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Original poster

What current "looks" are going to date badly?

292 replies

minipie · 05/04/2017 13:03

I'm starting a house refurb next year and collecting various ideas for decor.

I'm conscious that I tend to be quite influenced by what's around at the moment... 5 years ago I probably would have chosen a house all in white and shades of grey, and a painted in frame kitchen, now I'm liking darker colours and handleless kitchens... I think I may be a recipe for a house that dates quite badly Grin.

Please help me avoid that. What do you think is currently ubiquitous/on trend but will look all wrong in a few years' time?

Conversely what's going to stand the test of time?

It's for a Victorian house in London if that matters...

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
HaveCourageAndBeKind · 05/04/2017 16:50

Crushed velvet and mirror furniture. All over instagram and it's awful!

I love woodland stuff though and have a bedroom full of foxes. Foxes are a life long love so I don't care. Grin

MuseumOfCurry · 05/04/2017 16:52

Literally every Victorian terrace I looked at to buy I was like "need to get this wall back up here"

We went completely overboard on knocking out walls in our renovation, I'd love to have a wall in our formal sitting room.

BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington · 05/04/2017 16:52

I don't like laminate at all, even the 'good' laminate.

BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington · 05/04/2017 16:55

I like a bit of open plan in terms of a big kitchen being better than a poky kitchen with a separate dining room. But there would have to be a separate reception room or rooms. I love my family but sometime I want to be able to close a door on them!

Theknittinggorilla · 05/04/2017 16:56

minipie think we were on a thread together about knocking through kitchen/diner - did you decide to go for it?

happygardening · 05/04/2017 16:56

Agree choose what you like and if possible things that have meaning to you. My late mother was very involved with the William Morris society I've used some of his fabric on her antique furniture (before it became fashionable), when I look at her chairs upholstered with fabric I know she loves it gives me great pleasure. I also have lots of antiques belonging to my mum I'm not sure I would have bought all of them off my own bat but I love them because they were hers, I have photos of them in her first house in the 1950's and when I was little she used to tell me where she bought them and how little she paid for them. We also collect original art, and my mother was a painter, we literally have pictures on every inch of our walls, again all have some meaning either who painted them, what they are pictures off or where we purchased them. People come to my house and and comment on my decor, we have very eclectic taste in art from the conventional to very modern all jumbled in together, I guess antiques etc are not fashionable, it's all a bit unusual, they love it but I actually think if you are happy with your house and how it looks it creates a nice welcoming atmosphere and that's what people really are sensing.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 05/04/2017 16:56

I've just bloody painted every room in my house greyAngrySad

Original poster
minipie · 05/04/2017 16:57

gorilla we are seeing an architect tomorrow to go through plans...

OP posts:
BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington · 05/04/2017 16:58

But presumably you like the grey Lois? Grin

Don't worry, Elle Decor need never know!

Original poster
minipie · 05/04/2017 16:58

I think part of my problem is I don't have a strong sense of style and if left to myself will choose bland. So I get influenced by current magazine trends as they look more interesting that what I'd have come up with.

OP posts:
PovertyJetset · 05/04/2017 16:58

I just moved out of an open plan house to a house with walls and rooms and doors. Bliss!

MuseumOfCurry · 05/04/2017 17:00

I think part of my problem is I don't have a strong sense of style and if left to myself will choose bland. So I get influenced by current magazine trends as they look more interesting that what I'd have come up with.

You might do well to work with an interior decorator to help you to work your ideas into a coherent theme.

LaundryQueenHatesBunfights · 05/04/2017 17:02

Never been a fan of the whole open plan thing, I like a cosy living room! Especially living in the north where it's cold! I also think about the smells of cooking going into all of the soft furnishings Confused so I agree, I think they may go out of fashion eventually.

Dining kitchens are ok though.

happygardening · 05/04/2017 17:03

Also meant to say I have nothing bland, I loathe the Kelly Hoppen grey/beige/duck egg blue look I love colour and nothing "matches".

smilingsarahb · 05/04/2017 17:03

I think looking at the time period of the house is good to making styles last a bit longer. I'm not meaning create a museum but some things like the proportions of furniture, prints and tile sizes or patters seem to work with the proportions of the room. I also think having things from different ages is more forgiving as things evolve naturally. I also second that paint needs redoing because it gets dirty so it probably doesn't matter if it dates.

Original poster
minipie · 05/04/2017 17:05

Museum I've thought about it but I dislike most of the interior designed houses I've seen... they all look a bit "show home" iyswim? Also they seem to be big on having lots of Stuff everywhere (maybe because they make more money that way...) we tend not to have much stuff. (Other than the kids' toys which are taking over).

OP posts:
bibbitybobbityyhat · 05/04/2017 17:07

Everything will date! Lol at you lot trying to outguess it.

Original poster
minipie · 05/04/2017 17:09

Maybe I'll revisit this thread in 5 years' time and see bibbity Grin

OP posts:
wowfudge · 05/04/2017 17:12

OP - I specifically mean encaustic tiles as wall tiles. Fine on floors, especially if in keeping with the house.

Badders123 · 05/04/2017 17:12

Gloss kitchens
Stag heads and pigs on everything...wtf!?
Lanterns
Huge artificial flowers in ugly vases

That being said I love grey 😀 and have metro tiles so don't pay attention to me!

Badders123 · 05/04/2017 17:12

pugs not pigs Blush

BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington · 05/04/2017 17:13

Artifical flowers should be outlawed

OverAndAbove · 05/04/2017 17:23

I think bi-fold doors have reached saturation and will become dated soon. Also slate floors (except in the scullery of your large Manor House). And hotel-style bathrooms

MrDacresEUSubsidy · 05/04/2017 17:33

Grey has always been one of my favourite colours anyway, so I don't mind if it goes out of fashion. I've gone for grey woodwork and white walls though, rather than the other way round. I do colour through books and pictures; everything else tends to be calm neutral colours - furniture, cushions etc. I don't like a lot of clutter (I grew up in a family of hoarders) so I prefer light and airy.

Dated looks:

  • Feature wall paper unless it is something really beautiful or unusual. As a PP has said, the common B&Q type prints of teal/grey, teal/purple etc. all look quite dated now.
  • Matching furniture/utensil sets where everything is in one colour. Lamps, rugs, cushions, vases, kitchen-ware. These go through fashions and it's really common to see people offering to sell their 'sets' on my local village's FB page.
  • Animal heads mounted on walls, or used as lamp bases. Good quality taxidermy can look really great as long as it's properly done and placed. The provenance also needs to be sound. I have a beautiful barn owl given me by a friend, who takes 'found' wildlife (she's a big walker/hiker) and does taxidermy as a hobby. It looks lovely nestled in my bookcase.
  • Feature wall hangings like enamel tree branches etc.
  • Big painted/distressed letters like 'HOME', 'BATH' etc.
  • Anything at all which says 'Keep Calm And...' on it.

That said, ultimately 'fashion' only matters if you decide that you want to sell up - while ever you're living in the property go for what you want and fashion be damned!

Theknittinggorilla · 05/04/2017 17:37

Exciting. We decided to keep separate dining room but now changing mind and drawing up plans for wall to come out....

Agree everything will date, we are trying to avoid that by avoiding full on 'looks' from magazines (i.e the lovely but very popular grey and navy blue kitchen), making sure we keep as many original features as we can (floorboards, fireplaces, picture rails, wooden sash windows and doors), and then filling with an eclectic mix of things we just like! And will err on side of classic for the long term expensive bits (cabinets, flooring) and take more risks with more easily replaced things (chairs, wall colour, shelving etc).