Timeless Design Tips
A big part of our design process is ensuring we create timeless schemes, that give our clients longevity long into the future. We aim to avoid trends, as they come and go and instead we cover five basic principles, which we outline briefly below….
- Understand your home. This might sound obvious but believe it or not a lot of people don’t use their home to its fullest potential. Since lockdowns, our homes have had to preform harder- they are not just our home anymore but an office, gym, homeschool, quarantine space etc… Understanding your own family’s needs is especially important when building or buying, really think of how each room will be used & by who. The same principle applies to natural light- rooms that are North facing are naturally darker so these lend to become cosy TV rooms whereas a brighter space becomes an obvious living area or office.
2. Nature inspired schemes. Always include a natural element in a room- whether it be a gorgeous Oak floor, natural wall tones or some planted pots. This nod to nature makes all the difference when it comes to getting maximum longevity from a room. The concept of bringing the outdoors in never goes out of style and we love this mantra when designing spaces. Try to physically connect your garden/patio space to your home by way of sliding or bifold doors and keeping a similar tone tile to your interior flooring to keep a seamless connection.
3. Blend old with new. We love when clients have pieces from their old home or some antiques to incorporate in a design, as this is a great opportunity to add an instant timeless feeling. By mixing modern & traditional styles in a considered way, we inject personality & character to an interior- which then looks as if it has been curated over many years. Sometimes just reimagining a vintage piece in a new location in your home, can help give it a whole new look.
4. If in doubt go neutral. When designing a timeless colourscheme, it is important to think of the space as a blank canvas and sometimes keeping the walls just that, allows us to layer in other tones and textures through accessories, artwork or soft furnishings. Remember that paint can be easily changed so updating a room scheme can be done simply and affordably. A lot of clients ask us what is a good white colour for Irish homes and we would recommend ‘Arctic Blonde’ or ‘Piano Key’ both by Colourtrend.
5. Limit trends. While it can be tempting to follow an interior style that is #trending, it is worth remembering that things go in and out of style all of the time! Getting caught up in executing the entire ‘Instagram’ look will instantly date your interior in time. Instead find out what style and things you like and bring this in through nods throughout here and there.
To find out more about how we can help you create a timeless design in your own home, drop us a line hello@crinteriors.ie or fill out our enquiry form on the contact section of our website.