[Text:]
Trends vs. Fads
It’s great fun to show off your style savvy by redecorating with help from the latest design trends. But how to know when your ideas are long-term trends or passing fads that will only look foolish in a few months?
Here are seven tips to clear your head and level the playing field:
- Fools Rush In
There’s a big difference between an enduring trend – like white-painted cabinets – and a short-term fad like Pantone’s color of the year (Serenity and Rose Quartz for 2016). Choose easily-replaced accents like a vase or throw cushion to utilize current trends without “getting married” to a passing craze.
- Shop Around
When brand new features (finishes, gadgets, plumbing fixtures, etc.) first appear on store shelves, they’re always more expensive. Look for similar items that suit your price range.
- Follow the Pros
Browsing through home decorating magazines, watching home improvement shows, and frequenting websites like Houzz and Pinterest are great ways of getting a handle on styles, textures, and materials that design professionals favor. Houzz and Pinterest also have features that allow you to collect ideas for future reference.
- Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Once you have a general idea of your desired color scheme and style, run your ideas past a local interior designer or decorator for validation. They may see issues with your selections that you’ll be glad not to miss.
- Resist Peer Pressure
Just because something is “in” this year, it doesn’t mean it will suit your home. Even if all your friends are buying the latest thing, trends only tell you what’s popular. Be true to your own style; don’t make selections based exclusively on how “hot” an item or feature is right now.
- Quality First
Good taste lasts forever, regardless of trends. And a durable product – even if it costs a bit more – will last far longer than something bought hastily just to keep up with your hip neighbors.
- Check your Wallet
Before you hand over your credit card, ask yourself two things: 1., can I afford this purchase, and 2., Is it a good investment? As with most things in life, you get what you pay for when you remodel your home. It’s often wiser to pay top dollar for a quality product from a trusted brand than to pay too much for too little with an unfamiliar brand or product.