How to trend-proof your home

Just like the fashion industry, the interiors industry packages styles and trends for the home which inevitably start to look dated after a few years. If you want to cultivate a more distinctive style that might even see you through multiple homes, here are some suggestions to guide you:

Modern Classics

Certain designs become classics and remain in production for decades. To acquire the genuine examples, as opposed to copies, will certainly cost you more but these are items that will stay with you for a lifetime and will even have resale value.

Some examples I have seen over and over, used in many different contexts:

Eileen Grey E1027 Adjustable table or anything by Eileen Grey, really.

Arco Led Floor Lamp designed in 1962 (illustrated)

Phillipe Starck’s Louis Ghost Chair a relative design newcomer from 2002, but based on a classic form

Traditional upholstery

Think of good upholstered pieces as the denim jeans of your home décor. Practical, versatile, there is no one designer or manufacturer to go to for these but buy the best quality you can afford. Some pieces that will hold their own indefinitely:

Chesterfield couch; in leather, the button-backed Chesterfield is incredibly practical and will just get better with age.

Slipper chairs; For a bedroom or side chair these can look extremely elegant and never date.

Ottomans: Can be valuable for extra seating or storage. Can also substitute for a coffee table and carry books and tea trays. A great way to introduce a contrasting fabric or colourway too.

Rarities

Pieces that are simply rarer and more characterful will make your style seem less trend-driven. Think Roll-top desks, Umbrella stands, Grandfather Clocks, Folding Screens and Four poster beds. Here the internet is your best sourcing tool. My favourite overseas site to browse is www.1stDibs.com and within Australia www.lawsons.com.au consistently has interesting things.

Antiques and Vintage

Classical, Biedermeier, Chinoiserie – there are so many interesting periods to research and collect if you want to set your style apart from the norm. Upcycling vintage pieces is a trend at the moment – but quality pieces are still worth investing in if you find them.

Iconic Brands

Some design houses just stick to their aesthetic regardless of what is going on around them. Some of my favourites are Marrimekko, Fortuny and Liberty. Decorating in the style of these houses puts you outside current trends but of course you have to decide whether you can live with it longer term.

If you would like assistance in creating a style that won’t date, please do get in touch.