“Be Yourself!  Everyone else is already taken!”  Easier said than done, right?  As a society of consumers, we are conditioned to want the latest and greatest.  But, who determines what that is?  Trends, for better or worse, are driven by the industry as much as they are by consumer demand.

Interior design trends, like fashion, are dreamt up by industry leaders.  These people tell you what you should like by inundating you with advertising and store displays featuring the latest in home decor.  Their job is to sell product.  To do that they are constantly reinventing the “in look” by changing little things here and there to make it different enough to attract buyers!  So while you think you’re a free spirit, capable of making your own decorating decisions, those decisions have already been made for you in boardrooms and showrooms around the world.  Bottom line, you can’t buy it if it isn’t available.

Be Yourself

Think about brass for a minute.  Polished brass fixtures, hardware and lighting were all the rage a decade or so ago.  Then along came brushed nickel and oil rubbed bronze and brass suddenly felt undesirable and dated.  Now that the majority of people have jumped on board and replaced these outdated elements in their homes, we’re being told brass is back.  Shiny polished brass is seeing a resurgence while the newest trend is toward “warm” gold… a fancy take on brushed or antiqued brass.  Let’s face it… there are only so many materials and styles that can be used in home decor, so eventually everything comes full circle even if it is slightly “updated” for appeal.

When clients ask what’s “on trend” and they invariably do, I cringe!  There may be a huge difference between what’s on trend and what you like.  Newsflash… That’s perfectly fine!  My goal when decorating for others is to help them discover their own unique style rather than regurgitating the latest trend.  Even if you like pink with purple polkadots, there is probably a way of making it look purposeful, decorative and trendy.

So my point in all this, don’t let others tell you what to like.   Your choices might be limited if you’re bucking the latest trend.  But, pay attention to your gut intuition!   If you don’t like something, you’re probably never really going to like it.  Applying good decorating basics to any decor can make your look uniquely yours!  If you love it, that’s what matters most.  And that way, you won’t always be chasing your own tail trying to make sure your home is on trend. Be yourself because everyone else really is already taken.

Happy Decorating from Decor Designs!  815-245-2433