TRENDY VS. TIMELESS
it’s always a huge temptation to latch onto the Next Big Thing in home decorating, but it can lead to costly mistakes.
When I was in my early 20s, I went all out with toile. Toile cornice boards, toile fabric on chair cushions, toile pillows on the sofa. At least I didn’t put a toile fabric on the sofa itself. Maybe even then, in my fledgling days as a homeowner, I had realized one day I would decide I couldn’t stand the sight of the stuff and have a big toile bonfire (or garage sale) before moving on to paisley or ikat or stripes.
The point is, it’s really, really tempting to latch onto the Next Big Thing in home decorating, no matter what that big thing is. And that can lead to some costly mistakes.
I’m not saying it’s never OK to follow your heart and splurge on those emerald green art glass pendants above your kitchen island. I would just caution you to think about what that design statement-ofthe-moment will cost you down the road.
Before shelling out for any expensive piece of furniture, art or accessory item (“expensive” means different things to different people, so use your own definition), ask yourself these questions: Is this timeless or trendy? Will I like it in five years? Next season, is it going to look “sooo 2013?”
If you’ve answered “trendy,” “I’m not sure” and “maybe,” put away your credit card. I don’t doubt that you love that gray leopard-print club chair right now. But unless you’ve always had a hankering for animal hide, in two years, you might wish you’d spent that money on something that wasn’t sitting on the curb. (Reupholstering, by the way, can be as costly as buying a whole new piece.)
Whether your personal design style veers to traditional, French country or midcentury modern, there are rules of thumb that can guide you in making buying decisions big and small. Here are some areas where it’s not advisable to go trendy:
Permanent and semipermanent elements, like kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, tile work, flooring and key light fixtures
Major furniture items, like beds, sofas and large case pieces
Draperies, especially custom draperies (which can be surprisingly costly)
And here are some areas where it’s absolutely OK to indulge your up-to-theminute tastes: Paint Pillows, throws, duvets, slipcovers, rugs
Lamps and lampshades, and accessories like vases, bowls, candles
and nonfine art
Jane Sacharczyk, interior designer with Germantown- based Fresh Perspective Design & Décor, advises another type of caution when approaching trends in home design. Whether the piece you want to buy is big or small, make sure you actually like it before you buy it — and that you don’t want it simply because everyone else does.
“If you like a trend, by all means, use it,” Sacharczyk said. “Don’t, obviously, if it’s not something you like or if it doesn’t fit your personality or style.”
That might seem like common sense, but let me tell you, I’ve witnessed (and experienced) buyer’s remorse, and it isn’t pretty. Many a designer has been called in on a job to fix a homeowner’s well-meaning mistakes.
Also, recognize that a trend is just that — trendy — which means it’s likely to go out as quickly as it came in. Even if you’ve grounded your space with classic neutrals and spent prudently on pops of the latest, hottest color, you probably don’t want to be stuck next season with armloads of items to haul to the attic or drop off at Goodwill.
After all, added Sacharczyk, “I find that with trendy pieces, having one in a room is fun, but if you overdo it, then it’s no longer a trend. It’s just overdone.” Stacey Wiedower is a Memphisbased freelance interior design writer.