Truly Timeless Decorating: 8 Smart Choices That Never Go Out of Style
Inside: Decorating trends make your home look current, but when they go out of style, they go WAY out, dating your decor. But timeless design stands the test of time and is more budget-friendly. Here are 8 things to invest in that will ALWAYS keep your home looking up to date. ➡
It hurt way more than it should. Those brick red and old gold custom drapes with the heavy trims that I was over the moon about, that we spent so much money on, were now heaps of buyers remorse in boxes. For sale on Facebook Marketplace. And no one wanted them.
I’ll admit it, I was dismayed for too long about the popularity of gray and the shift away from the ornate in home decor. I’m a huge fan of neutrals, but (like with my hair) I fought the gray hard.
But I actually didn’t have a problem with gray or more simple design. My real pushback was to participate in this trend, I’d have to change everything. Again.
I had two choices. Stay in my dark red, gold, and brown “old world” where it was safe and paid for. Or open up my wallet and change it all to the newest “it” look.
But at my age, this wasn’t even the second or third round of decor I’d loved – and then despised. I knew this minimalist gray trend was so “in” it would suffer the same fate as my old world decor.
And I was fed up with getting rid of so many furnishings and accessories that I’d spent good money on.
So guess what?
I now buy timeless instead of trendy.
Now when I buy a foundational piece of furniture or an expensive accent, it’s classic in style. I still want to participate in current trends and decorate with new things. It just doesn’t require a decorating overhaul every time. Or a monumental stack of cash.
So if you feel the same and you want your decor to look current for more than five years too, here is how you can create a timeless home.
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What you should invest in for timeless home decor.
1. Natural materials.
Has there ever been a decade when marble, wood, or brick wasn’t in style? Nope. Manmade materials just don’t have the same staying power as natural elements. Remember when Corian was the primo countertop material? I rest my case.
Using the real thing can be more expensive, but worth the money if you want it to truly be timeless. So invest in marble countertops, floors, backsplash, or shower tile when making design choices. Put in wood floors. Go for a brick accent wall.
Just keep patterns and colors quiet and classic. Because even natural materials can be affected by trends. Just say no to the green or purple marble. And we already knew non-neutral granite colors would never be timeless.
Granite is a natural, beautiful, durable material so on paper, it all should be classic, right? It seems to go back to color and pattern. Brown and gold speckled granite has fallen out of favor for now but light colored speckled granite and dark exotic patterns are still stylish. So be careful to stay in the middle (more on that further down.)
2. Molding and architectural features.
Everyone loves the timeless look of beautiful architectural details in old buildings even though they’ve been there for decades. They are immune to being outdated.
Here are just a few features to invest in that add timeless appeal to your home:
- Built-in bookshelves
- Crown molding
- Board and batten walls
- Picture frame molding
- Coffered ceilings
- Above the door millwork
- Tall baseboards
- Beams
And if you’re handy, some of these are pretty affordable DIY projects!
3. Classic style furniture with classic patterns and clean lines.
Classic furniture styles are such a smarter investment than anything trendy. Because furniture is where most of your budget goes when decorating.
Flashback to our 80’s eyesore sectional. Black and mint green covered in a zig-zag pattern (we were feeling very Miami Vice). I could have combined the money we spent on it and at least our next two sets of sofas, and furnished my living room with a classic high-quality set that I wouldn’t now be cringing at.
Clean, simple lines work with every decor style. Updated versions of traditional furniture are perfect timeless pieces because they’ve streamlined them and removed some of the overly ornate details.
Stick with tasteful, understated ornamentation like turned legs and tufted backs.
Upholstered furnishings should be covered in a solid color fabric or a classic pattern like stripes, plaids, damask, or florals (take a lesson from my graphic 80’s couch). These timeless patterns are always in vogue.
4. Organic materials
Nature is the OG of decorating materials. Which means textures found there are forever. Work some of these into the accessories in your rooms and they will work for you for a long, long time:
- Sisal and jute rugs
- Rattan, wicker, caning
- Driftwood
- Animal hides
- Polished or rustic stone
5. Classic color combos.
A neutral color scheme is the most timeless color palette. I can’t think of a more classic and sophisticated color combination than black, charcoal, linen, and white.
But some combinations of shades with more color are just as timeless.
Blue and white is so trendy right now but it will always be timeless. Blue and white porcelain is always a wise investment – it’s been in style since the 14th century!
Greens with tans are a classic. And I’m loving the blue and green I used last summer in my living room.
Keep with these tried and true color combos and stay away from really trendy colors for big ticket items. And subdued shades of most colors have an even longer lifespan.
6. Vintage and antique furniture and accessories.
A lovely piece of vintage furniture or an accessory never goes out of style. And these treasures add interest and character to a room. Pairing them with new items creates that comfortable, curated, classic look.
7. White bedding.
Our place to unwind and recharge should be fresh, clean, and serene. White bedding feels restful because it causes us no extra visual stimulation. Have you ever been to a luxury hotel that didn’t have white bedding? I can’t think of one. So treat yourself to white linens because you will like them for longer.
8. Gallery walls.
Gallery walls are always in fashion and are an easy way to fill a blank space. Most common are photo walls which are a perfect way to add your own personal stamp to your home. Keep it classy with frames in similar colors and textures.
A gallery of pretty plates or a fun hat collection can also showcase the family’s personality.
Tips for decorating with a timeless style.
Mix styles and eras.
Have you ever noticed how rooms decorated by an interior designer always include pieces of furniture or accessories that are unique or different in style from each other? It keeps our eyes and brain interested. Mixing design styles and different decades keep a room from being frozen at any one point in time. Which keeps it timeless.
Stay the middle ground.
This is the bottom line of picking any furniture style or color. Don’t be tempted to go to the extreme because that extreme is popular right now.
A popular search on this subject is, “What color wood is timeless?” My answer to that would be, nothing too red, nothing too orange, nothing too gray. Grayed wood tones are gorgeous and are what are “in” and most available to us right now. But I would encourage you not to go too far in this direction on expensive pieces or building materials that can’t be refinished. Mid-tone browns with no heavy undertones are the safest timeless choice.
Especially if it’s going to be all over your floors.
And we’ve already covered furniture, but just in case you had to go feed the cat during that part, remember to avoid unusual shapes and too much ornamentation, gilding, etc.
Jump on the bandwagon.
Didn’t expect this one did you?
To add some freshness, add small doses of new trends, but just in your accessories and small less expensive pieces. Yes, you’ll have to get rid of these in a few years, but in the overall scheme of decorating, you won’t have to replace that much.
As fans of classic design, we still get to participate in the latest fad, we just don’t go all in! A few trendy items add just the right amount of freshness and fun to our neutral, classic rooms to keep them from being stagnant.
How to successfully add trendy decor to a timeless space with little money:
- Add trendy accent colors or patterns with a few accessories like pillows, window treatments, or area rugs. Or add a hot paint color or wallpaper pattern to a focal point accent wall. Freshen things up with Pantone’s color of the year. Or the current season’s equivalent of a chevron pattern.
- Change out the shades on lamps and light fixtures to a more current shape.
- Paint an accent wall, an accessory, or a piece of accent furniture in a trendy shade.
- Make a statement with peel and stick wallpaper that’s easily removed when the color or pattern trend has passed.
Do you want to know what trends the experts are saying are in and out for this year? I list them here.
Is it possible to decorate your home in a truly timeless fashion?
Sorry, but even timeless interior design doesn’t mean you’ll never replace or update anything in your home ever again. But you will love it for longer. And even have the option of refinishing or reupholstering as colors, patterns, and styles change drastically, or as pieces or floors show wear.
I feel such a weight lifted (and regret much less often) after I made the decision to go timeless instead of trendy. And my checkbook is happier too.
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Hi Kate! Well, you must have set up residence in my brain. We are building a new house in NC to be near family. I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on trendy, beach items. No more! Timeless is the way I’m going and it’s such a relief! It’s just right ! Thanks for a bit of confirmation !! Best, Cindy
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and validate that we are both tired of being forced to replace everything!😂
Inspiring !
Thank you Marianne!
I am a semi retired designer.
I don’t think our excitement and love of design can ever let us stop completely!
Your ideas are spot on, love everything you have to offer.
Hi Annie! No, I don’t think we can ever be stopped either.😄 Thank you for your kind words and so glad to have you here!!
Enjoyed your post. Thank you for all your suggestions that have encouraged me.
We have a slate walk-in shower (goes to top of our 9-foot ceiling) that is beautiful but needs attention after 20 years. Yesterday we got an estimate to replace the slate with tile. The man immediately objected to us replacing the state. Said too unusual and unique. His suggestion was that we keep the slate above the waterline and replace the lower with a complimentary porcelain tile and maybe little rocks to divide the slate and tile and use same rock for the floor, I am so excited, as I was depressed having to get rid of all the slate. He was the first estimate willing to go the extra mile to keep part of it. We even have slate columns to the ceiling. on corners of shower. Now the challenge is to find a tile that will compliment and not look added.
I have had the same bedroom furniture for over thirty years. It actually matched our waterbed. That’s how old it is. It’s heavy wood and it’s brown tone. And I have thought about sanding and painting it. But I’ve never done it. I guess it will go to the grave with me. I did just get a new sofa. I bought a yellow gold color. And I love it. We had an old greenish gray sleeper sofa. The bed broke and then the sofa was not ever really that comfortable. I love my new sofa. We have brown flooring, brown shelves. So I needed some color.. I was going to buy a white slip covered sofa . But we have three small dogs and my daughter talked me out of it. Now I just try to keep the cushions and the back covered with a blanket. We live in Georgia and this orange mud isn’t easy to get off. So far so good.
That’s exactly why I didn’t get a white sofa for the family room. I don’t think it would have fared well. I also have a lot of brown and I find breaking it up with white and light accessories like pillows keeps it from seeming like EVERYTHING is brown. Glad you love your new sofa. That’s what it’s all about…making yourself happy!