Design Trends

In reading my numerous favorite design blogs last night, I started thinking about what's "in" right now as far as interior dec goes.  And then I started thinking about which ones I've jumped on, which ones are sure to fade out soon (before I go spending those big bucks on a trendy piece of furniture, I like to consider whether it'll still be "in" when the piece is delivered to my door), and what I think about trends overall.  (I know I talk about Pottery Barn all the time (I'm a robot), but, I really do think PB Designers really get it.  They know what the market wants, and they do a really good job at dishing it out in tasteful quantities so that you could actually use their products even after the trend dies out.  )  The Inspired Room said, "I think that is what gets annoying to trend-avoiders more than the pattern itself, is just the sense that you don’t always have to really be creative or innovative to get noticed, you just have to use what is “in.” That “overdone” factor can make creative people not want to use it at all."  I totally agree with her. But, there's a few trends that have definitely stood out to me.  The biggest trends I've noticed since we moved into our house are chevron, stripes, and mercury glass.  It's in, in, in.

image from Pinterest

First of all, chevron.  Everyone is dying for it.  So, trendy, timeless, or a no-no?  I don't know.  I haven't jumped on this one yet.  As I was watching AMC's Mad Men on Sunday night, I noticed pattern there, too.  Obviously, it is a throw back pattern, absent for a few decades and now it's back.  But, for how long?

AMC, Mad Men

  images from Pinterest

I can definitely appreciate the clean lines and posh vibe chevron brings to a space.  But, I'm not dying for it like most, and it hasn't made its way into my house.  To me, trendy not timeless.  But, it is cool looking.  What do you think?

Next up, stripes.  Stripes here, stripes there, stripes are everywhere... This is a trend that I would definitely say is timeless, but more "in" now than usual.  Stripes are traditional enough that I don't think the style could ever be dated.  But, what makes the "new" stripes so "in" is turning them from their traditional vertical line to a more updated horizontal. 

Traditional Stripes

image from Pinterest

Image from Pottery Barn, ticking stripe roman shades

Modern Stripes

all images from Pinterest

See what I mean?  Just by turning stripes on their side, a space is instantly updated.  I give this "trend" an A+.  Timeless enough that you won't have to repaint your walls or buy new curtains until you just feel like doing it.  Love stripes, both vertical and horizontal.

And then, there's mercury glass.  I must admit, over the holidays I wanted all things shimmery and beautiful in this category.  I even tried the DIY mercury glass with the looking glass spray paint (it didn't work out so well for me, maybe others have had better luck?). 

image from Pinterest

image from Pottery Barn

How do you feel about this?  Trendy or timeless?  I think it is a trend, but I don't necessarily think it'll ever be out of style.  It is too pretty for that to be a concern. 

image from Pinterest

If you are going to try out any trend, I think it's best to do it in small, inexpensive doses.  Do it on things that are easy to swap out.  In other words, I wouldn't go buying an upholstered chevron couch that costs thousands, but I would drop it on some super cute throw pillows or an inexpensive rug.  What trends are you into?