ARCHITECTURE
words by ERIN HENKLE
Timeless Interiors. In a time when Pinterest, Instagram, and renovation television shows have become ubiquitous, it can be difficult not to be swayed by the trend of the moment. After all, whether we realize it or not, we’re inundated with spaces that look eerily similar at every scroll. Trends aren’t inherently bad – they’re just tricky. Trends in architecture and design rise to popularity because they are good. They’re inspired by patterns, shapes, material choices, and even floor plans that have captured the imagination of a generation. The challenge comes when we incorporate trends without considering if they work for our home or lifestyle. PROTECT THE PROCESS The most important thing that you can do to ensure your home is timeless? Don’t rush the process. Everyone wants a TV-timeline renovation with Instagram-worthy results. But the reality is that those timelines don’t leave much time for the real, messy, and wonderful design and discovery process that ensures a timeless home rather than regurgitated trends. We start each project with this discovery process. We ask questions. We explore inspirational images. We talk about functionality and the nitty gritty of life. We zero in on what matters to you. Sometimes those are words – “accessibility,” “comfort,” or “hospitality.” Sometimes they are concepts – tailoring your home around hosting or optimizing functionality for a young family. From there, we define the scope – the actual ins and outs of the project and the spaces we will touch. When we embrace the process, we get clarity of vision that becomes the driving force for a project, making it easier to avoid trends that don’t fulfill your core desires. DESIGNING REAL HOMES FOR REAL LIFE After clarifying your vision, whether working with a designer or on your own, take a moment to pause. Build time into your project schedule to reflect on options and consider your priorities. We all tend to lean on what we’ve seen most recently – what’s trendy – when forced to make quick decisions. Next, remember you are designing a home for real life. Your life. Design moves based on trends that are all encompassing or more permanent tend to be those you’ll regret. For example, if you’re feeling swayed to decorate your home aligned entirely with an of-the-moment style, like modern farmhouse, it might be worth investigating further.
10 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | SUMMER 2022
