Let’s Talk Trends
The funny thing about trends is, they are subject to interpretation. Whoever decided that “farmhouse” meant all white surfaces, never actually lived in a real farmhouse. This concept absolutely rankles my daughter!
You see, my daughter and her family actually do live in a farmhouse. The best advice she got when they purchased their home and remodeled it before moving in, was to match her floors to the dirt outside! Now, for all the neatniks in this audience, that probably sounds atrocious. But it has probably saved her from pulling out all her hair. With a farmer/rancher husband, four kids, and a dog that lives inside, she has plenty of reasons to take care of her floors on a daily basis, but since the floors are the color they are, it saves her from an hourly mopping routine. She also has brown leather furniture in the living room, all the better to hide smudges, yet easy to clean. She could give some real-life advice on how to achieve the real “farmhouse” look!
Most of us interpret “farmhouse” to mean light, neutral colored upholstery, rustic wood furnishings, and black plumbing fixtures. White walls, plants, and simply styled accessories help define this style and has captivated the attention of old and young alike.
“Modern” is another decorating term that can have several different interpretations. Do you mean “Jetson Modern” or “spaceship Modern”? Or, are you defining this style as simple, linear, airy, with slick surfaces and wide open spaces? Regardless, the people that this appeals to are usually not given to collecting souvenir mementoes, or anything really, that shows a lot of personality. Just my humble opinion.
One trend I can get on board with is, “eclectic”. This style can be interpreted to mean “collected”, “comfortable”, “colorful” – perhaps all these rolled into one. It’s my favorite trend. There’s something very comfortable about keeping or reviving certain styles or furnishings from previous decades. Except for the 60s and 70s. I draw the line at beaded curtains, harvest gold appliances, or avocado colored bathtubs and toilets! Richly colored Persian-type rugs, brocade curtains, Tiffany lamps, nubby textured upholstery – those all sound lovely to me. However, I definitely recognize that it doesn’t appeal to everyone.
So that brings me to examine the trend of “traditional” or “transitional”. In reality, I think this is where most of us are most comfortable. Our homes are not museum stark, nor are they institutional white. We like color, we may have a collection of knick knacks that we’ve had since high school, yet we still don’t like clutter. We don’t worry unnecessarily about the fact that some of our furniture may be hand me down, or that our kids’ artwork decorates the refrigerator. We’re always hoping to replace the old sofa, but it’s just so comfortable, we don’t really look too hard for a new one. We actually don’t pitch a fit when our husband picks out a new recliner or when he buys a too big television. After all, it’s his home too! Function is – at least – just as important as form.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not denigrating anyone’s taste in décor. Some people are suited to a definite style and they rightly believe their surroundings should reflect their personality. However, you don’t have to be extremely organized to live in a minimally styled, stark modern home, just like you don’t have to be sloppy or unorganized to let your décor morph into a “transitional” setting. I could love living in a modern home, or a “farmhouse” home because I love the look, but it wouldn’t be long before magazines collected on the side table, waiting for a rainy day pastime, or my grandchild’s ceramic bowl was placed front and center so everyone can see it!
So, go with your heart. Make your home comfortable for you and your family, taking their needs into consideration. If we allow our home to reflect our needs, we will live a wonderful life in style and on trend!