Fast design, like fast fashion, is the new normal. The farmhouse sink that was all the rage a few years back? It has totally been replaced by a seamless marble countertop-basin combo. But unlike switching skinny jeans for a trendy baggy pair, home renovations are costly, time consuming, and emotionally depleting experiences. No one wants to complete a reno only to rip it out a few years later.
Which is why it's wild that nowadays kitchen and bathroom finishes look dated just a few short years after being installed. Blame it on our social media feeds, constantly enticing us with exciting new decor or retailers churning out popular designs in minutes. "In today's world it's very hard to avoid trends because we are subconsciously being fed imagery that has been circulated a thousand times over," says Texas-based designer Emily Seiders of Studio Seiders. Do you really need to replace the shelves in your kitchen with scalloped ones? Probably not. In addition to being wasteful, chasing trends leads to unoriginal spaces. "I'm starting to see a lot of homes look exactly the same, and it's boring," Seiders says.
That's why your design decisions need to have staying power. But amid the churn of the trend cycle, what does a kitchen or bathroom you'll still love in 10 or 15 years look like? We asked pros how they design spaces that will stand the test of time—and our rapid-fire algorithms.
Focus on Functionality
You know what never goes out of style? Smart design. That's especially true in the kitchen, where families hang out the most. "A well-through-out, easy-to-navigate kitchen allows for everyday routines to feel simple, natural, and artful all at the same time," designer and former executive vice president and chief creative officer at Ralph Lauren Alfredo Paredes says. Before you make a single design decision, he suggests spending time visualizing exactly how you and your family will utilize the space. Seiders gets really granular with clients to figure out just how the flow is going to work, from listing out how they cook and whether they want to keep the island appliance-free to where they would reach to grab the sugar for their morning coffee.
The process is similar albeit less involved for a bathroom. It's asking yourself: Do you want two sinks or one? Where do you put your towel when you take a shower? Tub or no tub? Personalizing a space to your lifestyle ensures its longevity.
Keep It Real
Skip those machine-made tiles. Natural materials are key for creating a timeless look, insists designer Emily Barry. "It's the manmade materials that tend to go out of style quicker," says Barry, who, along with her mother, Diane Schmunk, founded the design firm Rehabitat Interiors. To create a dramatic look in bathrooms, the duo loves combining soapstone and unlacquered brass. In addition to being classic, organic elements like wood, marble, terra-cotta, and plaster bring character and warmth to a space. That's the reason that zellige tile, though it may be trendy, isn't going anywhere, according to Seiders. "There is nothing that compares to the movement and imperfection of handmade ceramics to add character to a space," she says. In a pinch, adding woven leather stools or reclaimed wood floors can help transform a trendy, sterile all-white kitchen into an inviting den. Paredes also loves how natural materials instantly create a calming atmosphere. Belgian bluestone is his go-to for shower floors and walls in a bathroom.
Mix New and Old
Get your Live Auctioneers and eBay reflexes ready. Juxtaposing styles and time periods keeps spaces looking fresh, interesting, and timeless. "If you do all traditional or all modern, it's going to date the space faster than if we mix the traditional elements with some modern pieces," Barry says. "It's a great way to have a space that endures." One way to mix styles is incorporating a freestanding antique cabinet into your sleek kitchen or refurbishing a vintage table as a kitchen island or bathroom vanity. Another way is to pair more traditional-looking cabinetry with a modern light fixture.
Buy What You Like
"First and foremost, it's important for people to buy what they like—not what social media tells them to like," Seiders says. Invest in the materials you're drawn to because you love them. If the color red makes you feel alive, then skip the California-neutrals-and-olive-tree look that's currently all over Pinterest, and go bold. "If you follow that tenet, your home will reflect you and will stand the test of time," she says. But sometimes the images we see on Instagram have a way of seeping into our consciousness. For those moments, Brooklyn-based designer Jenna Chused of Chused & Co. has a hard-and-fast rule: "If it's something you're seeing a lot, move on because it's going to have a short life span." In fact, when designing a kitchen, she prefers the opposite approach. "I never want to do something that I've seen, so I really make a concerted effort to think of a super-interesting way to design it," she says. In pushing these creative limits, her designs are often ahead of the curve.
Layer Neutrals
No matter how timeless the design is, our tastes will change. As a safety mechanism, Seiders likes working with a neutral palette that includes creams, browns, inky blues, and sage greens. "Typically, when we're doing tile and countertops—things that are attached to the house that are harder to switch out—I like to do something a little bit quieter so that you have the option later in life to go, 'Okay, I'm going to paint my cabinets yellow now,'" she says. The other benefit of a neutral backdrop is it allows the furnishings, accessories, and art to create the most visual impact in a space—and those items can easily be updated to keep your home feeling fresh.
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