February 10th, 2021 | Style And Design
Is Your Home Décor Up To Date? 6 Trends To Leave In 2020.
Here are six trends that have overstayed their welcome.
To be sure, the interior design world can be fickle. One day your white subway tile backsplash is hot: the next, it’s not.
Keeping up with what is in and what’s out when it comes to home design can be a challenge for those who want to stay current with today’s trends but don’t want to be renovating every two years. Your home should be in line with your personal taste and combine comfort and function. But if you are looking to sell soon, it’s wise to make sure your home’s main décor features are not dated.
Real estate agents see a lot of houses in the course of a year and experience prospective buyers’ reactions, so they have a good sense of what is on the way out.
Here are a few trends that many agents (and buyers) agree have had their day:
Open concept layouts:
Perhaps it’s a reflection of the times we live in that the open concept home may be going quickly out of fashion. All those walls that were brought down are now back in style as people look to live in more defined spaces. According to Veranda magazine, a lack of privacy and the potential to see clutter generated by a busy family are the main reasons people are moving away from layouts that feature living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens flowing together.
“People want that separation between the kitchen and living room,” says Toronto luxury real estate agent Armin Yousefi with Sotheby’s International Canada.
Neatly defined spaces will likely become more in demand as buyers now realize the importance of having clear boundaries for living spaces.
All-white kitchens
It may be hard to believe, but the elegant and straightforward white-on-white kitchen has apparently had its day. Buyers in the high end of the real estate market are moving on to more natural wood tones. For some, cabinetry is giving way to stylish shelving. It’s a taste of minimalism and means you have to be tidier with what’s displayed on your shelves. This might be a tougher one for some to embrace, so if you can’t abandon cupboards entirely, think of streamlined, sleek surfaces, according to HGTV.
Granite countertops
Yes, that’s right — the king of the countertop has finally seen the end of its long run as the centre of attention in all kitchen renos and upgrade choices. Once considered the ultimate luxury in a high-end home, the consumer is moving away from this stalwart piece to sleeker alternatives such as marble or engineered stone.
Glass block
Once the darling of windows dating back to the 1900s and then used as dividing walls in bathrooms and even kitchens, glass block has been popular for a long time. However, it can be expensive to install. Over time, it can date a home, especially if used extensively in a bathroom.
Grey on grey
While buyers may be more inclined to redecorate to suit their own tastes, it’s best to present a reasonably neutral palette that will appeal to most people. Over the last few years, the trend to use grey in bedrooms, kitchens, and even living rooms has left everyone feeling a little sad. Time to pick up the mood with a fresh off-white, muted yellows or beach tones that introduce an element of airiness and optimism.
Silver, stainless steel and brushed nickel fixtures
This change will make you think of that old phrase, “what’s old is new again.” Silver has had its moment of fame, and the mood is trending towards black and brass fixtures for the kitchen and bathrooms. This will seem like a bit of a throwback for those who remember brass from the 1980s, but fixtures can be a great way to update a room, and some of the new brass bathroom fixtures are stunning and match well with bolder paint colours.
If all of this seems a bit overwhelming, remember that your home should be well maintained and in good repair, then tackle whichever interior design element is most dated or likely to deter a buyer.
By the way, in case you were wondering, the jury seems split on subway tile. Some say it’s here to stay, while others say white subway tiles are a worn-out idea. But tile is still a popular choice, and in fact, the more, the merrier in a kitchen, just be a bit brave and consider colour as an alternative to all-white.
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