Is There Actually Any Such Factor As Timeless Design?

I’ve been working within the studio this week, clearing out the room, packing issues up, and on the brink of paint the ceiling, partitions, and ground. It’s an enormous job as a result of that room is giant, and it has collected a number of stuff! However yesterday, whereas purging and packing up the room, I got here throughout my stash of design magazines. There have been most likely 300 of them, not less than. They usually dated method again to round 2005.

I didn’t take the time to have a look at them, as a result of I simply wished to get the room cleared out. I made a decision to do away with all of them. I imply, the possibilities of me any of these magazines once more was slim to none.

However one caught my eye. I feel it’s a Higher Houses & Gardens particular publication. At first, I believed it was Elle Decor, nevertheless it’s not. And as you possibly can see, the duvet actually says “The Most Beautiful Rooms Ever”. That’s a reasonably large declare!

Does timeless design actually exist? These were the most stunning rooms of 2006. Do they look timeless in 2023?

I truly keep in mind shopping for this. I used to be in Barnes & Noble, and I noticed it, flipped by it, and was completely captivated by it. I believed that the declare made on the entrance cowl was 100% correct on the time.

So yesterday, once I got here throughout this once more, I used to be curious. Would these rooms stand as much as that label in the present day? Are these designs timeless? Or would these rooms look outdated in the present day? Is there even any such factor as timeless design? Let’s check out a number of of them, as a result of I’m curious to know what you assume.

First, let me offer you some background and a few perspective. This particular publication is dated Fall/Winter 2006. So it’s about 16.5 years outdated. That was the yr earlier than I began this weblog. Fb was about 2.5 years outdated. Pinterest wouldn’t come into existence for an additional two years, and we had been nonetheless 4 years away from Instagram. So social media was in its infancy. Myspace was the preferred social media web site. Fb was comparatively new. And the very first iPhone was nonetheless about six months away from being launched to the world.

So in that pre-social media, pre-iPhone world, when most of us had been nonetheless getting all of our design and adorning concepts from magazines and HGTV, right here’s a style of essentially the most gorgeous rooms ever.

I’ve to confess that it begins off robust with me. Whereas there are positively issues that I feel needs to be modified on this room, I don’t see it and instantly assume “outdated”.

Does timeless living room design actually exist? How about this light blue living room from 2006? Is it timeless in 2023?

At the very least for me, I feel the wall shade remains to be very fairly and contemporary. The primary factor I’d wish to change is the window remedies. See that swag factor (I forgot what these are referred to as) on the left window beneath? I keep in mind making a kind of for a consumer, and in 2006, my inside adorning enterprise was one yr outdated.

A light blue living room from 2006. Is it a timeless design in 2023?

We simply don’t see many (or any) window remedies like these in the present day. Window remedies in the present day appear to have been far more simplified with window shades and/or easy curtains and material panels.

This subsequent one is fairly. If I walked into this room in the present day, I wouldn’t essentially assume it was outdated. It’s positively not my private model, and the colours appear too heavy and darkish for me, nevertheless it doesn’t appear outdated.

A sitting area with area rug, upholstered bench, and woven shades from 2006, still looks pretty in 2023

This can be a wider view of that very same room. What I did discover about so lots of the rooms on this journal is that the rooms appear to fall into two totally different classes for me. First, so lots of them appear darkish and the furnishings appear very heavy and overdone. And second, those that don’t appear overdone appear very plain. You’ll see what I imply later. So these two classes appear to dominate.

However with that mentioned, there are numerous parts on this room that might look proper at dwelling in 2023 with just some minor updates.

Dining room from 2006. Is this timeless dining room design in 2023?

This subsequent one is an ideal instance of what I meant by darkish, heavy and overdone. I keep in mind this period nicely as a result of once more, that is once I had my inside adorning enterprise. And that is when nearly each new consumer I met with had one in every of two requests, and the preferred request was Texas Tuscan. My goodness, I got here to hate that time period. Texas Tuscan. And whereas this isn’t precisely what Texas Tuscan would appear like, it nonetheless has that very same really feel to it.

Living room design from 2006. Is this timeless living room design in 2023?

In case you’re curious, the second most-requested look again then was Pottery Barn. I child you not. About 90% of my shoppers wished both (1) Texas Tuscan or (2) Pottery Barn. And that’s exactly why the joy about adorning for shoppers wore off fairly rapidly, and I solely did that for seven years earlier than chucking up the sponge and specializing in my weblog, the place I might escape from Pottery Barn and Texas Tuscan. And that’s most likely why you’ve by no means seen me beautify my home with something from Pottery Barn. 😀

Anyway, transferring on. I keep in mind this kitchen nicely. This factor is etched in my thoughts, however solely as a result of I keep in mind seeing it in one other publication the place they’d edited the colour in order that it look pink. And I used to be mesmerized with that pink kitchen! I liked it a lot. After which once I noticed that it was truly purple, I used to be so disenchanted.

Kitchen with red painted cabinets from 2006. Does this kitchen look timeless in 2023? Is there such a thing as timeless kitchen design?

However that was most likely one of many first colourful kitchens that basically caught my eye, and made me understand that I’d by no means be happy with a white kitchen. And I feel with some minor adjustments (like taking the wall shade to a pleasant tender white slightly than taupe), that kitchen could be simply as nice in the present day because it was in 2006.

Right here’s one other kitchen. I don’t know if this can be a case of this wanting outdated to me, or if it’s simply so reverse of my very own private model, however I’d personally must redo all the things on this kitchen.

Kitchen design from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless kitchen design?

This little sitting room is fairly, however do individuals nonetheless do these antiqued finishes on wooden work? I don’t actually see that anymore lately. However do you see what I imply about darkish and heavy and overdone? Heck, even the rooms the place the partitions are a light-weight shade, they nonetheless really feel ark and heavy to me.

Home library design from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless home library design?

I do assume that this eating room could be very fairly. This explicit model by no means appealed to me personally, but when I walked into this room in the present day, I might assume the room was very nicely performed. Though if the house owner requested my opinion, I’d counsel refinishing not less than one of many darkish items of furnishings (most likely the desk) to make it a extra pure shade to lighten the look a bit.

Dining room with skirted slipcover chairs and dark wood table. Is there such a thing as timeless dining room design?

This rest room could be very fairly, however once more, even with partitions which might be seemingly gentle, the room feels darkish and heavy.

Bathroom with freestanding bathtub from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless bathroom design?

Let’s simply say that after wanting by this journal, I can completely perceive why all the things shifted to paint-it-all-white farmhouse design.

Living room with orange silk curtains from 2006.

I’ve by no means been a paint-it-all-white farmhouse sort of particular person, however I’ll must admit that I feel so many of those rooms might slot in completely in 2023 with a can of white paint. Not that all the things must be white, however some issues might positively stand to be lightened and brightened a bit.

Unique cathedral window shaped fireplace in cottage style living room

Dining room with dark brown walls. Is there such a thing as timeless dining room design?

The heavy curtains, animal prints, all the browns in all places. I actually do really feel like the entire white farmhouse look was a pushback in opposition to this type of adorning. I hadn’t realized it or understood it till flipping by this journal and remembering simply how standard these appears to be like had been again then.

Dining room with heavy burgundy draperies, leopard print upholstered chairs, from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless dining room design?

The bed room beneath on the correct is an instance of the second class I discussed above — very plain. There’s nothing to this room, and positively nothing that appears “designed” about it to me. I don’t know that this might make the reduce for many gorgeous room in 2023.

Bedroom with four poster bed and fireplace from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless bedroom design?

Living room with golden yellow curtains, walls, and sofa, black baby grand piano, white stone fireplace from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless living room design?

This one was most likely the largest shock to me. Not everybody in 2006 was doing the darkish, heavy, overdone rooms. Kelly Hoppen was one in every of my favourite designers throughout this time. I keep in mind being amazed at her trendy minimalist aesthetic. I might sit in Barnes & Noble and take a look at her guide, learning all the things about her rooms and designs. So wanting again at this, I used to be shocked.

Modern living room with large white slipcovered chairs, backlit shelves, large white table lamps, from 2006, designed by Kelly Hoppen.

If somebody confirmed me that image with out her title hooked up, and requested me to guess when and what it was from, I might have guessed that it was a Vern Yip Buying and selling Areas room.

After which we’re again to overdone. However once more, I actually can’t inform if I might put this in to the “outdated” class, or if I might simply put this into the “that is so not my model” class.

Traditional style neutral living room from 2006, designed by Jean Perin.

However this bed room beneath on the correct appears dated to me. I can’t assist however surprise what it might appear like in the present day in the event that they eliminated the valance from the home windows and simply had the material panels, after which eliminated the cover from the mattress.

Traditional style bedroom with four poster bed with canopy, draperies with pleated valance, from 2006.

This eating room is certainly a 2006 eating room. I’ll go away it at that.

Dining room with heavy velvet draperies, metal and glass table, red dining chairs, from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless dining room design?

This little sitting space is without doubt one of the few footage that I feel appears to be like timeless. I’d swap out the lamps, however aside from that, I feel it’s actually fairly.

Sitting area with bookshelves, wingback chair, large oil painting with gold gilded frame, collection of globes.

This bed room is one other one of many rooms that falls into the plain class for me. The room is okay, however I feel it’s method too plain to make the reduce for “most gorgeous room ever” in 2023. I feel we count on a complete lot extra creativity from rooms which might be going to be bestowed with that label lately.

Bedroom design from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless bedroom design?

I be in agreement of this room. The room is okay, however there’s no method it might be thought-about spectacular in the present day, a lot much less “most gorgeous”.

Dining room with sheer curtains, white concrete table base with glass top, light wood chairs with upholstered seats.

And once more with this bed room. It’s high quality. If I walked right into a home with this bed room in the present day, I might assume it was good. However it isn’t a “most gorgeous” room by in the present day’s requirements.

Neutral bedroom design with dark wood floors from 2006. Is this timeless bedroom design?

I feel that because the introduction of running a blog and social media, we’ve simply seen method too many individuals with method an excessive amount of creativity and out-of-the-box considering that we’ve come to count on actually spectacular issues from any room that we might deem “gorgeous”.

Living room with yellow walls, yellow sofa, orange chair, yellow and orange draperies, brown and white area rug.

We didn’t have all of that again in 2006, so the bar for “most gorgeous” was comparatively low. Lately, we’re blown away by on a regular basis owners DIYing their very own houses and arising with among the most inventive concepts ever. The bar has been raised significantly simply because we have now a lot simpler entry to concepts.

Living room with yellow curtains, neutral walls, orange and white striped chairs, white sofa, dark wood floors

However I might love to return and see what 200d6 Kristi considered this room beneath. I can’t keep in mind. However 2023 Kristi thinks that this room is greatest left in 2006. 😀

Dining room with chartreuse walls, metal and glass dining table, scrolled wood chairs, from 2006.

Anyway, this was a enjoyable little stroll down reminiscence lane. I keep in mind poring over this journal a number of occasions, learning each little element of each room. I actually was mesmerized with them.

Bedroom design from 2006. Is there such a thing as timeless master bedroom design?

However are any of them really timeless? That’s the query. Might any of those room present up simply as they’re in Instagram in the present day and be thought-about present?

Living room with dark wood console, large painted artwork, upholstered ottoman, yellow upholstered chairs, draperies on French doors.

It looks as if each single one in every of these rooms would wish one thing tweaked or redone with the intention to be spectacular in 2023. Do you agree? Or do you see some that look really timeless to you? I’ll go away you with a number of extra with out commentary. You’ll be able to let me know what you assume. Is there actually any such factor as timeless design?

Dining room with dark wood table, light gold upholstered chairs, white stone fireplace, yellow gold walls and draperies.

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and beautify the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You’ll be able to be taught extra about me right here.

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