Home Remodeling Advice Timeless vs. Trendy Design

Like any creative pursuit, interior design operates on many levels. On the one hand, there's the latest design trend, from the hottest colors and big, bold wallpapered accent walls to the latest technology or materials, to consider. On the other hand, there are timeless, classic styles that always look great. The key is striking the right balance between modern and classic designs.

While some of today's hottest home remodeling trends will end up in "what was I thinking" moments five years from now, others may enter the pantheon of timeless design, and still look stunning for decades into the future.

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So how do you design a home with a style that will last, and how do you know what will stay and what will go? The key is to create a home that features a timeless "backdrop" but has the flexibility to allow trends to come and go, and styles to change.

Here are some home remodeling tips and ideas we've gathered through experience that can help you make the right choices. You will never go wrong with timeless materials and furnishings that create the perfect balance and help you to avoid a costly remodel down the road.

Why You Should Avoid Most Trends

A kitchen with high quality painted cabinets can be timeless. white cabinets will always be timeless, and this kitchen, with a punch of navy blue color, could always be repainted in the future at a fraction of the cost of replacement.

We've seen plenty of interior design trends come and quickly go through the years. That's why we work with our clients to create timeless designs when it matches their personal needs, goals, and creative vision. Here are some of the reasons we give our clients for opting for timeless over trendy:

• Timeless Saves Money

Home remodeling is expensive, and ultra-trendy designs can look great this year, and passe next year. Unless you're a member of the 1%, and you can afford to redo your interior every five years or so, keeping your home entirely on-trend is difficult and expensive.

• Timeless is Environmentally Friendly

Along with spending less, creating a timeless design means less waste. The more timeless we make our designs, the longer our clients will live with and love them, and that means less waste will end up in the landfill.

• Timeless is Always in Style!

Timeless designs have earned their staying power for a reason. It's hard to go wrong with a classic and enduring design style.

Of course, all of this being said, creating a beautiful home is about achieving a balance between trendy and timeless. The fact is, no matter how classic and timeless your design, you'll probably still want to make tweaks and updates over time. The trick is knowing when to follow the trends and where to remain timeless in your design choices.

Future-Proofing Your Home!

You need to think about longevity when remodeling. For example, you can always paint over a trendy wall color or replace the area rug and window treatments. Still, you probably want to avoid needing to remodel the entire kitchen every few years because your cabinets or countertops have gone out of style.

That's why when it comes to big-ticket items, it's essential to invest in high-quality, durable, elegant materials. Whether you're refinishing or replacing hardwood floors, deciding on your kitchen counter material, or selecting tile for your shower, work with your designer to choose materials that will look beautiful for many years into the future.

medium colors, simple white subway tile, durable flooring and quality craftsmanship

Sticking to timeless classics when choosing major elements like cabinets and countertops gives you the freedom to experiment with trendier, easily replaceable aspects of your design. Here are some design elements that never go out of style:

• Hardwood flooring

• Fireplaces

• Built-in shelving

• Marble anything – countertops, floors, tiles

• Stainless Steel appliances

The key to future-proofing your home is knowing when and where to follow the trends without going overboard. Experiment with accents and finishes, and stick to the timeless classics when investing in big-ticket items. For example, if you love a particularly trendy pattern, don't invest in an entire living room set in that pattern, integrate it into your space with cushions, an area rug, or as a wallpapered accent wall.

Simplicity: Clean Lines Are Always in Style

When it comes to timeless design, clean, simple lines will age much more gracefully than ornate designs. This is universal across all elements, from cabinetry to trim, fixtures, and other design elements.

For example, choosing a timeless color and style for your cabinetry, like white, simple shaker cabinets will never look outdated, whereas cabinetry with glazing and a lot of detail will trend in and out. Cabinets can always be refinished when color styles change. Glass cabinetry is always in style. Clear glass cabinetry is timeless and stunning. Cabinet hardware, on the other hand, can get trendy, but for a few hundred dollars, it's easy to switch it out as styles change. So a timeless choice for the cabinet boxes and doors are the clean lines of shaker style cabinets.

Where to Go Trendy When Home Remodeling

Even if you're dedicated to creating a timeless design, you'll probably still want to include some of the latest trends into your design. Here are some fun ways to incorporate design trends while keeping a balance between timeless and classic:

• Incorporate texture with replaceable pieces to contrast with the smooth, clean lines of your cabinetry.

• Experiment with items like photo frames, vases, lamps, and cushions

• Patterns can add dimension and integrate trends with timeless materials

• Pick a couple of "features" like a unique vintage or antique piece, or stunning artwork to add personality.

Here are some additional ideas for where to incorporate trendy elements into your design:

Lighting

Trendy lighting fixtures can make your room feel stylish and on-trend. Luckily, lighting is an easy (and relatively inexpensive) thing to change when styles change. Table and floor lamps can easily be swapped out, but even hardwired fixtures are an easy fix.

Rugs

Rugs are an excellent way to introduce colors and patterns into your design. Plus, rugs are much cheaper and easier to swap out that the built-in flooring underneath them!

Walls

Walls are a great place to incorporate the latest color palette with a simple, inexpensive paint job. If you opt for wallpaper, choose a more neutral pattern or us it sparingly, for example, in the powder room, or as an accent wall in the master bedroom.

Accents

Another relatively inexpensive and easy place to incorporate trendy items is through accent pieces. In general, choose the smallest, least expensive pieces to reflect the latest trends. Think small furniture like containers, through pillows, ottomans, or accent chairs.

The End Result...

The bottom line is to trust your instinct. Remember, your home is uniquely yours! Trust your taste and preferences when working with your designer and making decisions. The classics may be timeless, and trends come and go, but it's important to remember that your home needs to be a place that you love and where you enjoy spending your time.

Here at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel, we understand the importance of timeless elegance, as well as keeping current on the latest trends, and how best to incorporate them into your home remodeling project.

If you're planning a home remodeling project, kitchen remodeling, master bathroom upgrade in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area, give our award-winning design team a call at (608) 846-5963. With our expertise and your creative vision, we can work together to help you design the space you've been dreaming about!

This article was updated by Abe Degnan on 8/23/2022.

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