You've probably walked into a room painted orange, green, and brown and instantly known that it was last decorated in the 1970s. Certain color schemes and design trends are associated with certain time periods. While there is nothing wrong with trendy design, many owners of luxury homes prefer to go with a more timeless look: one that looks just as fashionable 10 or 15 years down the road and lacks that distinct time stamp.
One year, statement walls are everywhere, and several years later, textured ceilings are the next big thing. Designs like this are tough to remodel around, so it's important to design for timelessness from the very beginning. Here are six key tips to ensure a timeless home design.
Aim For Function
Function is always fashionable. Make it your goal to design a space that works with your needs rather than impeding them. Choose furniture that is comfortable and properly sized to your space. Oversized and micro-furniture are trends that fade in and out, but moderately sized furniture is always a smart choice. Plan your room layout based on traffic flow and place shelves, windows, and doors where they are needed -- not just where they look good.
Pair Old and New Together
If you decorate solely with modern art and furniture, then you'll be giving your place a "time stamp." To blur the lines of time, try combining artwork and decor from different eras. For instance, you can hang a piece of modern furniture over a vintage sofa. The goal is to have someone walk into the room and be unable to determine the era in which the home was built.
Gather Designs From A Range of Sources
When looking through magazines and design websites to glean ideas for your Houston home, don't just focus on the latest issues and last week's posts. Dig back a few years, looking for inspiration in older issues and blog posts dating back a few years. Try to find pieces and themes that pop up both in older sources and newer ones. For instance, you'll probably see just as much natural wood in magazines from 2005 as in those from 2017! Themes that continue to pop up across many years have stood the test of time and are therefore "timeless."
Keep It Simple
Timeless designs are not overly opulent. To create a classic look that will last, aim for simplicity. Choose the solid sofa with clean lines over the one with a bold geometric pattern that will look outdated in a year. Aim for neutral and classic colors like taupe and navy over the color of the year.
Use Natural Materials
Certain materials go in and out of style, but natural materials are here to stay. Hardwood flooring, for instance, will look just as lovely in a decade as it does now. The same might not be true for the long-fibered carpets that are currently trendy. Oak furniture, stone tabletops and counters, and brick embellishments can serve as the backbone of your Sugar Land home design. If you want to use some trendier, more modern materials, reserve them for throw pillows and rugs as these items can easily be replaced when the styles change.
Paint; Don't Wallpaper
Wallpaper certainly has its place in luxury homes, but it's probably best avoided if your number one goal is to create a timeless design. Wallpaper is fashionable one year and tacky the next. And every time it fades in and out of style, the preferred designs and patterns change. Painted walls are a much safer option since they will never be off-trend. Once again, choosing a neutral color is the most timeless option, but since you can paint over a wall pretty easily, there's a little room for experimentation here.
Focusing on a timeless design for your Friendswood or Houston home will ensure your space looks classy and elegant for years to come. Focus on the tips above as you work with Partners in Building to fashion a luxury home that will continue to meet your need.
