It’s interesting to observe the ebb and flow of what’s in and what’s out in the world of interiors over the years. It can drive you crazy, cause you to think “why the eff is this popular right now” or make you want to buy something the second it’s a thing.
The key to knowing when to cave or save on trends is understanding your personal style and what’s trendy vs. timeless.
This post isn’t for you if:
+ You’re blessed af with unlimited funds and can cycle through any trend without worry about budget constraints
+ You’ve ever installed carpet over hardwood floors
Damnit, Brenda.
Here are my 7 tips on when you should consider caving and when you should be saving on a trend.
WHEN TO CAVE:
1. When it’s a color, pattern, texture, finish or anything that you truly love and you’ve always truly loved
A good personal example of this is my strong desire for a green velvet chesterfield sofa, which I’ve been wanting for a while. Although they happen to be “in style” right now, I don’t see a green sofa as a trend because I’ve always loved green and velvet. Without even realizing it, I find myself sneaking green into every room in our house. It’s true love.
Via Suburban Bees
Ask yourself this: how do you recognize whether you truly love something or if you’re just being influenced by what’s trendy?
My rule of thumb is – if you have to think twice about whether you truly love it or you haven’t loved it for a good period of time, don’t waste your money. I try to use this rule with everything I buy, not just trends.
2. When it’s something that can be swapped out when you grow tired of it (and you won’t feel bad about it)
Some of my favorite trendy items to buy are inexpensive accessories like throw pillows, Etsy wall art, and smaller decorative objects since I know they can be easily swapped out when I’m sick of them. I have an accessories bucket dedicated to decorative items that aren’t currently being displayed in our home, which is exactly where items go when I’m swapping things out. After a while, I’ll go shopping in said bucket whenever I’m in need of an accessory refresh!
3. When it’s less permanent and can easily be changed
If you’re itching to try a new trendy color on your walls and you’re a DIYer/don’t mind painting yourself, then go for it.
Same applies to wallpaper, which is always in style but certain styles of wallpaper become trendy. If you see a wallpaper pattern you love but could see yourself wanting to switch it out in a few years, then removable wallpaper is definitely something to try.
A bridal suite I designed in Cedar Grove, NJ. I may be biased, but this floral wallpaper will always remain timeless in a bridal suite.
4. When you’re able to bring it home and feel it out for a bit, knowing you can return it if you don’t love it
If you’re unsure whether you’ll love something in your home and you have the ability to return it, then no harm no foul in buying it. Just make sure you understand the return policies before purchasing (and always keep the receipt).
No return policy exists at Goodwill, but luckily this beautiful vintage provincial table was still around when I returned after taking a few days to think about it first.
This one’s a bit tricky, especially for us thrifters who know that if we don’t buy something the second we see it, it’ll probably be gone the next time we walk by. “Act fast before this item is gone forever” is a great way to bring home something you realize doesn’t work very well in your home. Luckily, most thrifted items are classics, and therefore you won’t have to worry about said item going out of style! See what I did there 😉
WHEN TO SAVE:
5. When you’re renovating/planning a major upgrade to your home, like a full kitchen or bathroom makeover
A color of the year shouldn’t be used on your cabinets unless it’s a timeless color or a color you’ve always loved. Not only might you eventually get sick of it, but this is particularly important if you’re ever planning on selling your home.
And please, for the love of all things holy, don’t move forward with that farmhouse style bathroom renovation featuring shiplap walls and reclaimed wood vanity. You’ll hate me now but in a few years, you’ll thank me.
Don’t do this, Brenda.
6. When it’s a big ticket item:
Similar to renovating, think twice about buying a trendy big-ticket item.
Imagine you buy this trendy blue stove and in 7 years, you go to sell your home. But alas, this stove is an utter horror and “sooo 2018” to prospective buyers and no one wants to buy your house. Maybe a bit dramatic but you never know.
Other examples of big-ticket items that you probably shouldn’t invest in if you believe it to be a trend:
+ A sofa/sectional
+ Large appliances
+ Anything semi-permanent (aka not easy to swap out) like tiles, countertops, and flooring
A trendy tile pattern I’ve seen lately and even considered for a split second in our bathroom – thank god I didn’t cave because I would have been sick of it within days. This is totally not my style but…trends have a funny way of captivating you.
7. When you can’t distinguish between whether you truly love something or if you’ve just seen it all over Pinterest and, well, you have to have it.
This is important for us impulse-shoppers. I started this overnight method, where if I see something I love on IG or Pinterest and I think I should buy it, I’ll sleep on it before making a decision to buy it. It’s crazy how something you’ve seen all over the internet influences the sh*t out of you and almost hypnotizes you into thinking you have to have it.
OK so now, WTF can you spend your hard earned $$$ on knowing that it will most likely never go out of style?
I created a graphic that shows a few classics that will most likely never go out of style. Unless there’s some sort of conference where a higher power in the interior design industry gets drunk and makes rash decisions.
Granted, some of these will have trends in and of themselves (i.e. wall art, types of hardwood floors, etc), but for the most part these are considered classics. I also should mention that this is based on a combination of my own opinion and research, so please don’t take this too seriously.
I’ve definitely been shying away from trendy and moving towards classic items lately, so for the sake of this post, here’s a recent photo of my office that contains timeless details
Are you a sucker for new trends and find yourself caving more than saving? Is your home made up mostly of trendy or classic items (or a mix of both)? I’d love to hear from you!
xo
Alisa
Wow everything you said is so true Alisa.
I Struggle with style for the longest, know I just want to get what I really love only. And not follow new things Especially in target ????
Hi Julie!! I totally agree. It’s so hard sometimes to just want to buy everything you see, whether it’s trendy or not!
Hi! This post could not be written any better!
Reading this post reminds me of my old room
mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him.
Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!