The Trend Trap
I admit that I’m not a huge fan of following trends for the sake of being trendy. I don’t want to waste hours in line just to get my hands on the latest “it” cup. I’m not the type to post trendy dance videos on social media. (Well, I’m also not a great dancer.) And I refuse to cover my house in shiplap and paint it white. There’s really nothing wrong with any of those, if that’s your thing. However, I feel that trends can often be a trap, especially when it comes to home design.
The 1978 movie, “The Wiz,” perfectly sums up how trends exist in a constant state of flux. When Dorothy and her friends reach the Emerald City, they discover a dazzling green city, where the residents parade around in head-to-toe green, singing of their love of the color green. Suddenly, a voice on a loudspeaker announces that the new “it” color is red. Immediately, the lighting, costumes, and scenery all switch to red, as do the opinions of Emerald City’s elite. They now sing of their devotion to red. That is, until the speaker announces that the trend has changed to gold. You get the idea.
With social media, today’s trends seem to shift almost as quickly as the Emerald City color scheme. This includes home design. It’s not that there is anything inherently wrong with these trends or the looks they produce. My issue is that homeowners often feel pressure to follow a certain design style because it’s “in.” I worry that those folks might be making design decisions based on an arbitrary set of rules, rather than on personal taste. I have always believed that your home should be a reflection of YOU!
The fastest way to date your home is to go all-in on a particular design trend. If you plan to update your home every time the popular style changes, then this doesn’t cause a problem. But most of us don’t have the desire, or resources, to do so. What’s the solution, then? Find an updated style that appeals to you, and borrow some elements from it. The positive side of constantly changing design trends is that we have developed a pretty wide range of styles from which to choose. Are you a minimalist or a maximalist? Do you like glossy modern looks, or softer cottagecore? Today’s styles offer a little something for everyone.
If you’re looking to update your home, ditch Pinterest and Instagram for a few minutes, and ask yourself some simple questions.
What colors do I like?
Do I prefer clean spaces, or do I like a little cozy clutter?
Light and sunny, or dark and moody?
Modern materials or natural elements?
How do I really plan to use my space? Entertaining? Curled up with a good book?
Florals or geometric patterns?
You get the idea. Taking the answers to these questions, start looking at design styles that line up with your tastes. Maybe you like contemporary design, but with a retro vibe. Those two styles could work quite well together. Maybe you’re more rustic farmhouse, minus the white shiplap and open shelves. You do you.
At the end of the day, I believe that your home needs to express who you are, not what’s trending on social media. Sure, your tastes may change over the years. But you should be in charge of when and how, not some voice on a loudspeaker.
PS - If you do prefer to stick to the trends, just have a little patience when tastes change. Remember, everything comes back into style eventually. (Looking at you, brass faucets!)
