Just like fashion, interior design trends can be very diverse, but also very temporary. Every season, new styles appear, while older ones disappear! It can be a trendy colour, a new material, a specific style, a type of furniture . . . anything and everything is possible! It can be frustrating, especially if you’ve spent weeks looking for the perfect brass mirror, just to finally find it and then realize that brass is out and wicker is in! What a letdown! Keeping up with the latest trends has become easier than ever. However, you should take a second to ask yourself this: is following these trends really such a good idea?
Inspiration, not replication
Décor trends can be a great source of inspiration when it comes to finding and defining your personal style. The goal is to adopt a look you won’t grow tired of, even after a few years and several passing trends. You can definitely turn to home-styling magazines and Pinterest for inspo, but try to avoid out-right copying the looks you see and like. Rather, choose a few key elements that inspire you and use them to create your own personal style. Certain décor must-haves might not fit in with the items and furniture you already own and could lead to somewhat unfashionable results. Trust your instincts!
Trendy colours
When it comes to choosing colours, exercise caution and trust your instincts, because very often, colours are seasonal. For example, we know that pastels usually make a comeback in spring/summer, while warmer tones are back in style come fall. Choose colour schemes based on your tastes and what you’ll enjoy looking at for years to come. Very often, a small accessory, such as a throw pillow, is all it takes to add a pop of the season’s hottest colour to your home, without having to change everything from top to bottom.
Slow Design, or the art of resisting fast-paced gratification, is the new trend to smarter buying
It can be hard to reduce your consumption when big-box retailers push new collections and hot trends at us all the time. However, by opting for artisanal products made with recycled materials or available as limited editions, you can adopt a slower, more sustainable design approach.
As its name so clearly states, Slow Design is a movement that invites you to slow down, take the time to create and purchase furniture and other items that use up fewer human, economic, and industrial resources. Better designed and manufactured, such creations are more ethical, more eco-friendly, and more human-friendly, too.
The 5 main principles of Slow Design
- Opt for products with purpose, meaning things that meet an actual need rather than just a consumer want that usually fades with time anyway.
- Choose unique or limited-edition creations and say no to standardized objects.
- Use recycled, upcycled, or recovered materials when creating your pieces. This helps you not only reduce your waste, but also make beautiful new items out of older ones.
- Opt for handmade and local products.
- Respect the environment and contribute to sustainable development by using production techniques that pollute very little or not all, and that aren’t damaging to our planet and to us.
So, yay or nay to following trends?
In my opinion, it’s important to properly maintain your home and to include a few trendy elements throughout, without actually going overboard or having to remodel all your rooms from A to Z. When you have a neutral, timeless base, it’s so easy to just add a trendy touch here and there according to the season. It could be as simple as changing your carpet, decorative pillows, wall art, or light fixtures. Most of the time, if you have a neutral base, you can really have fun with the smaller décor details and accessories. Trends are there to help influence new collections, but it’s up to you to decide what you want in your home or not. And remember: nothing is as stylish as a personalized home décor that reflects who you really are.
