How to Create a Timeless Bungalow or Villa Renovation
Q: “My Wife and I are currently searching for design inspirations for our Westmere renovation. We are struggling to balance what was ‘trendy’ in 2019, with what will not look dated in 2029. Do you have any tips on what products we should use that will last the test of time in terms of style and function? This is our ‘forever home’.”
The struggle to be ‘trendy’ is something that all renovating homeowners encounter during their renovation journey. There is temptation to incorporate every single ‘cool’ feature of the current moment. No style lasts forever. Sometimes, no matter how much money and time you spend on decorating, your home can look old. The look you once loved becomes stale.
To help you future proof the style of your home, I have five tips to keep your home timeless.
Define Your Personal Interior Style
First, find your personal style. Just like how you choose your clothes, knowing your personal interior style is very important. This helps you enjoy your home now and in the future, whether that's in 10 years or even 20 years. Are you more drawn to bright pops of colour, or are you attracted to neutral tones? Is it a minimalist look you like, or are you more relaxed? What styles and looks do you find yourself gravitating towards? Another important consideration is how much you’re willing to continue investing in keeping up with developing trends.
Choosing Longevity in Fixtures and Fittings
Next, look at which fixtures and fittings you'll use. Some areas of your home are easier to update as trends change. It makes sense to make these areas the focus of current trends. Items like furniture, hanging lights, and kitchen handles are relatively cheap and easy to replace. Making items which are hard to replace such as kitchen cabinets and tiles as neutral as possible will help them age well. This way you can replace accents around them.
Two more areas in which mistakes are often made are tapware and building to suit furniture. For example, coloured tapware is currently very trendy, but the jury is still out on how long the trend will last.
While basin and sink mixers are simple to replace, in-wall versions are permanent fixtures. Since access requires opening up the tiling or drywall, choosing a premium unit is essential to avoid hidden plumbing issues.
Occasionally people will build walls or position windows to suit a particular piece of furniture. If you're keeping that couch for the long term then it might not be a problem, but if you want to replace it later then you might find your options limited if you've made it the lynch pin of your architectural plans!
The Power of a Neutral Colour Palette
Third, pick a neutral base colour. This will allow for flexibility as trends change. This doesn’t necessarily need to be white, pick a neutral colour that works for you and stick with it throughout your entire home.
Neutral colours are also a perfect background to feature more trendy pieces and soft furnishings such as curtains. They are expensive but easy to change.
Avoiding Short-Lived Design Themes
My next tip is to avoid the temptation to try and theme rooms to trends. Currently, Scandi, Moroccan and boho are extremely trendy. But be warned, rooms built around just the one current trendy theme will date very easily. If you don’t go all out on a trend and buy all your furniture in line with that one trend, it will be easier to change. Embrace trends by combining accents of trends with timeless elements that complement each other over the long term.
Adapting to Future Trend Cycles
Lastly, despite all the above, if you want your home to always look like it is fresh from the pages of House and Garden, you are going to have to move with the times. Since trends are always changing, you can always update your home to embrace newness. Set a budget that lets you enjoy those times when you really want a new feature or decor piece. It's fun to explore what's available on the market. If you have planned your home well, you’ll be able to update easily without spending a fortune.
Reflect on your spending habits, as furniture trends now change more rapidly than ever in this era of "Disposable Decor.
Most importantly, have fun with your project; renovating should be an enjoyable time.
About Brendon Sowerby and Next Level Construct
Brendon Sowerby is the Founder of Next Level Construct. An award-winning end-to-end residential construction company specialising in renovations, extensions and new builds. Brendon has worked in the building trade for over 17 years, meaning he knows the ins and outs of the industry.
Got a building question? Ask Brendon on brendon@nextlevelconstruct.co.nz or call us on 021 568 655.
