What Are Some Of Your Favorite Design Trends?

Home design trends come and go. But some turn into classics that shape how we think about style and decor for years to come.

When decorating your home, a good rule of thumb is to go a little more traditional with major furnishings and incorporate the new trends you respond to with textiles and other small items that you can easily swap out later.

That way, you always feel like your space is evolving. Still, the more expensive anchor pieces and semi-permanent fixtures remain constant. So how do you ensure that the design choices you make today are ones you won’t regret in five or ten years?

Well, an excellent place to start is with some designer recommendations. These decor experts don’t exactly have crystal balls, but they have studied and worked in design for years, so they have some insight into what has staying power.

If your goal at home over time is to make as few significant and pricy changes as possible, here are 8 timeless design trends to keep in mind as you go about refreshing your space.

Design Trend: Wooden Wall Paneling

We love wooden wall paneling because it instantly makes a room feel cozy and complete.

Just think about it: If you look at two rooms side by side, one with bare drywall and the other with paneled wooden wall, you’ll notice that you have an urgent need to put some type of decor or color on the drywall, whereas the wood paneling often speaks for itself.

Wood has never really gone out of style as a building material, and you can always restain or refresh wooden features with a touch of paint. So if you’re thinking about some kind of wooden wall treatment, we say: go for it.

You can always breathe new life into it later if you tire of its color or finish. The simpler the profile for wooden wall treatments, it’s often the better.

Design Trend: Tuxedo Style Sofas

You can’t go wrong with clean lines, especially with larger furniture pieces like sofas. While those curvy, kidney bean-shaped couches may be all the rage right now, rectangular box shapes are so graphically simple that they work just about anywhere during any era.

These tuxedo-style sofas, made famous by Billy Baldwin, will always be a design staple. They’re timeless yet modern. If you want a more contemporary look, stick to a solid covered fabric.

Or, if you’re leaning into a more Grandmillennial aesthetic, choose something with a smaller pattern. The beauty is that you can always reupholster a sofa, and the tuxedo shape is simple enough to take on the style of whatever fabric you choose to work with.

Design Trend: Neutral Tones

There’s something to be said about sticking to neutral tones and not getting too wrapped up in the latest trendy color. Neutral tones are timeless and will work in any context. When you go too bold and loud, in the long term, it’s not endurable.

Try not to invest a lot of money on big pieces in non-neutral colors if your taste usually changes with time. Keep your core items neutral, like your rug, couch, and accent chairs. Then layer in some color and trends with blankets, accessories, and pieces of art.

If you already know that you’ll love that purple upholstered bed forever, that’s fine too. You know your style better than anyone else!

Design Trend: The Statement Armchair

Dependable and classic, a comfortable and eye-catching armchair will always fit in seamlessly into any room.

The shape and lines of a chair like this will remain unfailing and steadfast, no matter how many homes or phases you work through, having long ago been proven ageless.

But the benefit of such a chair is that you can easily alter or update your statement piece should your style change, say from red velvet to lush green stripes.

And as we tend to opt into safety lounge-wise, a startling armchair will undoubtedly always play well with other pieces, no matter how bold or bright they are!

Design Trend: Parsons Furniture

You should never underestimate the staying power of a simple, straight-lined Parsons table, whether its intended use is for dining, cocktails, working, or otherwise.

The great thing about this staple, which has been around for around 80 years, is that it’s designed as a chameleon and can hang with whatever you pair it with, especially in a classic finish like white or black.

You can make this versatile piece work in traditional or modern spaces, depending on what design elements you add. For example, it makes a perfect grounding point for a patterned wallpaper in a newly created WFH space.

These white tables are anything but basic and will still be in style for years to come.

Design Trend: Open Style Shelving

This design trend will allow you to display your artwork, heirlooms, and even a few treasures from your travels. These kinds of items are always relevant in a home. That’s why many designers say that open shelving is here to stay.

You can incorporate antiques and other pieces you’ve found because they bring so much warmth to a space. They can easily add layers of texture and history to your home. Also, open shelving will give you so much styling flexibility.

Since just the shelves themselves are fixed to your walls, you can easily switch up your decor without too much heavy lifting. All you have to do is move your pieces around and swap out items for a fresh look.

If you’re worried about your area looking too cluttered, you can bring in a few decorative boxes or baskets to hide certain odds and ends. You can even look for some wooden or metal shelves with a simple, streamlined silhouette. They’ll work with any type of decor.

Design Trend: Tonal Layering

This design trend is such a simple yet effective way to infuse some color into a space. Tonal layering may not be the easiest trend to master. Still, the possibilities are endless and enduring once it’s been accomplished.

This approach allows experiment, albeit safely, with colors that won’t become stale. Here, you can layer earthy green and brown shades in a myriad of textures together to create a pleasing backdrop that feels inviting and luxuriant.

When combining with the same or similar color families, you can feel safe in the knowledge that your choices won’t date out fast.

Design Trend: Subway Tiles

If you’re trying to pick out a tile for your kitchen that you won’t be sick of in ten years, we suggest you go for white subway tiles. The 125-year-old Biltmore Estate in North Carolina has always had this kind of tile.

They were classic and chic when the estate was first built and remain equally stylish today. Part of this timelessness certainly has something to do with the colorway. White has always been a bright, clean backdrop for styling objects and art.

And you’d be hard-pressed to find a decorative finish, kind of hardware, or fun cabinet color that wouldn’t work with white. If you want something a little bolder, you could always choose a herringbone or basketweave configuration for laying your subway tiles.

Or splurge on a unique crackle or zellige glaze in off-white, so your room is still classic but with a twist. And if you’re worried about keeping those white tiles clean, don’t worry! There are lots of cleaning products out there to help you out!

At the end of the day, no matter what designs you choose to go with in your home: Make Sure YOU Love It! 

And for some more great advice on design trends in your home, you should also check out: 8 Awesome Tips For Getting That West Coast Vibe in Your Home