Why Ditching Home Design Trends Can Lead to Greater Happiness
Forget what you see on Pinterest and social media. Ditching home design trends can lead to a much happier and more fulfilling life.
When it comes to home design, it can be easy to get caught up in following the latest trends. However, discarding these fads in favor of personal preferences and individual style can lead to greater happiness and feeling more at home in your own home.
Trends change constantly, and trying to keep up with them can feel like a trip on a never-ending hamster wheel. This can be both mentally and financially draining.
Instead, by choosing items that you find attractive, regardless of whether they are currently in fashion, you can create a timeless space that brings you joy for years to come.
Everyone Wants to Belong
We've all been there. You see those stunning walk-in pantries everywhere on Instagram, fall in love with the look, and know you must redesign your whole kitchen.
We forget that no style is permanent. And do you even have that much food to store?
In the blink of an eye, the flavor of the month is gone and quickly forgotten when the newest thing comes along. What do you do if all the latest design magazines declare mid-century modern aesthetics out of style, but you love your Mad Men-style Eames lounge chair?
Whether it's the latest wallpapering craze or cottagecore chic, these passing fads don't represent evidence of great personal styling.
They demonstrate how easily influenced we can be by trends in a heavy consumer culture. Nevertheless, we all embrace them from time to time, which is part of being human.
Remember that design trends are best when used to inspire, and don't let them limit you. Choose which ones you want to keep around and ditch what doesn't feel true to your character.
Why Do We Do It?
It's a question we all must ask ourselves at some point: why do we want to fit in?
In today's social media-driven world, getting caught in a cycle of comparing ourselves to what we see online is easy. Beautiful, camera-ready spaces make us look around our homes and feel like we are missing out.
Sometimes these spaces are barely functional and are nothing more than props to look great in a photo. But they can still make us envious and wish we could achieve the same aesthetic.
It's also easy to want to keep up with “The Jones’s”—the idea of wanting to appear wealthier than others and having the appearance of success. But this is a never-ending battle that's impossible to win.
Either way, our motivations influence how we spend our time and money, so understanding our reasons might help us act more intelligently when making decisions.
Your Home Is Just That - Yours
When creating your dream home, your personal comfort and taste should be at the forefront of your thought process. Having a home that expresses who you are is aesthetically pleasing and can also impact your mood and overall well-being.
It's well known that our environments significantly influence our happiness and our feelings. Whether you like neutrals with calming, natural materials or an explosion of vivid colors and patterns, designing a living space tailored to your taste will ultimately bring satisfaction and contentment into your daily life.
If people think your home uses too many bright colors or your furniture is dated, but you love it, that is all that matters. This is the space where you are coming after a long day to feel safe, comfortable, and cozy, so embrace what makes you feel your best.
So consider the importance of creating an engaging and meaningful environment, and you'll have a place where you genuinely love spending time!
Let Your Home Tell the Story of Your Life
It's easy to walk into a store you like and buy all the matching furniture. Your home will look like that company's magazine, but what does that have to do with your personality?
Furniture and decor can be powerful tools in creating a home that tells the story of your life.
Incorporating pieces with sentimental value, such as vintage furniture passed down through generations, can add a sense of history and heritage to a room. Similarly, including items that reflect your hobbies and interests, like treasures collected from your travels, will give you daily reminders of some of your favorite moments.
By curating the pieces in your space with intention, you can craft a home that truly reflects your unique style and individual journey. Allow yourself the freedom to change your decor time, and your overall sense of style will only strengthen.
Invest in Your Own Style and Save Money
Updating your home to keep up with the latest trends can be expensive. Buying trendy accessories or investing in renovations that eventually become outdated can add up quickly.
Every year, and even every season, there are new trends, materials, and colors pushed by decor companies. Last year you had to have a sage green kitchen, but wood cabinets are en vogue this year.
At the end of the day, these style shifts are advertised to sell us more stuff. Certain items are considered "out," so you need to go out and replace them.
Not only is this not sustainable, but it's also impossible to keep up with. The better path is to analyze your space, consider what you love, and choose what is best for you. You will want to live with these choices longer than whatever the "color of the year" was when you moved in.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, following trends can feel like the easy option when it comes to decorating your home, but it's often more trouble than it's worth. Instead, opt for finding what works for you and tailoring your design choices to suit your own personal style.
This will help you save money in the long run by avoiding unnecessary redecoration costs and provide you with a sense of ownership and pride over your space.
We all need places to call our own, where we can have the ability to grow and feel like our best selves. Take time to think beyond the popular thing of the time because creating a home that reflects your life's journey will have lasting rewards.
So be brave and embrace individuality instead of chasing trends - after all, that way lies true contentment!
About the author
Beth Martin is a design expert specializing in unique and quirky residential and retail design, who also writes about all things design at bethrmartin.com