7 Timeless Interior Design Ideas That Never Go Out of Style
With so many interior design and decorating options available to us today, it’s confusing to know where to invest your money. You don’t want to invest in something that might look dated in a few years.
I’m going to talk about timeless interior design and those elements that will never go out of style so you can feel more confident about how you spend your hard-earned money.
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What are the qualities that make something a timeless design in the first place? Generally, it's something that has stood the test of time and that we continue to see in homes of all kinds, decade after decade, or even century after century.
1. Built-ins
Built-ins are worth the investment because they help make a room look cohesive, customized, and well put together. They also create valuable storage and add character to your space.
A well-made built-in feels like it's always been a part of your home. Built-ins can also be a great way to maximize your space by making use of any awkward nooks and crannies.
2. Antique and vintage furniture
Trends come and go, but antiques and vintage furniture will always have a place in good, timeless interior design. A vintage piece is defined as a piece that is between 30 to 100 years old, and an antique is anything older than 100 years.
Not only do these pieces bring unique charm to a room, but they're also often made from higher-quality materials that will last for years. The fact that a piece of furniture has been around for 50, 100, or 150 years already speaks volumes about its quality.
Antique and vintage furniture give so much more character than mass-produced items, and these pieces can be a great way to add texture, interest, and often a sense of history to your space.
This doesn't mean you have to fill your home with only antiques or vintage pieces if you don't want to, nor should you expect to be able to find your vintage and antiques all at once.
It takes time, but even just one piece can bring charm, sophistication, and warmth to your space.
3. Solid wood furniture
Solid wood furniture is generally more expensive, but a well-made, solid piece should last much longer than any MDF counterpart, which will show wear and tear over time and inevitably end up in a landfill.
If the wood looks a little rough, it can usually be repaired and refinished to look like new.
4. A neutral color palette
Neutrals like white, off-white, ivory, beige, and greige never go out of style. Neutrals are ideal for expensive upholstered pieces.
Neutral with pops of color
If you go with a neutral sofa, upholstered dining chairs, or an upholstered headboard, it will serve as a calm, neutral backdrop over the years for any bolder, maybe less expensive decor or colors that you might want to experiment using.
Avoid heavily patterned upholstery pieces
They only look good in professionally styled homes with specific aesthetics. Neutrals and upholstery with subtle or no patterning will give you the most longevity. Even if you want to buy colored pots and pans, choose them in neutral colors.
5. Traditional millwork
Traditional millwork makes a room look classic and timeless. Millwork includes paneling, wainscoting, crown molding, picture rails, cased windows and door frames, and coffered ceilings. These elements add depth and character to a room and will never go out of style.
6. White windows
If you're about to invest money into new windows, go with timeless white windows instead of black.
Black window frames are trendy and have a very high-contrast look, but white will never go out of style. Black can fade over time to a brownish hue and they can look dirty.
I feel that black window frames will not stand the test of time and may look dated in 20 years. White windows will look good for years to come.
7. Stripes
Stripes are traditional patterns but they can be very tricky in interior design. It'll be a very long time before furniture upholstered in a classic ticking stripe looks dated. Studies suggest that we deeply connect with stripes because they're tangible reminders of our innate desire to bring structure and balance to the chaos in the world around us.
Timeless interior design
Those are the seven timeless interior design elements that you can focus on when designing your home. If you're ever in doubt when you're shopping, focus on whether the item is versatile enough to stand the test of time.
For example, can you use it with a variety of color palettes? Can you use it in multiple rooms in your home? Is it good quality? Is it made out of natural materials?
If you answered yes to all of those questions, there's a very good chance that your piece is timeless and that you'll get several years of use out of it. Share with me in the comments what timeless, classic elements you have in your home.
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