It feels like there's a new home design trend sprouting up on social media every day. In just the past few years, we've fallen in love with cottagecore, grandma decor, japandi style, and even a Y2K resurgence.
But constantly refreshing your space to keep up with the latest TikTok craze isn't exactly realistic in this economy. So it's time to get in touch with your inner designer and gain some confidence in your own taste. "When you prioritize what works for your lifestyle and what you genuinely enjoy, you’re more likely to feel satisfied with the investment, even as trends come and go," says Angie Hicks, founder of Angi.
Why Taste, Not Trends, Should Guide You
While the trends may inspire you in a direction, you should ultimately choose exactly what you love. So even if white cabinets are on their way out, if you're craving the look of a crisp white kitchen, you should still go for it. Here's why.
Trends change quickly
The trends seem to shift almost monthly now, and so choosing something that has a short shelf life doesn't make sense (or cents!). You'll just be spending so much of your hard-earned cash (and creating so much waste) trying to keep up with appearances.
Another reason: Odds are, at least once before you're ready to renovate, that style will come back into vogue again. True story: My walnut kitchen cabinets were looking worse for wear, and I was planning on a pricey repaint job to bring them back into style, when—lucky me—wood-finish cabinets became the latest trend. So I can simply do a cheaper refinish job instead.
You're investing a lot of money
Renovations aren't cheap, so every detail should be something that you're still going to love at least 10 years down the line. "When you’re making a significant investment, it should reflect how you live, not just what’s popular right now," Hicks says.
How to Access Your Inner Designer
The trick is to look at the elements of your project and clear away all that home trend noise to find what will actually work for you for years to come. Think of it like reverse Marie Kondo-ing, where you're looking for what will bring you joy if you bring it into your life, rather than what you need to shed.
Be practical
This is especially important in rooms that take a lot of daily wear and tear. For instance, glossy, mirrored finishes may look beautiful in a photo, but if you have young kids or pets, you'll be endlessly cleaning smudges off those surfaces. "Start with function first," Hicks says. "Foundational decisions, like cabinetry, flooring, and layout, should be durable and practical."
If it's something that'll be expensive or require pro help to replace, it's best to stick with what really wows you. "Investing in quality, timeless foundational pieces gives you flexibility as trends shift," Hicks says. (No one wants to be replacing a kitchen tile backsplash every couple of years!)
Make it meaningful
The most important thing that'll make your home yours? Choose elements that you find meaningful to you. Maybe you choose artwork from your favorite vacation spots, paint your bedroom your favorite shade of pink, or have a sink skirt in the kitchen like your grandma always had (especially if you're going for a cottagecore vibe!). If it's something that sparks a memory or is something you truly love, it doesn't matter if it's not the latest trend—it's something that's totally you.
Times When You Might Want to Follow Trends
Of course, your house isn't a time capsule—and you don't necessarily want people to walk in and be able to clock exactly when you last refreshed. Plus, there are some situations (and some elements) that deserve more frequent refreshes, which are more closely aligned with trends than your own taste. Here's when to consider hewing more closely to what's hot in home design.
If you're planning to sell or rent out your space in the not-so-distant future
If you're making cosmetic changes before you put your house on the market, go right ahead and repaint in a top-rated neutral, or update the cabinet hardware with trend-forward brass and bronze. "If you’re preparing to sell in the near future, aligning with broadly appealing finishes can make sense," Hicks says.
If you're doing a low-lift update
You don't want to get too trendy with the pricier elements in your room (like your living room sofa or your kitchen cabinets), but changing out simple elements—like choosing new throw pillow covers, buying a fresh duvet cover for your bedroom, or repainting your bathroom—can make your space look fresher without a big investment in time or money. "Trend-driven elements like paint color, lighting, and decor are easier and more affordable to change over time," Hicks says.
If you're really into DIY
If you're a spray paint queen or love nothing more than to tinker on a weekend on a good DIY project, you can more easily switch up your decor—so why not add a little wallpaper to your ceiling or redo your cabinet hardware to suit the newest finish?
If you just love the trend
Maybe you're an outdoorsy type, so that biophilic design trend, filled with earthy tones and lots of plants, is exactly your vibe. No need to be shy! For you, it's not just a trend, it's something dear to your heart. And you'll still adore it, long after TikTok design folks have moved on to their next design inspo.
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