Interior design depends on lots of different influences, from personal tastes, to modern materials, to current trends and fashions – and one generation’s black and chrome is the next generation’s avocado bathroom suite.
So to future-proof your interiors, it can be tempting to look to the past and pick out some of the items that have never really gone out of fashion.
But how do you do that, while still giving your rooms a contemporary feel? Here are five ways you can do just that.
1. Timeless Patterns
Patterns can be daunting, but if you choose one that’s been around for a long time, it can really help to hold your design scheme together.
Steer clear of carpets with too many colours, and the same applies to wallpaper, but choose an ever-popular pattern in one main colour or just a couple of complementary tones, and you’re off to a good start.
2. Statement Pieces
Build your interior design scheme around a statement piece of classic furniture – whether that is an elegant dining table and chairs in your dining room, or a leather sofa in your lounge or study.
This is a great option if you’re not sure how to get started with your design scheme, as it gives you a central focal point, from which you can take inspiration for your colour scheme and other materials used in the room.
3. Added Accents
Interior design is not all about fixing things in place – you can add accents with removable accessories too, which also allows you to give your space the appearance of a particular era from history.
Use cushions, table settings and wall decorations to add some temporary colour and patterns to a fairly ‘safe’ design scheme, and you can change the look of the room easily anytime you choose.
4. Modern Classics
Vintage doesn’t have to mean old – there are plenty of modern takes on classic designs that you can choose from, to give the impression of age without actually filling your room with antiques.
This is a best of both worlds solution, as you get modern-day engineering and materials, but with the look and feel of furniture from the past.
5. Interiors as Identity
Finally, remember that your interiors will work best when they reflect your personality – and all of us have influences dating back to our childhoods and the homes in which we grew up.
Don’t be afraid to draw from what you remember of years gone by, as the items you most fondly recall are probably those that looked the best and worked well as part of the overall interior in which they were placed.
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