What current "looks" are going to date badly?

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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 .

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...

In total agreement on the bifold's days been numbered!

Keep it eclectic OP and don't stick to a particular trend or look throughout. Just buy things you like they should all come together in the end... But maybe don't listen to me because I still love 'brown' furniture and refuse to paint anything bloody grey!

- Big painted/distressed letters like 'HOME', 'BATH' etc.

Oh god, and the elaborate script ones about family. Everyone on Come Dine with Me seems to have these. I always say 'oh look, one of those clever instructions for living stickers on the wall' and my husband sighs.

I think there's grey and there's grey. Dark grey (particularly paired with yellow) will date quicker than more subtle grey.

I hope wallpaper goes out of fashion completely, it never will though. Feature walls look awful, it's hard to hang and a PITA to remove. When we were buying we passed over a house because of the wallpaper and the ball ache that would be involved removing it.

Brick/slate effect wallpaper. Why do people do it? Make the most of what you have instead of faking natural materials.

Anything glitter.

We tend to keep the "permanent" aspects neutral/muted and then use replaceable things to add colour etc.

I hope wallpaper goes out of fashion completely,

I love wallpaper.

Painted wood furniture. I'm sure we'll all be (or already are) investing heavily in nitromors

Saying that if you've got random, mismatched poor quality bits (like we have) painting works very well to unite them, but artificially distressed bollocks...bollocks

Patchwork 'moroccan' tiles. Urgh. Very of the moment

And much as I love muted, sludgy wall colours their end will definitely come

If bifolds are out, what is in?
Am trying to decide between bifolds, sliding doors and patio doors. It's a north facing room so doesn't get a lot of sun and I am always cold so I can't imagine opening them up all the way unless we had a very big party during a heatwave. But my DD has hypermobility issues and struggles with changes in flooring and the lip of the runners have trip hazard written all over them.
Argh.

I think if you keep the fixtures and fittings neutral then, although everything dates uou will get more time out of it. In addition go for the highest quality you can with them and yes that usually means more money.

Cheap crap dates a lot faster than something that has had money spent on it wisely. So for example something like a plain black or white granite worktop is a classic and remain in good nick, where'as laminate would need to be changed much sooner as it will show wear and tear. It will look old.

Sofas, coffee tables, beds, bedroom furniture, dining rooms tables, kitchen tables, whatever, simply desgined and well made should stand the test of time.

The walls soft furnishings etc you can go wild with, because these are the things we change most often.

If you've not painted your walls for twenty years then you've got bigger problems. Where as a well made high quality dining room table in a simple style will still look good in 20 years.

I may burn the house down and start again.
Grey = favourite colour
Laminated floors = downstairs (I've got classy carpet upstairs)
Gloss white kitchen = yep, though bought over 12 years ago.
Painted furniture = just bought, oh wait, it's GREY painted furniture

Finding it hard to believe grey will go out of fashion.

Grey is not the replacement magnolia as there are hundreds of shades.

It's certainly hanging if around anyway as my parents decorated their house 15 or so years ago in shades of grey and looked good then and still does now

I love grey, hygge and urban/country/scandi and think it will last a lot better than the pink carpets and hideous colour blocking or permanent neutral magnolia of prior times.

I'm not loving the dark velvets I'm seeing everywhere. I think I will stick with the Scandinavian look a bit longer.

Everything dates. Nothing is a safe choice.

I love this thread - it just shows how subjective home decor is.
Look at the "home & lifestyle" magazines- there is one to suit almost every taste!
My granite surfaces are almost 15 years old and still "in style"
My parents put laminate down in the 90s. It's got a lot better since then, and isn't going anywhere.
OP decorate as you want.

If bifolds are out, what is in?

Sliders.

You loose loads more 'woindow' with bifolds than you do with sliders. Much better for a N facing room.

OP maybe 'bland' is just your taste and in your home there's nothing wrong with that.

Go for what you want to live with, don't feel you have to create some kind of showroom if you don't like it.

My rules are good quality, natural materials and plain/neutral for the bones and foundations of the home and then the small stuff can be whatever you want it to be - floral, tropical, checks and stripes, bold as you like.

Think about the aspect of your rooms, the natural light or lack of, think about how you'll actually use all the rooms. With a period build I think you have to go completely the opposite or give a nod to the original ideas.

I have a friend who moves often and always gets their house styled by an interior designer, but she loves our house because she says I've had a freedom of expression she never has. Her home is up to the minute and stylish and ours is a home we feel happy in.

My rules are good quality, natural materials and plain/neutral for the bones and foundations of the home and then the small stuff can be whatever you want it to be - floral, tropical, checks and stripes, bold as you like.

Ahhhh now this made me I realise why I end up with bland/safe! It's because I don't really have any "small stuff" in decor terms. Seriously - we don't have cushions (except the ones which came with the sofa), throws, or ornaments, and very few pictures on the walls - 2 in the whole house. No rugs. No curtains except in the bedrooms. I like it that way - maybe I'm a closet minimalist? Though I do like period features and colour so maybe not.

I think if you've got no soft furnishings and you go for simple classic neutrals you do run the risk of it looking bland. Minimalist works, but it's a very specific look , very modern or Scandinavian. Anything else is just kind of bland basically. But that's s different thread.

Plantation shutters. Stripey stair carpet.

Another one for travertine bathrooms. We have just had an offer accepted on a house that has been refurbished with all travertine bathrooms :/

I must confess that I bloody love bifold doors though. I love gardening and I really love opening the doors and having no break between the living room and outside.

Yes Bluntness and the house has period features so not sure minimalism would work in it really! That's why I feel like I need to go a bit more interesting with some of the "basics" of the house, since I'm unlikely to have lots of accessories:

I like it that way - maybe I'm a closet minimalist? Though I do like period features and colour so maybe not

From what you're saying then use of colour will be important and you should choose a few 'statement' pieces to stand out e.g. your sofa, dining chairs and so on. Keep it simple but that doesn't mean not bold.