Any time you work on something aesthetic about your house – whether it’s painting the exterior, remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, or even redoing a landscape – you’re investing in something that you’re going to be looking at potentially for decades. Everything we do to our home is an investment that we expect to last potentially for as long as we remain on the property.
That’s a long time.
One issue that can arise is that, at any given time, there are trends that affect the aesthetic choices we make. Styles like Farmhouse became far more popular within the last decade than ever before. Currently, people are painting the interior of their homes blue – a color that was rarely used a short time ago. Cream color was also a popular paint. Kitchens were using a lot of marble, people were installing barn door sliders, etc. etc.
Some trends are “in” right now. Others are “out.” Since you’re investing in something that you hope to last you for 20+ years, that brings up many important questions: Do you choose to work with a trend that you love, or should you try to stick with one of the simpler classics?
The answer is going to be complicated. After all, most of the most desired homes now started at one time as a trend. Indeed, even the “trends” now were once classics or trends before, and while the aesthetic has been updated, there is no such thing as a trendless re-design. Every color and every style has already been done in some form.
Instead, it may be better to answer questions related to the trend:
- Is it something that you’ve wanted for a long time, or only because you saw it recently?
- How dramatic is the trend and how much does it differ from more standard looks?
- Does the trend add extensive costs over what a more traditional project would be?
- What is your expectation for how long you expect to live in the house in the future?
- Is it for something particularly pricey, like a kitchen, or something that you could do again, like paint?
These types of questions can help you figure out if you should consider a trend for your remodeling/renovations or if it may be best to invest in something longer lasting and more classic. For example, if it is a dramatic trend that is also much more expensive, then you may want to consider going a more conservative route, because you’ll know that your renovation will maintain its value in the long term. Kitchens and bathrooms, especially, should only be a trend if you have wanted it for a long time and will feel a strong connection to it in the months and years to come.
But something like paint, which you can redo in 3 to 5 years if you no longer like the look and typically costs roughly the same, can be a trend if it’s something you really like since you’re not stuck with it over the life of the home and not taking a financial loss by initiating it.
When is a Trend or Fad Still Okay?
Most of the time, especially for larger scale renovation projects like kitchens, it is best to avoid any dramatic and expensive trends. Smaller ones are perfectly fine, because they add personality.
Still, as with most things in the world of home renovations, choosing to renovate in favor of a trend is going to be primarily personal. If you genuinely love a trend, and you strongly desire to see that trend in your home, go with the trend. It is better to love your renovation than it is to regret not getting the one that you wanted.
But it is still important to really think about what you want whenever you are making any sort of renovation, and be absolutely certain that whatever you are choosing today is something that you will continue to love and appreciate in the future. If you’re not 100% all in, and know that even if trends change you’ll continue to love your new design in the future, maybe it is best to look for something a bit more classic and – if you want – integrate smaller components that help you still fall in love with your place.
