Grey had a turn in the spotlight, but black has overtaken it as the in neutral. Almost always balanced by white (so maybe it’s better explained as a black-and-white trend), we’re also seeing it as a great counterpoint to intense jewel tones like emerald green.

And check out the cover of Elle Decor’s April 2019 issue!

What if you just re-decorated, mostly in various shades of grey, and now you’re hearing black and white are *the* thing? Do you have to start over?

Of course not. You don’t have to start over now any more than you had to decorate in grey (or insert other color scheme here) when it was really popular.

Ask yourself why you chose grey and the answer will probably be one of two things. Either “because I love it,” or “because I didn’t know what else to do and it was the trend.”

Ladies and gentlemen, you must have a talk with yourself before committing to a design choice. Decide if it’s “you” or you are actually being told you’re supposed to love it and you guess you’ll go along. Sometimes we see so much of something —in stores, in magazines, and on HGTV—that even if we hated it at first, it starts to seem like a great idea.

Next point: If you love something—a color scheme, a style of decorating, you name it — it doesn’t really matter if it’s in or out. If it’s executed thoughtfully, you’ll be happy for a long time. 

But... Be judicious. Especially with the expensive, fixed items.

Whether you’re planning a gut kitchen renovation, or just installing new floors, for example, you probably want your choices to look “current” and stay current-looking as long as possible. Labor and materials aren’t cheap, and who wants to do major projects over and over? So how do you freeze time?

You choose fixed materials that are as “timeless” as possible. Keep your countertops, backsplashes, floors, and fireplace surrounds “quiet” and they will play nice with your decor for decades. White (and sometimes black) is your friend if you’re concerned about longevity or planning to sell in the near future.

Isn’t that boring? Not at all, if you keep the big picture in mind. Arrange simple tiles in an eye-catching pattern if you want visual interest. Vary their scale and shape. Add trendy hardware that you can change out easily. A fabulous mirror and sconces go a long way. Rely on fabrics, art, paint, wallpaper, and lighting to make your whole home interesting. 

Of course, even the most timeless materials go through trends (dark vs. light stained hardwood floors, for example) but re-staining floors or re-painting your cabinets is way less traumatic than ripping out and starting over.

“But Dana, you just told me to decorate with what I love. I’m in love with a fabulous tile that isn’t quiet at all. It’s a star!”

I agree, it’s beautiful. If you really want to incorporate that beautiful art deco tile, do it in a powder room. It’s a small space begging for dramatic design.

There will always be lots of exciting new arrivals when it comes to flooring, tile and the like. It can be a rush when you see a showstopper! However, choose carefully based on where it’s going, and ask yourself if it’s a fling or a long-term romance. If it’s the latter, you won’t care when the next trend comes.

If you are in the Westchester County, New York or Connecticut areas, I am happy to help in person. If not, ask me a question and we may explore it in a blog post!

Dana