Decorating trend and workarounds

[Carrie12345]

I have been slowly converting my house over to grays, black, and white for FIFTEEN YEARS.  Whether we build or buy (building is looking likely) grays, black, and white are still my personal style ( including my wardrobe) and what I would want to do.  But now that everyone is doing it, I don’t want it to look so trendy!

I don’t want barn doors, so there’s one saving grace. And I’m not into gold accents, so that’s another.  But what else can I do to keep my colors from looking very 20s?

I do like easily and inexpensively removable/replaceable color accents. If decorating style is a spectrum, I’m almost smack dab between cozy farmhouse and sleek modern, minus the glam. I want comfy, but not flowery if that makes sense.

 

[Katy]

I have the same dilemma. I think the trend is going towards white on white and lots of plants.  The only thing I’ve figured out is to choose warmer grays rather than cooler ones to be more timeless. I’m going with matte black hardware in this house but if we build in the future I’ll choose solid uncoated brass because it kills germs. Also when it starts to tarnish it still kills germs but isn’t so obnoxiously shiny. 

[Carrie12345]

1 hour ago, Katy said:

I have the same dilemma. I think the trend is going towards white on white and lots of plants.  The only thing I’ve figured out is to choose warmer grays rather than cooler ones to be more timeless. I’m going with matte black hardware in this house but if we build in the future I’ll choose solid uncoated brass because it kills germs. Also when it starts to tarnish it still kills germs but isn’t so obnoxiously shiny. 

I’m glad it’s not just me, lol.

I am trying to steer away from a whole ton of white, but I like to have enough to force me to clean regularly, lol.

[Katy]

29 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

I’m glad it’s not just me, lol.

I am trying to steer away from a whole ton of white, but I like to have enough to force me to clean regularly, lol.

We live on water so I’m going with muted blues, seafoam green, and water birds as a sort of theme.  I’m avoiding white. My mom did the white on white with plants thing in the 90’s and it doesn’t have that fresh crisp feeling to me. It’s a bad part of my childhood. 

[SanDiegoMom]

25 minutes ago, Katy said:

We live on water so I’m going with muted blues, seafoam green, and water birds as a sort of theme.  I’m avoiding white. My mom did the white on white with plants thing in the 90’s and it doesn’t have that fresh crisp feeling to me. It’s a bad part of my childhood. 

We have blues, greens, and cream in my favorite parts of the house. We are still working on the others.  Growing up my grandmother's house had all the midcentury furniture, so when it came back I wasn't real enthused about it.  My parents houses just had lots of mauve for some reason. Peach or mauve. Yikes!

[kbutton]

If you go with wood or LVP floors, staying with more traditional wood styles (not grey, etc.) might help. 

I like a relatively neutral pallet with accents and a broader mix of styles, but I can't do a lot of gray unless it's warm. Gray textiles make me sad, lol! 

If you like geometric or abstract patterns, that might help liven things up and not look straight farmhouse.

 

[easypeasy]

I agree with a PP that abstract design elements will help bring it over to comfy-modern vs farmhouse gray. Also agreeing that a more traditional floor color (in the brown family, or whitewashed) would also help vs gray flooring. 
 

We've had to thread that needle while remodeling and settled on a greige floor with gray AND brown elements sprinkled throughout. But our house doesn't look predominantly black, gray, & white (much to my husband's chagrin, lol. He loves the very modern look, but I can't feel comfortable like that, so... we compromised. Lol)

Happy building!! 🙂

 

[WoolC]

We’re building this year and from what I’m hearing and reading, whites and grays are on the way out and bold colors are coming back in.  I’m seeing lots of textured walls with molding and geometric wainscoting, peel and stick wall papers with floral prints, deep green and blue paint colors, etc.
I’m still opting for a warm grey paint and black fixtures because it’s what I like.  Keeping my traditional furniture and wall art keeps it from looking like a trend.  Is “wall to wall books“ a decor style? Lol

[Carrie12345]

5 minutes ago, WoolC said:

We’re building this year and from what I’m hearing and reading, whites and grays are on the way out and bold colors are coming back in.  I’m seeing lots of textured walls with molding and geometric wainscoting, peel and stick wall papers with floral prints, deep green and blue paint colors, etc.
I’m still opting for a warm grey paint and black fixtures because it’s what I like.  Keeping my traditional furniture and wall art keeps it from looking like a trend.  Is “wall to wall books“ a decor style? Lol

I could possibly be talked into some peel and stick wallpaper, but that’s about as bold as I’m capable of being. 
 

I’m a definite no on gray toned floors, so that’s not an issue. I’m in love with my mid-dark brown wood look LVP and would probably go just one shade lighter, if that.