Things That Should Not be Trendy.

Things That Should Not be Trendy.

The thing about trends is that they come and go. That is what makes them trends.  In the home decor world, trends are fine for pillows, cushions, area rugs, accent lamps and the odd bit of artwork but for major components in a home, watch out.  Here are a few things I believe should never be trendy. You will be stuck with them for a long time, and changing them will cost you a lot of money.

Leather sofa: No matter how much you love purple, it is, perhaps, not a good color for a leather sofa. These sofas can last a long time; if it is a quality sofa, you may have it for fifteen or more years. During that time it will dictate the color scheme of the room.  Unless you are absolutely positive you will never want to change that color scheme, stick to a neutral color. 

Drapes in the living room: These can be as pricey as a new sofa.  Same guidelines apply here. Unless you are sure you will want big grommets and striped fabric, for example, for a very long time, buy a classic drape made of exceptional fabric and dress it up with side panels of the striped fabric.

Back-splash: As much as you may love the apple-green glass accent tile of the back-splash, it will age and date your kitchen. We all loved the peach and blue of the early nineties; now it just looks old and tired, no matter what the condition.  Better to be neutral, and use the trendy colors as accents in the accessories or chair covers. Same applies in the bathroom. 

A friend asked me to help him and his wife pick a carpet color for their house; they wanted the same carpet throughout.  I declined -- I have a rule about working for friends-- but I wish I had made an exception on this one. They chose a bright emerald green plush carpet because she had seen it as a new ‘must have’ in an English decorating magazine.  Enough said. When they sold their house a few years later, they had to first replace the carpet.   A good berber with accent rugs would have made much more design, and fiscal, sense.

Remember the little black dress. You can totally change the look with accessories and it never goes out of style.