5 Ways to Create Timeless Design In Your Home
Currently, there are lots of tips floating around on the internet about how to style your home to look on trend and in style for 2019.
Trends like the use of:
- eco friendly materials
- bold accent colors
Or
using floral wall papers to spice things up a bit.
But if you look past all the hype, these so called new trends are actually tried and true decorating motifs that have been around for ages.
Truly good decor is timeless and just as I’d mentioned in my last post about the Three Rules of Home Decorating that Everyone Should Follow , there are certain decorating strategies that never go out of style no matter what’s in at the moment.
Here are, what I believe to be the 5 Timeless Design Strategies, that have stood the test of time again and again.
Let me know if any of these design strategies ring true in your own home.
Timeless Design Strategy #1: Mix the Old with the New

This living room, designed by mother and daughter design team McGrath II, is a good example of how to mix traditional textures, like these lush green velvet armchairs, with a more modern one, like those shimmery light blue curtains, to create a more relaxed feel to an otherwise formal room.
Compare this to how designers are using reclaimed style wood beams to add warmth and texture to an otherwise modern looking room like this one:
Dressing up the ceilings is really popular with designers right now.

And I can see why. The wooden beams in this open concept room serve as dividers, adding dimension to an otherwise muted look.
Which takes me to timeless design strategy #2–which is to mix textures whenever and wherever you can.
Timeless Design Strategy #2: Layer Textures

This is a prototypical modern room decor that’s in style right now, but check out how small eco friendly accents can soften the edges a bit.
The seamless interplay between the leather sofa, reclaimed wood side/coffee table, and these lighter colored plank wood floors (which, by the way, are on trend this year), warms up what can otherwise look cold or uninviting.
Even the greenery (is that a giant cactus leaf?) in their Adobe style earthenware, allays the tension created by the three different modern art frames resting on the mantle.
And although the mainstay of this room’s decor lies in its distinctly modern aesthetic, (look at the harsh angles on those arm chairs!), nothing about this room seems too cold or harsh.
I also love how none of the natural elements seem forced or artificial (although that cactus leaf doesn’t look real to me…). They all blend seamlessly together.
It’s a look that’s timeless.
Timeless Design Strategy #3: Don’t Overdecorate

As I’d said before, timeless decorating should never be superfluous or overdone.
Suzanne Kasler, who’s one of my favorite designers, is a master at this.
Her dining room, above, is a classic example of how intentional she is about every aspect of her design, without making it look too perfect.
Look how the pewter color of these pendant lamps echo the industrial looking window frames.
Even that traditional farm house dining table looks up to date paired up with those soft velvet lilac colored seat cushions…
It’s so dreamy, but grounded at the same time.
I mean, at first glance, even those artichokes (who puts whole artichokes on their dining table?) don’t look all that artificial, to me.
Timeless Design Strategy #4: Take (Calculated) Risks
Although taking risks seems contrary to what I said earlier about how not to overdecorate, I still believe that taking risks, in small measures, can achieve lasting impact on the overall style of a room.
Take for instance, the almost overwhelming use of black in this small bathroom.

Although a color this dark is way too risky for a larger room, it provides the perfect contrast in this one.
Notice how the dark contrasts the natural wood grains of this vanity or the intricate motif of those mosaic floor tiles.
I also love how the black accentuates those modern brass fixtures– which are so “in” right now.
This may be the reason why, floral wall papers, another popular design trend this year, are making a come back.

Although florals instantly make me think of, Crabtree and Evelyn ,I don’t mind this monochromatic one–especially when it’s paired up with these prim and proper subway tiles.
Here’s another example where the wallpaper doesn’t overwhelm or underwhelm; It just makes a statement that can’t be overlooked.

Timeless Design Strategy #5: Make It Personal
Besides taking small calculated risks, the most enduring aspect of any home design rests in how much personality it has.
Although I can never pass up an opportunity to pick up decorative items from stores like Target or Homegoods, I never get tired of seeing someone else’s personal collections.
Whether it’s a curated selection of globes from your various travels abroad…

or just a beat up old weather vane you picked up from a local estate sale…
the unique characteristic of these items makes any home design interesting if not enduring.
So what about you? Are there some aspects of your home decor style that has served you well over the years? If so, I’d love for you to share them with us.
You can submit your ideas below, or take a photo of it and share it with me on Instagram with the tag @oursimplifiedhome, or on my Facebook page.
For more decorating ideas, check out:
3 Rules of Home Decorating That Everyone Should Follow
Quick Budget Bathroom Refresh for Under $25!
10 Best DIY Ideas to Perk Up Your Walls