8 Rooms With Staying Power
There may be no such thing as truly ‘timeless’ design, but some rooms look fresh longer than others. Here’s why

Karen Mills
February 10, 2017
internationally renowned designer and media personality featured in USA Today, ABC News, Elle Decor, and in recent international book titled Architecture Today Interior Design. Specializing in remodels, custom design, and design builds worldwide. To sign up for award winning design blog, click http://karenmills.net/blog.
internationally renowned designer and media personality featured in USA Today, ABC... More
Is there such a thing as home decor that looks current for decades? The reality is that in interior design, as in fashion, styles change. Still, there are strategies you can follow to avoid creating a too-trendy home that you will tire of sooner than you like. Read on to see eight rooms with timeless appeal and to learn how you can apply their ideas in your own home.
1. Formal and contemporary. This room shows how a mix of furniture styles can work together in a single room. Notice that the style of the armchairs is more formal and traditional, while the large painting and waterfall coffee table are more contemporary. The artful branches in the vase offer a casual vibe — think about how they look compared with a traditional floral arrangement — creating a pleasant contrast with the formal upholstered chairs.
Takeaway tip: Mix furniture styles for a collected feel that defies a specific time period. Blending pieces that don’t all come from the same time period or design style can help a room look fresh for a longer time. By contrast, choosing furniture and accessories that come from a single era — whether it’s midcentury or early Colonial — definitely ties that room to a specific time period. While that’s ideal when you’re going for a retro or nostalgic vibe, it’s something to be aware of if you want your room to be harder to pin down in terms of when it was designed.
Takeaway tip: Mix furniture styles for a collected feel that defies a specific time period. Blending pieces that don’t all come from the same time period or design style can help a room look fresh for a longer time. By contrast, choosing furniture and accessories that come from a single era — whether it’s midcentury or early Colonial — definitely ties that room to a specific time period. While that’s ideal when you’re going for a retro or nostalgic vibe, it’s something to be aware of if you want your room to be harder to pin down in terms of when it was designed.
2. Clean lines and unifying color. Mixing styles to create staying power can be challenging for novices, but one strategy for avoiding a style collision is choosing contemporary furnishings with clean lines, as shown in this photo. Notice that the pieces in the seating area have simple shapes, whereas the chairs surrounding the dining table are curvy and appear to be older or more traditional. The color blue, sprinkled throughout both rooms in the abstract art, throw pillows and dining chair upholstery, helps unify the traditional dining room and the contemporary living room.
3. Classic with contemporary. This room demonstrates the mix of different decor styles in a room, but here it is done by juxtaposing classic architectural details — arched doorway, crown molding, built-in shelves — with more contemporary furniture. The lines of the sofa, chairs, coffee table and mirror above the mantel are more modern than the finishes of the room.
Note that this approach doesn’t work with every architectural style — midcentury homes often look wonderful paired with midcentury furniture, and modern, glass-walled homes might look odd filled with traditional American antiques — but placing a few pieces of contemporary furniture in most spaces often works.
Note that this approach doesn’t work with every architectural style — midcentury homes often look wonderful paired with midcentury furniture, and modern, glass-walled homes might look odd filled with traditional American antiques — but placing a few pieces of contemporary furniture in most spaces often works.
4. Historical architecture. This room, like the one in the previous photo, benefits from gorgeous architecture with classic elements — here, a barrel vault ceiling and Greek-style pillars. When a room has a historical reference, as these elements provide, it’s more difficult to tell when it was designed. As with the previous room, these older architectural styles work well with a mix of traditional and contemporary furniture.
5. Neutral palette. This room’s neutral color scheme for the major elements helps give it staying power. Traditional white cabinetry, here in a Shaker style, is currently popular — a full 38 percent of kitchen renovators choose white for the color of their cabinets, according to Houzz research. But popularity doesn’t necessarily mean it will go quickly out of style. In fact, decorating with neutrals is a way to give your rooms staying power — you can always use accessories and artwork to introduce more color. In this room, a neutral backsplash and classic marble countertops help create enduring style.
Takeaway tip: Choose neutral colors and classic finishes to give your room staying power.
Takeaway tip: Choose neutral colors and classic finishes to give your room staying power.
6. Minimal texture and color. This open-concept living and dining area also sticks to a neutral base. The wood floor, wall color, drapery, rugs and furniture are all neutral colors. Even the textures are relatively neutral: Both rugs have simple patterns, and the upholstery has very little pattern. The only dramatic color in the room comes from the floral arrangements and a few accessories, including the art on the wall and the throw pillows in the seating area. A lack of trendy color helps give this room a look that will last.
7. Built-in personality. This inviting bedroom has staying power thanks not only to architectural details like the built-in shelves, which give rooms a classic feel, but also thanks to the design choices. Solid bedding in neutral grays and white, along with a bed frame and benches in warm cream, creates a more enduring color scheme. Also, the accessories decorating the shelves are a mix of personal mementos, books and decorative items. Using this blend helps the room avoid looking decorated just to follow a trend.
8. Neutral and classic. This bathroom embodies some of the principles we’ve been talking about. It has a palette composed primarily of neutrals. The architectural features, including the shuttered windows and the free-standing tub, are also fairly classic.
Read more Houzz decorating guides
Read more Houzz decorating guides
Related Stories
Bedrooms
8 Ideas for a Luxe Bedroom Update
By Neila Deen
It’s the thoughtful details — not necessarily the pricey ones — that create a sophisticated sleeping space
Full Story
Living Rooms
8 Ways to Make Your Living Room More Luxe
By Neila Deen
Small changes in things like lighting and throw pillows can give your living room a high-end look
Full Story
Dream Spaces
12 Must-Haves for a Designer’s Dream Bathroom
By Yanic Simard
If he had his way — and a rich person’s bank account — here’s how he’d put together his ideal bathroom space
Full Story
SH Sale
Up to 60% Off Presidents Day Bestsellers: Sofas and Sectionals
By Houzz
Enjoy deep discounts on our most popular seating styles
See Products
SH Bar Stools & Counter Stools
Up to 60% Off Presidents Day Bestsellers: Bar Stools
By Houzz
Kitchen seating that elevates your style
See Products
Bathroom Design
9 Details That Count: How to Make Your Bathroom Feel More Luxe
By Neila Deen
You don’t have to remodel to get that spa feel. Pay attention to these elements to get a high-end look for less
Full Story
Living Rooms
15 Decorating Moves to Take Your Living Room to the Next Level
These tricks with furniture, lighting, color and accessories go a long way toward making a space fashionable and comfortable
Full Story
Budget Decorating
5 Things to Splurge On — and 5 Ways to Save
By Yanic Simard
Maximize style and your budget by focusing your decisions on areas that deliver the biggest impact
Full Story
Furniture
Sofa Secrets: A Guide to Upholstery Fabric
Find out how to pick the right type of fabric for your furniture and keep it looking great
Full Story
SH Sale
Up to 80% Off Presidents Day Bestsellers: Area Rugs
By Houzz
Find a rug for every room in this broad assortment
See Products
I really like the lighting fixture used in #3. Very high end looking but minimal.