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...

I've wondered about whether we should or shouldn't get a log burning stove for this reason. They are everywhere so makes me think we should get a more classic open fireplace instead.

The thing that will date a house in the US to 2015-2017 is the sliding barn door (and shiplap)

But if you think about the 80s / early 90s orange pine louvred doors that were Very Much The Thing then it's perfectly plausible that plantation shutters will seem equally of their time in 20 years. That's the nature of fashion and style. Why 40 years ago Victorian period features were reviled and now treasured, tastes change. It's inevitable we will move onto the next thing. My parents chintzy "country pine" look was totally up to date, it was expensive, good quality, natural materials, suited their cottage. We've still moved on

Frizz open fireplaces are more dangerous, both from sparks flying out and the point of view of falling into it. Hard to sell a house with an open fire to a young family.

Also, sorry to state the obvious, but open fireplaces are always open. So when you're out in the winter that cold draft can whistle down and really affect the temp of your home. Unlike a log burner where you can close all the vents and keep drafts out.

I'd never have an open fire, they don't seem very safe or practical to me.

Log burners are very functional and practical but to me they're just so very ugly. Open fire every time.

I disagree regarding your points on open fires. They have a damper that closes off the chimney when it in use. They're no more dangerous if someone fell onto it than a boiling hot wood burner, in fact as you can see the fire more clearly a person is less likely to absentmindedly touch or put something on the top of it

Obviously they are less efficient but considering a great number of people have central heating and use a fire, whatever type, more for atmosphere or to create a cosy feeling I can't see that an open fire would be a a disadvantage for many people

We've used our wood burner about 6 times this winter. It's nice but no way would I spunk £2k on something that is essentially a novel decorative item

The damper doesn't fully close it does it? I've only seen/operated quite old open fires so might be out of date on that.

I thought they were more dangerous because you can fall into an open fire and stay there. With a wood burner you're more likely to sustain an initial injury but effectively bounce off it - given the way they are recessed into the wall you're not likely to stay in contact with the burner once you're down.

Never lived with an open fire though, only seen them at friends houses and discussed the pros/cons with some professionals when we got our burner (but that was a while ago).

With our first house I kept everything very plain & neutral.
This next house is our forever house & we have just chosen things we love & that's it.

So yes it includes a grey kitchen lol.

Anthracite bifolds, white metro with dark grout, navy blue walls and painted shaker kitchens, copper and black bathroom fittings, hexagonal tiles, millennial pink, herringbone patterns other than parquet. I have a couple of these cause I like them and don't care but they will definitely date in 10 years!

I'm very intrigued what things are dated but will become fashionable again soon!

I grew up with open fires - never had an issue with them as you usually have a hearth in front of them, so you'd have to be pretty unlucky to trip up and land in the fire (without boinking off the chimney breast!). We had fire guards when we were young, which my parents still use when the grandkids come round. At night we'd damp the fire with ash to kill the flames but keep the embers going for the morning and stick the fire guard in front of it - very low risk of sparks. I used to have a fire in my bedroom when I was a teenager and I used to love falling asleep by the firelight. The noise of the logs and the flickering was so soothing.

but to me they're just so very ugly.

Mine multi-fuel burner is lovely . All Scandinavian (which, of course, will date it ). My last house had open fires which were lovely - and had been reinstated by the previous on-trend owners. I wouldn't replace an open fire if I had one but as we were ripping out a ghastly gas fire with fake logs (which was, presumably, the height of fashion in the mid-80s), I thought I'd have what I wanted.

My parents had an Ercol dining suite - highly desirable now. But I remember spending most of my childhood thinking it looked really old fashioned.

My advice is go into your local Next At Home see what styles they currently have in and disregard the lot. Everything in there at the moment is on the cusp of being dated already.

Neutral tones on the walls, darker or neutral cabinets. Some nice little plants and maybe some pictures for colour. Don't over complicate it.

Saying that, my kitchen is mint green and soft pink and I flipping love it.

Yes, yes, to grey. (Are people still using teal?)

Open shelves, metro tiles, copper lights.

G-plan furniture (things are going to be squishy)

Reindeer skins (sad about that as real skins are less wasteful of animal carcasses).

Copper everything. Cacti/succulents. Pineapples, flamingos, etc.

I think tapestry will be back. And patterned carpet (so practical).

I don't really think about what's 'in', I just go for what I like.

Just watched a Roxette song on tv that was 28 years old and seems like yesterday!

As long as I like major choices like a kitchen or bathroom for about 10 years, which flies by, I don't care as I'd want to change it by then anyway.

Life is too short to temper what you really want with thoughts of what other people might think of it.

I detest metro tiles but, if that's your thing then go for it.

Aside from anything else, inbuilt obsolescence isn't an urban myth, stuff just isn't made to last like it used to be so won't last forever anyway.

'Mine multi-fuel burner is lovely shock. All Scandinavian'

Well obviously your burner is an exception Edith! I should have written that in my original post 😆

I can see the point of log burners I just don't think they can rival open fires in the hygge stakes.

(Is hygge still in fashion?)

No to hygge. Once Dunelm gets hold of it it's official O. V. E. R

Good point. My mother who is 75 referred to something being very 'higgy', that should have been a clue! 😂

Comfort will never go out of style. Well it may not be high fashion but everyone will want a comfortable cushy home.

Seeing as all the hipsters are now wearing 1990s fashions maybe that also means their achingly cool walls are currently covered in two shades of peach wallpaper separated by a fetching floral border. 1993 stylee

The new shit taking iver from higginess is lagstrom (sp?) Swedish concept meaning just enough. Scandis eh. They can't reign supreme for ever

I've wondered about whether we should or shouldn't get a log burning stove for this reason. They are everywhere so makes me think we should get a more classic open fireplace instead.

Open fires are really inefficient. I've been there and done that. 80 percent of the heat goes up the chimney from an open fire, whereas with a log burner only 20 percent goes up the chimney. So you heat the room faster and with less coal or wood. Hugely efficient and so easy to clean.There really is no comparison between the two. Having done both I really wouldn't consider doing an open fire again. It's costly. Messy and really really inefficient.

However log burners are expensive, to have one properly fitted and to buy the stove you're looking at an average of 3 to 4 grand depending on stove size . An open fire is the cheap option, but you really do get what you pay for.

My rules are:

Maintain and respect the integrity of your architecture

Buy the best quality you can afford

For most people, their house is their home. Choose whatever you like and will make you feel comfortable in your home.

Buy the best quality you can afford

I'd agree with that, when we were younger we could afford less, as is the case for most folks.my husband hates throwing stuff out, so would happily keep stuff on it's last legs, even if it's 20 years old and was a piece of crap to start with. He always says "but why do we need that" then says " oh that's really nice, much better" .

Now I only buy something if I really like it and go for the best I can afford, I think uou come to the stage you realise you need to live with it and for probably a long time, so buy well so you're happy to keep it. sometimes though,,,you just have to buy, but don't scrimp if you don't have to, then live with something you don't like.

Glitter wallpaper, pelmets, curtains.

Mirror furniture

Red kitchens

Grey everything

I've been following a sort of scandi vibe for about 20 years. I'm gutted it has become so trendy as in six months time my house, which has just looked 'mine' for so long, will look like a Dunlem outlet store.

And blankets on sofas - I've always had a sofa blanket. Not always a glamorous one, but because I'd rather have the heating down low and snuggle under a blanket. I'm pissed off that this has been commodified too!

I can't believe all the big letters saying 'home'/'love' and the posters with 'house rules' are still going strong. Now we've got light boxes to add to the mix.