How to Break Up With Trends

But still flirt with them a little.

Photo by Daniel Farò via DTS

Let me just say this up front: I have never been immune to a trend. Trends are sparkly. They unite us around something exciting and fresh. They whisper, Maybe *this* is who you are now. And who am I to say no to a whisper like that?

And it’s not just about furniture or paint colors or clothing—sometimes a trend feels like a lifeboat. Like, if I can just get this right, maybe I’ll feel more settled, more sure of myself. Like the perfect coffee table could erase the wine stain living beneath it. Spoiler: It doesn’t.

We’re chasing a feeling when we follow the siren song of the hot new thing.

We’re looking for the promise of a total makeover without the patience or acceptance that true transformation asks of us.

But here’s what I’ve learned after chasing down more than my fair share of trendy things (some of which are now hiding in my basement): The only way to truly trend-proof your home isn’t to avoid trends altogether—it’s to build a home with bones strong enough to survive your inevitable flings.

Because flirting with trends is fun—and in case you forgot, making a home is supposed to be fun too.