Classic design is classic for a reason: it's proven itself time and time again that it relates to any era and subgroup of people. Some interior design elements just enjoy lasting power, and it is in their timelessness that designers and decorators are able to draw inspiration from when they want to create an enduring, always-fresh space. (Need a blank canvas to design the timeless home of everyone’s envy? Check out our properties for sale here.)
Staying away from home design trends should be a no-brainer in the pursuit of timeless interior design, but to be frank, there’s no harm in incorporating the newest it items in your space – in fact, it’s even encouraged by designers. The trick is to stick to a timeless base and use trends as small accents instead of going for fads all throughout that can make a space feel caricaturist and dated. Here are 6 tips to help you design a classic and timeless space that you will love living in for years to come.
Invest in Quality
Timeless interior design connotes a classic aesthetic that generations after you will still find beautiful and relevant. To be characterized as low quality more times than not means to have a lifespan of a few years max, making it acceptable for trends and fads but not for a classic style. While low quality items often tend to look a bit shabby (much thanks to tacky fabrics and cheap materials), high quality pieces in their superior makes tend to evoke a stronger essence and clearer purpose in a space. Quality may not directly mean expensive, but expect to pay a good amount to enjoy high caliber furniture and fixtures. Not only will investing in quality pieces for your space allow you to worry less about the state of your home (and free you time to do the things you love instead of constantly having to repair or replace your furniture), but it will also allow you to live a more relaxed life. High quality furniture and fixtures just tend to be more comfortable to use, more efficient to work with, more beautiful to look at.
And while you're thinking about how much you love dining on your narra table and lounging on your leather couch, why not take it a step further and make sure your home pieces are built to last and can be passed down as heirlooms? If you're particularly into the vintage market, you know that many things look much more elegant and eternal as they pass time - and only high quality items can age as such.
Stick to Neutrals
Color trends may be fun to follow - and definitely deserve an appearance in any willing home - but it's a neutral color palette that withstands the test of time in the world of interior design. The universal appeal and flexibility of whites, grays, beiges, and blacks is unparalleled - neutrals are just what works for all sorts of people at any point in time. With Pantone garnering public recalls as the authority in color trends, it makes sense why society associates specific colors with certain eras (e.g. sunny yellows and oranges for the 1970s and millennial pink for the past couple of years.)
That said, there are some hues and shades that are widely loved and used in interior design that they have become classics in their own right. Think navy blue or dark green. At the same time, timeless interior design does not mean a minimalist style. Colors can still be used as accents across the space, but they should work with neutrals as the base.
Focus on Function
Timeless interior design is sensible in that it prioritizes function over the frilliness of home decoration. Taking into account the purpose of the space - what activities are being held in a particular room - allows the designer to create a layout that will stand the test of time. Just think, dining rooms will always need a sizable dining table and a living room will always require comfortable seating. On the same thread, focusing on function rather than form means choosing furniture and fixtures that can be utilized in a home. A designer who wants to achieve timeless style will ought to decorate with what's also functional in the space, like throw pillows, book shelves, and planters, instead of decorating with "useless" paraphernalia. In this case, less definitely becomes more.
Draw Symmetry
Symmetry and balance are facets of classic and timeless interior design. People are generally drawn to balance and symmetry, as the human eye easily zeroes in on things that match. Achieve symmetry in your personal space by surrounding focal points with pairs of furniture or fixtures. For example, a perfectly scaled bedroom includes a sizable bed sandwiched between two bedside tables or hanging lights on either side. Ideally, each side of the room must make a sort of mirror image across to build proportion. The human brain will look for balance naturally so decorating with symmetry in mind should be no problem.
Utilize Smart Storage
Home storage solutions are called as such precisely because they address a multitude of problems in a home. Visually, storage solutions are great as they can help hide your fixtures and appliances that may not necessarily scream "classic" in terms of interior design style. In the kitchen, for example, you can choose to place your smaller electronic appliances such as your microwave oven and waffle maker inside modular cubbies instead of out on the counters. This decluttering hack allows for a timeless and more streamlined look, plus gives you more counter space to work on.
Bring Nature into the Mix
What's more timeless than a piece of the earth? Incorporating plants can only breathe life into your home, and using natural materials can only make a space feel more wholesome and eternal in a sense. A slew of indoor plants, wooden flooring, stone counters, and natural cotton textiles are some of the most popular iterations of nature-forward interior design and home decor. What's particularly perennial about these materials and items is that they've been around way before you, and will continue to stick around way after you.
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