Bucking the Trends in Interior Design

Color trends, concrete vs. granite countertops, oil-rubbed bronze vs. brushed pewter ... You could make yourself crazy trying to keep your home updated according to the latest published trend. I am emphatically “anti-trend,” and I believe that the bar has been raised for interior design, because these days it’s just not enough to study design trends and buy furnishings from a favorite vendor.

This one-size fits all approach doesn’t come across authentically to people wanting a unique home and lifestyle. I strongly believe that great home styling is done through careful behavioral analysis, a bit of psychology, lots of planning, thoughtful development, and flawless delivery. In other words, you need a great eye for detail and the overall process takes focused time and effort.

To illustrate my point, just look at how many divergent interior design shows are on television today. Some focus on color, others on furniture arrangements, and some on simply recreating a picture of a room on a budget (low cost/high style). What we sometimes fail to consider is the real impact of the design on the people that live there. Do we ever know the details about how they want to live or feel when the design job is finished? What happens when the cameras are gone and people use the space? I’d love to see a show where they revisit a home that was done on the cheap to find out how it’s really working (or not).

In my opinion, what makes a house a home is being able to add or remove elements from your surroundings until you feel content. In my home for example, I want my studio to encourage creativity, and I want my bedroom to encourage rest and relaxation. Each design element should contribute to helping me feel the way I intend to feel.

I’ve said it before … great designers don’t just decorate; they style a room around a style of life. And a really awesome designer is able to help people reach into their memories and pull out details that will recreate special places and times. Resist conventional, mainstream ideas about how you should furnish your home. Create unique and interesting living spaces for yourself; both at home and at work. Work with a design team that specializes in you. Defy any urge to fill up a room too quickly with things you don't love. And don’t work with people who are out to turn a profit quickly and leave you with a bunch of trendy new accessories and rearranged furniture. In the end, make sure your home makes a connection to you and your lifestyle.

So have fun designing your home! Buck the trends and elevate the idea of creating your own custom designs based on your lifestyle.