Is my house dated? Yes. Here’s why it doesn’t matter.

Let’s face it- there is no such thing as timeless design unless you are restoring a heritage home back to it’s perfect historic accuracy. And those are homes that are often beautiful to look at but lack the modern functionality of spaces that lead people to remodel old homes in the first place.

Every decade in design and construction we face a battle of trendy materials that are beautiful and new to us in such a thrilling and exciting way that we convince ourselves they will be in style forever. No, today’s barn wood walls and ship lap could never be yesterday’s wood paneling…today’s mason jar pendants could never be yesterday’s ceiling fan with frilly glass globes…today’s gold metal trend could never be… yesterday’s gold metal trend?

The key is to stop fighting it, or thinking you could possibly out maneuver it. Truth is- I prefer a house that is full of trends of that decade to one devoid of any design at all. We’ve all been in them- everything is neutral, everything is basic, you might have oak wood work that is just plain old brown, white walls and beige carpet. The lighting has been converted to recessed, the counter tops are white Formica, the fireplace might have a wood surround with shiny black granite.

These homes can be lit up with paint and an owner’s belongings but the initial reason they look that way is that this was the safest route at the time. Whether selected by a spec home builder or a client who was too afraid to make a wrong decision, the end result of trying to create a design that will appeal to anyone, is creating something that appeals to no one.

Now, I’m certainly not talking about the growing trend of “quiet luxury” that uses a neutral pallet in a rich and interesting way. I still believe the homes that look the best in neutrals are the ones that already look great naked. By this I mean any house that void of furnishings has standout woodwork, trims, doors, hardwood floors, a stone or brick fireplace, ceiling details or windows that were not selected solely for their energy efficiency.

You know the kind of room I am talking about when you see it. You will remember the mantle and the french doors on either side of the built in bookcases before you will remember what kind of creme couch was draped with an ecru cashmere throw. The idea that these beautiful neutral spaces exist encourages your average consumer who is afraid of color that they are on the right track.

So when I look around my house I know that it will show the signs of the times I remodeled certain rooms. It has to. I love color and I also commit to ideas for the long haul. I am not one to change up my paint every time a new idea pops up. Most of my color schemes are reoccurring colors I have always liked, whether they were trendy or not.

My house is also over 100 years old and lacks any sort of natural design direction or charm of it’s own. Only the upstairs still has a feel of an old farmhouse because the original trim was still present and I decided not to cover up the old wood floors that are actually the original underlayment. But the rest of the house was a mess of bad decisions and cheap materials- plastic wood paneling, acoustic tiles, drop ceilings, peel and stick floors over hardwood.

By starting the overhaul in 2006 I was initially influenced by an appreciation of a Craftsman trend that was present at the time. The fact that the bulk of my renovations took place over a 10 year span helped keep a slight evolution to the materials I selected. While things are dated by today’s standards the entire house isn’t necessarily dated to one or two years. I like to think it has taken on a more collected look.

And that’s really where this entire post has been heading- The Collected Home. Is my house dated? Yes. But it is dated by the times in my life and the memories I’ve created here. Trends come and go. Usually only other designers identify these as good and bad. Most of us just accept that we have different taste and preferences in home design.

Don’t let the fear of making the wrong choice keep you from enjoying your house. Don’t think that staying neutral will protect you from criticism from future buyers. In this series I started by highlighting the importance of being inspired by something you love. Then I discussed the advantages to seeing potential in things you might already have. Now- I urge you to take chances, to fully embrace the idea that it is your house and it is for you to enjoy living in! Don’t fall victim to worrying about the masses and resale. If you love it enough- you may never need anyone else to want it!

Coming Soon to the Blog!

Looking good naked: How a historic low country home stands the test of time!