How to Follow Current Design Trends (without Being Trendy)

First of all I want to thank you once again for joining me here! I hope this is something that you find useful. I truly appreciate your time and please leave any comments or feedback for me. Thank you !

Every year, we (those of us that shop for home decor) notice a subtle shift in home furnishings options. This adds up to quite a large change every few years. It seems like one day you look around your home with a fresh eye and want to throw everything away and start anew with what you see in the stores, magazines and of course on Pinterest and Instagram. But, how realistic is that? Not to mention costly and wasteful? I have always thought Design Trends to be just that - "Trendy" - a flash-in-the-pan, shallow, "who are you trying to impress" outlook on furnishing and decorating your home. Remember, your home is a reflection of who YOU are and all about your family, your life and your interests. Making it a carbon copy of an Instagram post says nothing about you. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love looking at pictures and dreaming of all new everything. I would love to walk through my home and wave my hand and have everything new and fresh! However, the points stated above about being unrealistic as well as shallow keep that dreaming in perspective. Besides, having everything all new and matchy-matchy is not only unoriginal but also boring and unimaginative,... and definitely not YOU!

I believe the key to staying "on trend" in decorating is the same as all other walks of life - moderation. And go for what what suits you, like as in clothing.. Just because crop tops and platform shoes are making a comeback in fashion, you won't be wearing them if you are an LLBean kind of woman (or man). The same with decorating. If you love the soft subtle colors, think twice about that flashy new color for an entire room. Some trends will call your name and you will fall in love for the long term. Those are the ones you should hold onto and work them into your home not only for that fresh update but to also stand the test of time. And too much of anything is, well, too much. You love burlap and mason jars? (Yes so do I and I have for decades, not just the past few years.) That is great, but, don't use them everywhere! Maybe a large mason jar utensil holder and a burlap table runner that can be changed out. Having too many trendy things at once- then when you tire of that look it all has to go. Accent with a piece here and there. The same goes for wall colors. Maybe paint an accent wall rather than an entire room. Always look at everything you purchase and really think about where it is going to go and how it will work with what you already have and love. As I have said before, purchase your large furniture items in a classic style and neutral colors. They will be your favs for many years. When you want to change anything, look for an accent piece or 2 and some accessories Ok now lets look at some trends and how you can incorporate them into your life.

Furniture: As trends go, I have been around long enough to see major shifts; and what goes around, in fact, comes back around. So how fitting that after our recent love affair with sleek mid-century modern decor, and industrial factory settings that we are trending towards chunky rounded 80s re-invented. I can hear all of you who have survived that era collectively groaning. This time around though, as always, will have a twist. Gone are the rounded bun feet and chintz prints that we all loved and then grew to hate. But you will see in the furniture curvy, rounded sofas and chairs that will welcome conversation. If you love this look and can't resist, maybe purchase an accent chair and incorporate that into your home. For longevity, refrain from a distinct print and instead get that print in an accent pillow or throw.

Color: Although the Pantone color of the year is a cool Classic Blue, we are starting to see am emergence of warmer earth tones. Olive greens, burnt oranges and deep yellow ochres are making their way into our homes. Don't fret, the neutrals that we all love are here to stay. Think of how nicely your accent pieces in these warm colors will look in your neutral backdrop. They not only bring warmth but also a connection to our beloved outdoors. Again, don't go overboard, but try a piece or 2 with these colors and see how you like them in YOUR space. With Fall upon us we all tend to gravitate to these colors seasonally anyway. So if they do not work in the long haul, you can put them away until next Autumn.

Room Design: As many of us are experiencing remote working and learning at home, not to mention working out at home as well, our homes have had to shift to accommodate us. Born are multi-functional rooms. We all have probably had this before to some degree - the laptop on the dining room table or treadmill in the bedroom. These trends are probably here to stay for a while. Rather than "making do" we may want to think about making these rooms intentionally serve the purpose that our life is experiencing right now. The kitchen and dining rooms are probably the easiest to double-up on space and functionality. Maybe invest in a nice desk or 2, or a long work table to replace that large dining room table for 8. Or replace the kitchen table with an island that can double as a workstation. Working out? Make some space in the garage or basement for your stationary bike and weights. Don't forget to brighten it up with lights and paint and a nice floor to make it appealing so you want to go there. Making things intentional, rather than a "make-do-for-now" approach works wonders for your mind.

Nature Inspired Design: One of the biggest trends that continues is bringing nature inside. Research has shown that incorporating elements of nature into our homes plays a major role on our general health. Not only does this reduce stress, heart rates and blood pressure, but also increases creativity and productivity and general feeling of well-being. How do we achieve this in design ? Simply by adding some elements of natural light (add a skylight or simply open or remove heavy layers of window treatments) , incorporate water through tabletop fountains, plants (artificial or real) and indoor gardens. Also you can indirectly bring the outdoors in through the use of natural materials like stone, wood and metals. Additionally having images of nature in your artwork helps to achieve this.

In Conclusion: Staying on trend and not having a totally outdated home is something most of us would like to achieve. By incorporating small simple, intentional steps we can achieve this. The key word here is "intentional". Think twice about what you buy and bring into your home. Don't bring in too much at once. Don't paint the whole room without painting an accent wall first and seeing if you really like it. And when you do paint, think about how the colors flow from one room to another. Think also about the general decor flowing from room to room. Keeping some consistency is always in style. Buy quality, classic major pieces that you truly love and fit well into your space, If you are living with hand-me-downs until you can afford or find that perfect piece, keep looking and don't settle on quality or design. Trust me, you will regret it and will end up buying it

twice. Or more. Another tip is that you cannot go wrong incorporating nature into your home. Earthy clay pots of succulents, stone tabletop fountains or baskets of ferns never go out of style and always add a refreshing element to any room. (The silk flowers though - use them sparingly!)

Always remember - Your home is a reflection of you and your family. You know what you like; and if you don't, take some time to really find out who you are and that will make your process a little easier. You got this!

Until next time, Happy Decorating!

Deb