If you love classic, timeless interior design, you will love Eric Ross. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Eric believes that all good design is informed by the past…. rooted in tradition. So when I read his recent blog post on how to remain timeless in the midst of the current trend of “schizophrenic decorating,” I just had to share. Eric is graciously guest posting today, and I could not agree more with his wonderful tips… Welcome, Eric!
Going Against the Flow of Design Trends
By Eric Ross
Mrs. Roper Called and She Wants her Macramé Wall Hanging Back
For a while now I have felt that decoration and design in the macro sense is a little lost. Some say it’s a great time in decorating because anything goes. But, I feel completely different about it. To borrow a phrase from the legendary decorator Mario Buatta, “There is a lot of schizophrenic decorating going on.” And it seems that the more crazy the decorating is, the more people applaud and reproduce it.
Perhaps you can tell by now that I do not like design trends. Actually, it’s a personality trait of mine that I am contrarian. So, if the herd goes left, I will go right…or up or down…depending on where the design herd is headed.
This room cannot decide what it wants to be. Is it SoHo loft or Miami Vice White Lacquer?
Many of the home décor magazines are featuring homes that look like they were “curated” (a buzzword used a lot right now in decorating) with fabrics, furnishings and object d’art that are not cohesive or promoting one point of view. My point is not to discuss what qualifies a room as schizophrenic, but to help you see why you should not religiously follow this, or really, any other trend.
Getting Trendy With It
Following trends is a full time job for many in the media and that’s what sells magazines. Talking about what’s new and next gives lots of content magazines and websites to promote brands and tout their advertisers. You and your home are not vying for new advertisers. So, if you look to all the new trends that are happening in design and adapt your room to those trends, then you will have a conflicted room, and one that will be out of style in 5-4-3-2…..
In Tory Burch’s home, shown here by Architectural Digest, follows very few design trends, but is impeccably designed.
What is a trend anyway? A trend is defined as “a general development in which something is developing or changing.” Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for new products and color forecasts, but if you follow all this new over a short period of time, you will never have an authentic looking room. It is like trying to hold sand with your hands. You cannot fully capture something that is fluid. You will have someone else’s idea of what your home should look like, and, if you are following several different sources for trends, you will have several peoples’ ideas of what your home should look like. This is when your room will show symptoms of CVS or Conflicted Vibe Syndrome.
Here is a checklist to help you know what trends are for you in order to keep your rooms timeless.
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Do I want to look at this item every day?
When I am selecting furniture, fabrics and finishes for my projects the first thing I think of is, how long is this going to last the client. Will she want to look at this large scale print on the drapes for 10 years, or would a solid fabric for panels and a printed valance be easier to live with? The answer is different for each client, but I do ask that question. I have a time frame of 7-10 years that a rooms should look great. If it doesn’t pass that test, then I move on.
Using this print from Lee Jofa on the valance and the pin stripe on the panels provides an overall calming look that can be lived with long term.
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Does this item make me happy to look at it?
Nothing makes me happier than looking at beautiful rooms. Truly, after 20+ years of decorating professionally I still jump up and down when I install a window treatment. Seeing how all the fabrics and colors come together in a room among the upholstered chairs, sofas, pillows, ottomans and drapes is such a wow moment for me. This should be the same experience you have every day when you enter your rooms. When looking for new items, look for colors and patterns that make you smile. This may sound silly, but you should get a charge out of the items you are purchasing because they make you happy, not because you’ve seen them in the latest issue of Elle Décor.
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Does this item, or collection of items, express who I want to be to the world?
One of my beliefs is that your rooms should represent who you are on your best day. It’s like dressing to go to the Oscars. You wouldn’t put on your pajamas, you would select the perfect outfit that shows your best version of yourself. That is what you rooms should do too! So, only collect items and display them in a way that makes your room look amazing. If you have a collection, display them together for maximum effect. If you love French things, put a bombe chest in the room, even if French decor is out of vogue to the masses. But remember, have other French things in the room so that the items all support each other visually.
This clients collection of needlepoint pillows and dishes are the perfect accents to balance this room and lend authenticity to the design.
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Is there a visual precedent in which to introduce this item in the room?
Perhaps a better way to put this is: Is there a context in the room to support this item?
In this ladies study, we’ve introduced a new rug that plays off of the textures of the antique tapestry and pillows and also complements the grasscloth wallcovering. Balanced and Beautiful!
If your rooms are modern, then by all means inject modern furniture, or even an antique with clean lines. This means looking for a cohesive and rhythmic arrangement of furniture and objects. This creates a balanced design scheme that is easier to live with over time, making it less likely that you’ll tire of it and want to redecorate.
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Do most of the items support each other in their overall arrangement in the room?
Tribal art and Monets do not go together in any universe, unless the Met is having a sidewalk sale. If you want a tribal room in your house, then go all out in that room, but please do not have an African war mask on your French mantelpiece. This just feels inauthentic and confusing. When crafting your room, be sure to look for similarity among items. That is a true tell of a masterful decorator.
In conclusion, you don’t have to embrace macrame wall hangings just because the magazines tells you to.
Mrs. Roper can keep her macrame dream catchers to herself.
This is not an exhaustive list and I’m sure some of you will find offense. My intent is to give you a basic framework from which you should add something to your decorating mix, or to let it pass the way of macramé wind chimes. (Think about how ridiculous–and ineffective– a macramé wind chime is.) By keeping in mind these questions you can create beautiful, thoughtful rooms that will stand the test of time.
Thank you, Eric, for sharing your invaluable advice! After almost seven years of blogging about interior design, I have become positively allergic to trends, and I dedicated the entire month of January to “anti-trends” for 2018 (recap here). The comments and outpouring of support surrounding this series made it clear that there is a growing number of us who desire a return to classic, traditional, and timeless interiors. It is refreshing to see such an illustrious designer empowering his clients to remain true to themselves and resist peer pressure to succumb to modern trends.
To read more about Eric Ross, please click here. You can also visit him online at Eric Ross Interiors and through his blog. For ongoing inspiration, please follow @ericrossinteriors on Instagram. Below are a few of my favorite examples of his work!
Mushroom Trend Alert: The Glam Pad Investigates
10 Timeless “Trends” for 2022
The Glam Pad’s Anti-Trends for 2021
Why Traditional Decor is Making a Comeback
Wonderful post. Thanks for sharing.
Mr Lagerfeld’s quote is something to think about. It’s hard to get what you want your home to say about you. When shopping you have to put blinders on, I agree that the heart has to sing. When I downsized my living space, I thought it would be a snap to decorate. Now two years later, I am still not there. Vision is there, but not achieved..yet
Hah! Macrame windchimes. I love it. That’s so 70s. His designs are wonderful. So attractive and welcoming, and the use of colour is marvelous. Those crazy green tiger striped velvet chairs! Ooh la la. But I like the live animal on the chair much better than the dead animal on the floor.
Thank you 1000x over for introducing me to Eric Ross. I’m now following him on Insta and have spent the last hour pouring over his blog and leaving comments because so many of his posts spoke to me! Your anti-trend posts have also been so refreshing. I believe that trends exist for those whose tastes are not mature enough to express their own individuality.
That’s a very interesting thought!
Can I please get your kind comments put on a tshirt and wear it under my clothes everyday??? thanks so much for following along!
The trend I hate the most right now is barn doors. No matter the style of the home, a barn door is always incorporated. Unless you live in a converted barn, I don’t think barn doors are appropriate. Perhaps on an outbuilding but not in the interior of your home. I expect to see lots of barn doors in garage sales and re-sale, thrift shops in the next few years.
“Reclaimed or barn wood” is another trend that does not look appropriate in most homes. I have one wall of that in my garage and it looks really good there but in my home? You cannot easily clean it- it is dark-it doesn’t blend well with other styles. I see a lot of ripping out of barn wood in the future.
I also think your style needs to blend with your environment-I don’t like coastal style in the mountains or big city style in the country. That is just my own personal opinion but I feel more comfortable in a home when it is cohesive with its environment.
I agree with you completely. I loath barn doors and barn wood. I’m also over “farmhouse” unless you live on a farm. I love beautiful and timeless things. Just my opinion of course.
Thank you for sharing Eric’s blog post. So nice to find another kindred spirit! Thank you Eric!! xo
I love this post and Eric’s advice. I am now in my mid thirties and I find myself less and less drawn to trends…with anything, clothes or interiors. This post confirms my thoughts and I will carry on being one of the few of my friends to seek out timeless fabric and pieces of furniture, but also one of the few to redecorate every few years!!! 🙂
Mario Buatta says very true most of the people apply some schizophrenic designs to make their interiors look outstanding. Thanks for the above suggestions I will consider them in my interiors.
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Thanks for the good advise. I just love everything, your design very timeless. I can just look at the pictures over and over.
What a great artical…people need to learn to decorate with what makes them happy weather its popular or not. Personally I am very tired of seeing grey upon grey everthing, no color, and lifeless rooms. Really?
Sheila, I couldn’t agree more! If I see another gray, black, white brown except for kitchen I think I will just curl up and die of boredom. I have a coral velvet sofa that I’ve had for 25 years! I love it! Every time I walk through my main living room I look at it and it makes me happy. I love coral! As a matter of fact I painted my bedroom coral.! I love Eric! I follow him all the time. He is so wise.
I completely agree with your approach to design! I have had a collective look for ever since I got my first apartment. I am now 65 and I still have a few of those places spread around the house but meanwhile as I found things that I like better I incorporate them. I always look for French and European things that I love and I have never been into the current trends just because they are trends. So I love your thoughts and your rooms!
YES, YES, and YES!!! Thanks for sharing.
Beautifully written. I often feel like my traditional style is outdated since the trend is to go farmhouse. I love that people say my style feels comfortable and welcoming. That is what I want. Comfortable traditional. I have older ladies who can’t believe I have blue willow. My response is that it was good enough for my grandmother, it is good enough for me. I have a large collection of all blue and white. I try to incorporate it in areas you wouldn’t normally see it. Anyhow, your article made me realize my style is me. Thank you! Your style is so “me”.
Love this article and all the comments! I too am so tired of the everything white/gray ‘farmhouse’ trendy and the tons of signs, quotes, old advertisements people are using in their homes and calling it country/farmhouse… I have yet to run across a authentic European/farmhouse with tobacco advertising on their interior walls. Most homes all look the same now a days with their ‘home goods’ merchandise and 2 foot clocks on the walls. Originality is best and finding your on style is an adventure in itself…have fun with it!
Best read in a LONG time! I’ve always run the opposite direction when I see homes that are ‘on trend’. The Farmhouse look, especially all the gallery walls full of sayings and anything in the white color scheme from Hobby Lobby. Nothing to reflect the people who live there. And the ‘Gender neutral’ nurseries. Really??? What baby wants to live in a gray room?! All because it goes with the rest of their house🙄.
Thank you, thank you, 1000 times thank you. I sometimes feed into the trendy looks and think my traditional “grandma” chic is not appealing but it makes me so happy and guests always tell me how homey and comfortable my home is. Sticking to my guns!!!