Should You Design Your Home Around 2018 Trends?
Today’s home design standards are bright, airy, and colourful. If you’re a fan of HGTV, you’ll know just how popular features like white subway tiles, grey hardwood floors, and quartz countertops really are. If you consider yourself among the vanguard of tastemakers and trendsetters, you will be drawn to the latest and greatest. But before you go all-in on the flavour of the day, ask yourself, “Are these style elements the right choice for my custom built home?”
While they look good now, current trends don’t always stay current. Just think of how long the bright oranges and earthy greens of the ’70s lasted. Here are a few reasons why you may want to give careful thought before committing your custom-crafted home to 2018 design trends.
You Might Not Always Like That Pop of Colour
With Pantone nominating Ultra Violet and Sherwin Williams choosing Oceanside as their colours of the year, it’s clear that 2018 is primed to be a colourful one for home decor.
Choosing a bold colour is a bold decision that may involve looking beyond how you feel today. Just because you like the colour now, does not mean you will be equally enamoured in five or 10 years. That is why you may consider avoiding the use of trendy colours throughout the home.
If you’re truly interested in committing to current trends, try painting just one accent wall a deep purple and bright blue shades to spruce up otherwise neutral rooms. Or, pick one or two feature furnishings that offer a little bit of flair. That way, if you tire of the brightness, it will be easy to revert to a quieter hue. Love red? Consider a red kitchen mixer or coffee maker as another way to use colours that stand out.
Wallpaper: A Sticky Decision
Wallpaper is extremely trendy right now, especially colourful and vibrant patterns. Designers are using everything from chevrons to exotic plants to provide personalized spaces for homeowners.
Unfortunately, wallpaper is even harder to remove than paint and will take days of hard work to properly peel away. The process is labour-intensive and will involve scoring, scraping, soaking, and lots of sweat and tears. Again, if the wallpaper is something you must have, consider limiting it to a feature wall or dedicated room. Your future-self may thank you!
Furniture: Which Style Is Right for You?
You’re designing a custom home from scratch, so you want to love it for years and years to come. We trust you’ll be investing in furnishings every bit as exquisite as your home (and let’s face it, you’ve long graduated beyond D.I.Y. Allen-key furnishings).
Therefore, you might want to consider picking furniture that offers long-term value. While a bright green couch might seem interesting now, it might dwindle into a bad decision in a few years. However, timeless furniture that carries through the entire home, like solid wood chairs and tables, is always a good choice, as are leather couches or armchairs.
However, if you do want to delve into trendy furniture, why not take the plunge? Make your kitchen trendy with eclectic bar stools or your living room cozy with a big pouf.
Form vs. Function
At the end of the day, you want your home to be comfortable and cozy. Sure, looks are important, but practicality should come first. Kitchen bar stool remain a popular design trend. Be sure choose a design that is comfortable whether you’re sitting down for breakfast or socializing.
Likewise, that big pouf in your living room might seem like a good idea, but it will probably have your back complaining in just a few hours. Always consider the usability of your design choices before you commit to them. Afterall, what works for other people might not work for you.
While the bolder of the 2018 home design trends look cool now, chances are, they’ll be long forgotten in 10 or 15 years. So if you’re prepared to repaint, refinish, reupholster or replace out of date items in five years – go for it! If not, save yourself the trouble of future remodels and redesigns by choosing timeless options that you’ll always love. That way, you’ll be able to stay happy and comfortable in your brand-new forever home for life.
Interested in building a custom home in Calgary?
Download our free guide filled with insider tips and checklists to help you find the right custom home builder for you!