When I look through my old high school yearbooks I cringe at my enormous plastic earrings and big '80's hair. My sophomore year my hair was so big that part of my 'do had to be cropped off in my yearbook picture. *quiver* Scrolling through images on design blogs or in shelter magazines I sometimes wonder if the rooms we think are fabulous currently will give us the same cringe-worthy feelings that my high school pics do. Nowadays we may see a room with matchy-matchy furniture and think "That's so '90's!" but what will design enthusiasts of 2030 be saying about the decorating trends of this decade?
I can almost imagine the snarky comments that will be made by our design loving children or grandchildren in 20 years:
Matching table and chairs bad; painted furniture good.
You are nobody unless you have an ikat pillow and garden stool.
Zebra rug, check. Moroccan-inspired mirror, check. Imperial trellis, check....
No 2010's trend left uncovered.
What do you think future generations will say about this image in 20 years?
Check out my radical signature mammoth plastic earrings and sweet Firenza sweater dress from The Limited!
What current design trends do you think capture the essence of decorating in the 2010's?
*All images via Pinterest
Karen,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! I think the key element is to not having a dated interior is to stray away from using all trendy items (from one time frame) as it dates the room...as you mentioned in your check, check, check comments...it's true. If you use a zebra rug in an otherwise classic interior, it doesn't seem trendy. If you toss in an ikat or suzani pillow in an otherwise traditional space it doesn't feel trendy. And so forth. Great post!
Hi Karen,
ReplyDeleteI got such a kick out of this post! My kids often see baby pictures and say, "Mom!!!! Why did you put those clothes on us?" I just laugh! Styles are constantly changing and things we treasure now are sure to be tacky and unwanted in a few years. So much better to be confident and be surrounded with what we love than being a slave to decor and chicness!
Everything has a life cycle. I often wonder how some much sought after antiques made it through the out-of-date phase!
As I look at my 90's living room and dining room at the end of their decor life cycle, I can't wait till February for the re-do. Not throwing everything out but just refreshing it!
Great post!
Yvonne
This is a great post! It seems that a lot of the current trends are in accessories. Hopefully good design continues to be good design. My father's home is mid-century modern and always has been. I always felt his home was fantastic. Hopefully our current design trends can hold up!
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh! yes, my big hair, gigantic glasses and shoulder pads! There are definitely trends that speak to 2010 - Keep Calm posters, chevron, poufs, starburst mirrors (which were classic but seem so trendy now). Luckily it's really just accessories - furniture is still quite classic. Switch up the pillows and change the paint colour and everything old will be new again!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Karen. I think stick with the classics as your base and add one or two trends in the accessories and nothing that is too expensive. I think where people go wrong is having, ikat,chevron,cowhide all in the same room. I see it all the time and it makes me cringe, NOW!! Just because it is in, does not mean you have to have to have a well designed room. I guess it all goes back to study the classics and even more importantly know yourself and what you truly love and then you will always feel in-style!! xo
ReplyDeleteHahah! That's great! Love the earrings. :) Geometric patterns are what I think of - stripes (everywhere, esp. walls), chevron, Greek key...and definitely painted furniture.
ReplyDeletehahaha I was HOPING for an old photo, and if you hadn't included one, I was going to start a petition to see one. ;) I'm not old enough to look back and cringe just yet (although the era of giant glasses which everyone seemed to have when I was in middle school makes me laugh), but I'm sure I'll get there someday. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're totally right about the room pictures, because people in the 70s didn't look at their dark paneling and orange shag carpets and say "This is really hideous." Time changes little, but so much at the same time. :)
love this post! I sometimes wonder the same thing! Some things I'm sure will be frowned upon, but there are elements of design that are timeless...even to our grandchildren. lol!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! You always have the most thought provoking posts......I'm thinking, future design junkies will think the sunburst mirror was soooo over done......BTW, I have two homemade ones!
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked as a newspaper reporter, I'd sometimes go into older peoples' homes to interview them for a feature. I was often struck by the timelessness of their decor - they didn't follow trends, they had accumulated things they liked over the decades. It made a big impression on me!
ReplyDeletei LOVE that "retro" photo of you!
ReplyDeleteand you are SO right about how things can seem SO YESTERDAY so fast.
i think the crazy mix of a ton of bright fabrics, graphic patterns, sunburst mirrors, letters/typography, and chevron scream 2010-2011. i think that touches of these things will always look good, but at times i think people mimic what they see without putting a lot of thought into balance and overall effect, and that can make a room suffer. i think individual style and classic traditional style will always be "in"...mixed with whatever fun trend is currently sweeping the world.
I wonder if aqua and turquoise will be to them like harvest gold is to me!
ReplyDeleteCracking me up! I am quite sure in 10 years we will think all these rooms look pretty dated. We can try to stay timeless though...with maybe one or two trendy items, instead of a roomful, thrown into a space that's overall traditional/classic. We can try ;-)
ReplyDeleteRight now there is so much going on both in fashion and in interior decorating, that I really have trouble pinpointing a single detail or look... but I am sure whatever it is, in 10-15 years we will likely cringe at the sight of it! Then in 30 years we might love it again ;-)
ReplyDeleteI agree this is a really good post! Love all of the pictures and am so glad to have discovered your blog!!
ReplyDeletehahah love this post because it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO true!
ReplyDeleteKaren, you had me laughing with the earrings and hair comments. I think about this often and wonder what we will think 20 years from now - will we still be blogging or what will be the latest and greatest means of connecting and social media? I got sidetracked there, I think the eclectic non-matched decor is big and hope that it sticks around. I'm ready for anything animal to go, and think that is a big item that we will look back on as very 2010-ish. What a great post - really got me thinking!
ReplyDeleteSooo funny. I don't care...love a trend. Ikat especially. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's really hilarious... especially that blue office pic with the chevron, the gallery wall, the white desk... trendy McGee as I would say! But unfortunately, I do love a trend. It's fun to take a classic look and mix it with trendy accessories so you can easily switch it out if you get tired of it : ) Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and boy is it true! Hey, you look great plastic earrings included!! Reminds me of my 'wings' (hair style) when I was younger, oh yea I thought I was too cool.
ReplyDeleteSome of these looks will no doubt date themsevles before long, a long time pet peeve of mine which thankfully is not seen often anymore is the "matchey matchey" look, hope its gone for good!! If i happen to like somethign and its a trend, so be it but I would never use soemthing just because it is a trend.
Great post Karen!
I know I already posted a reply to this on facebook but I just had to tell you that I bought a sweater dress!!!!! I'm not even sure how to wear it without looking completely outrageous but I couldn't resist:)
ReplyDeleteHAHAHA! Funny post! I really hope the matchies are gone for good! The 2010 way is so much fun!! I can definitely see chevron prints, the imperial trellis, and painted furniture being associated with the 2010's. OH! and the RAST dresser makeovers!
ReplyDeleteThis was fun!
Kelle
xoxo
Hey Karen!
ReplyDeleteGosh, I did get a little trendy in 2010 - have to admit I fell into it in 2011, too! But I've got strict guidelines about 2012 ... no more falling into trends! LOL!
How long do you think that'll last?
xo,
A