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You know that feeling when you look back at old high school yearbook photos and cringe? Or when you are house hunting and walk into an otherwise appealing home, just to see shag carpet, wood paneled walls and other dated home décor?
It makes you wonder what it will be like in the next 10 – 15 years. Will we look back at midcentury modern décor or shiplap siding and audibly groan, “What was I thinking?”
Styles are fickle. They’re constantly changing every season, making it hard for any homeowner to truly be trendy. And, the cost alone of keeping up with the latest and greatest is enough to make anyone throw in the towel.
Instead of spending time and money keeping up with the changing trends and styles, consider decorating your home with timeless decorations that never go out of style. Here’s how you can start.
What a Timeless Home Décor Style Looks Like and Its Benefits
What does timeless home décor look like? The word “timeless” itself means unaffected or unimpacted by the passage of time or changes in style. So, we can assume that timeless home décor won’t look like the trends you’re accustomed to seeing in stores today, such as hygge and farmhouse.
Those who truly achieve a timeless look in their home style have colors, furniture and accessories that stand the test of time, meaning, they won’t look dated or out of style in the years to come.
Of course, there are benefits to adopting a timeless style in your home. For starters, you won’t have the financial pressure to spend money on new decorations every time the styles change. You also won’t need to spend a day or week rearranging your furniture, purging the old and moving in the new. Lastly, the social obligation of “keeping up with the Joneses” will no longer be a stressor in your life.
All this to say, maintaining a timeless style in your home allows you the financial, physical and mental freedom of enjoying your home décor for years to come.
How to Achieve a Timeless Home Décor Style
If a timeless style is starting to sound appealing, you should know that there will be a little bit of work upfront to get your current home style to transition into timeless – especially if up until now you’ve been operating your home style under the current trends.
Beverly Solomon, Creative Director at Beverly Solomon Design, suggested starting this transition by coming up with a plan before making the transition. Evaluate the current state of your home and study and prepare what it will take to achieve a timeless look.
“Just being able to keep and enjoy your home décor and furnishings over a long period of time will save an enormous amount of money and, perhaps, even result in great returns on your investment,” encouraged Solomon.
If you’re ready to achieve a timeless home décor style, we got insights from interior designers on practical applications of timeless home décor. The following five tips are what they agree you can do to create a timeless look:
- Start by applying neutral paint colors.
- Stick to minimal furniture and decorations.
- Incorporate polished hardware finishes.
- Frame a nice painting or picture.
- Toss in a few textiles.
Let’s discuss how you can put them into use in your home.
Paint
It’s no surprise that a neutral paint pallet is the first step in achieving a timeless home style. Neutral paint is flexible and versatile. True neutrals will match any furniture, accessory, lighting – you’ll never have to worry about clashing colors.
Don’t just think white: Try using a pallet of white, light gray and black in your walls, ceilings, molding and doors, suggested Janet Lorusso, Principal Designer at JRL Interiors.
“The key to successful neutral décor is to mix in textures, natural elements and a dash of dark: a black accent piece or three, a dark wood chair frame – these become sculptural elements in a field of light neutral tones,” said Lorusso.
Furniture and Decorations
When designers suggest sticking to minimal furniture and decorations, they don’t mean minimalism per se, just a home that only uses the necessary furniture and decorations to achieve a neutral look.
Solomon suggested striving for furniture and decorations that have the best design and highest quality materials, within what you can afford, as it will have more longevity into your home décor.
“Of course that depends on if you have chosen a specific style or if you are somewhat eclectic. I always push for an eclectic, somewhat minimalist look as this will give you the greatest flexibility. Also, having multifunctional pieces gives you more flexibility in placement,” Solomon explained.
Hardware
When it comes to your lighting and hardware, try incorporating neutral colors and clean finishes. Lorusso suggested chrome as a neutral and timeless finish.
“Choose simple and classic styles and finishes,” said Lorusso. “Stick to white fixtures and chrome fittings; these are always in style.”
Consider applying this style to your kitchen or bathroom hardware, striving for a clean and polished look. As for your lighting, white fixtures can be used in any room in your home, whether installed or stand-alone.
Wall Art
Great photography and artwork are elements that will never go out of style, according to Solomon. Not only does it add dimension to your walls, but it can also tie in your room’s color scheme and décor.
If you don’t want to purchase artwork or professional photography, consider hanging a few black-and-white family portraits on your wall. This is a classy and easy-to-match option for when you want to switch up your décor or paint colors.
Textiles
Throw pillows and blankets will always be a necessity in any home. They’re not connected to a particular style or trend and can be used as both a functional element of comfort and a decorative accent piece.
Lorusso suggested purchasing high-quality, comfortable down pillows, changing out the covers with colors and patterns to match your décor. In order to match this design, consider purchasing a neutral colored and patterned throw.
“Decorative accents are one area where being trendy is less risky,” said Lorusso. “Good down throw pillows can get new covers in accent colors and patterns that are easy to change with whims or seasons, and pillow covers are easy to store.”
- Interior Paint: Blackboard – $43
- Wallpaper: X Print – $22
- Midcentury Sofa – $460
- Striped Cushion Cover: Green – $10
- Throw Blanket: White/ Gray – $25
- Woven Rug – $208.00 –$1,398.00
- Forest Prints Wall Art – $13
- Decorative Wall Mirror: Silver – $45
- Floor Lamp: Black – $34
- Coffee Table – $122
Here’s the thing: It’s your home, your money, your style, so make sure your style is something that you’re comfortable with and happy to have in your home. Everyone has their own personal style; it’s what make us uniquely our own.
“Never forget that your space should tell your story,” Solomon added. “Whatever your tastes are and your story is, you can put together a living space that is harmonious, balanced and of good quality.”
Transitioning your home style to a more timeless look doesn’t mean you have to lose your individuality, so make sure you find small but impactful ways to make it your own.
Do you have any tips for a timeless home style? Share them with us in the comments below!
