecture, and even lifestyle movements, minimalism is a concept known far and wide. Popularized in the middle to later half of the 20th century, minimalism is a concept that still feels ultra-modern today. By stripping furniture down to its most simple form, minimalism keeps your space simple — a hallmark of timeless design.
Scandinavian Furniture
First emerging from the northern European nations of Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, Scandinavian design (or “Nordic” design) is well-known for its practicality and simple but elegant style. In fact, a principle of Scandinavian design is to bring harmony to your home and design things made to last. This tenet of Scandinavian design makes it a practical option for timeless design.
What are 5 Questions to Guide Your Search for Timeless Home Furnishings?
If timeless design sounds like the look you’re after, now you just need to find the right pieces that fit the bill. Here are a few helpful questions you can ask when shopping to determine if a piece is trendy or enduring.
- How long has this been around? Asking yourself this question tells you the age of the look or piece. Something like a houndstooth pattern has been around for 200+ years in both interior and fashion design. That’s a safe bet that while it may be more popular at the moment, it also has proven staying power.
- Was this used 10, 20, or 30 years ago? Is it being used right now, too? Look back at interior design magazines or books from years past. What’s being used there which still feels fresh or new to you today? That’s a great way to determine which pieces will stand the test of time.
- Is this a high-quality, well-made item that will last? Timeless design should be able to last in your home for years — that’s the main appeal of this type of look. But to last that long, it must be well-made, with superior materials and craftsmanship. Splurging for a quality piece is well worth the investment when you know it won’t be trendy and short-lived.
- Is this something I love? Something maybe classic but, if you don’t love it, it doesn’t deserve a spot in your home. There are too many options when it comes to interior design to settle for something you don’t love!
- Have high-end interior designers used something similar? Look to interior designers to see what they’re using today or what they used 10 years ago. Interior designers are experts in home style and can do much of the hard work for you by identifying cohesive color schemes, functional furniture arrangements, and timeless home decor that never goes out of style.
Invest in Beautiful, Classic Design with Help from San Francisco Design
Timeless design, when done right, feels effortless. But attaining that effortless look still takes work! To gain tasteful perspective or hand the design reigns off entirely, connect with our Salt Lake City interior designers. We can help you create a timeless look for your room redesign, remodel project, or new home. Whatever looks you love, we can find a way to make them less trendy and more personal to you and your home. Contact us today.
