It’s easy to spot trends in fashion. From crop-tops to bell bottoms, hoop skirts to neon skinny jeans, it’s obvious to watch the cycles shift as things go in and out of fashion. We see it with wedding dresses, baby names, and just about everything we have a choice in. When it comes to daily fashion, it’s easy to donate the trends of years past and buy a new wardrobe each season. What’s not so easy, is remodeling a kitchen that was built on trends alone.

How to Have a Trendy Home Without Being Dated

We all know when you walk into a home and it hasn’t been renovated since the 70s. Sometimes, it has a charm and a fun throwback look to it. Other times, the yellow floral wallpaper and pink linoleum kitchen floors tell a different story, a story that can change the value of your home when it comes time to sell.

With the growing popularity of Home Makeover shows, house flipping, DIY tutorials, and Pinterest boards, it feels like home décor trends are speeding up, moving almost as fast as fashion. Now, warm colored living room walls and overstuffed couches are assigned to the year 2008, when trends like that used to fill homes for entire decades. You might be reading this not even realizing some elements of your home are now considered dated, but don’t worry, we don’t recommend hoping on every home décor trend that pops onto your Pinterest feed. Let’s talk about how to keep your home looking fresh and young, without the big investments that will be “over” come 2020.

Incorporating Trends the Smart Way

Some parts of your home are pretty easy to change as your tastes shift; wall color, kitchen stools, or curtains. Some parts of your home could benefit from updates after ten years; kitchen appliances, lighting fixtures, or exterior paint color. And some things are likely to stay the same for quite a while; room layout, flooring, countertops, or window frames. Of course, each of these can always be adjusted, we just recommend keeping an eye on which category your trend-based choices land in.

Get Trendy with Décor

Having a pop of color with accent chairs, new frames for your family photos, different curtains in the living room, and a fresh coat of paint can truly change the look and feel of your home. If you’re someone who loves trends, these are the places where you’ll get the most bang for your buck.

Right now, light colored walls are very popular, with natural wood finishes and greenery lining the shelves. It’s about minimalism with a twist, but that won’t stick around forever.

Stay Measured on the Mediums

Are you planning to sell your house? If that’s the case, your renovation choices should match your desired home buyer. If you expect your home to sell to a young couple buying their first home, you might want to lean in a trendy direction with the bigger and upgrades. Most young couples are not looking for carpets, so if you’re planning to put in new floors before you sell, consider laminate wood floors. Are you expecting your home to sell to an older client? Consider the accessibility of bathrooms and bedrooms. Renovating a home before you sell can add serious value, but it’s important to choose the right upgrades to avoid wasting time or money.

If you’re not planning to sell your home but just want to make a few of these bigger upgrades, go with what you love, but also what you expect to love in 10 years. Consider talking to your contractor about what they’ve noticed in home trends. Chances are, they see the same mistakes being made and have spent the last few years ripping up similar looking carpets and tearing down unnecessary room dividers and walls.

The Big Investments

There’s always a time to make big changes and sometimes you can’t help but fall into a trend. Open concept living spaces are the way of the world, but in 30 years that might have changed. Make decisions based on what is best for you, your house, and the recommendations of any professionals. After all, opinions and trends will always change and renovations are always available.  

Scared by these big choices? Going classes is never a mistake and as we mentioned above, you can add tons of personality and embrace your whims with the details and decor. A home should be what you want it to be, so go with your gut and consult a professional for the rest.