What I Wish You Knew About Trends and Timeless Design

The louder a trend is culturally, the shorter the lifespan usually is, and by the time something feels safe, it is already too late.

If I could tell you one thing: the more popular a design trend… the worse investment it actually is.

That said, trends are not inherently bad, in fact, they can actually be a wonderful way to reimagine and reshape the status quo. So while I am not anti-trend, I do resist the unconscious adoption of trends.

I often find myself biting my tongue in design meetings. A client referencing a plaster hood or insisting on a rift white oak side board.

As an interior designer, it’s my job to honor our client’s homes, their personal taste, and bring to life their vision in careful curation. Yet, equally my job to guide the direction in a way that honor’s the client’s investment.

It’s a delicate dance between listening and editing.

Speaking candidly, It makes me genuinely sad to see a client invest their money into a trend that I know, is about to cycle out.

Despite my best efforts to gently nudge, once someone as fallen in love with an of-the-moment trend, it’s very difficult to persuade them towards something with more longevity.

But here’s what I wish I could tell every client…and what I wish everyone knew about timeless design and trends.

Clients generally come to covet a trend at mass adoption. While designers are already viewing the same trend at saturation and decline.