In a recent video I watched on Instagram, a designer described how people are “ditching sleek and going cozy,” opting for gallery walls, stacks of books and bookshelves, more elaborate decor, patterns, and overall, the kind of traditional designs that were popular before modern minimalism.
What I see in the Los Angeles County markets is a split trend. There’s a discernible move toward the traditional but it’s more popular for mid-range homes, funky older homes and a select artistic clientele. When you reach the ultra-high-end market or when you’re looking at newer homes, sleek and modern is still the reigning trend.
However, even with that split I agree that people are getting tired of monochromatic black-and-white modernism and are trending instead toward beige and softer, neutral colors. I see this happening in boutique hotels as well as medium to smaller homes. For luxury homes, traditional design can usually be found on estates with older character or classic architectural homes.
If you’re looking to embrace this trend in your home, here are a few ways to incorporate the trend:
- Select a gentle, subtle color palette (one primary tone and three accent tones) and use that as you decorate for visual consistency.
- If you’re looking to create a dark, earthy mood, opt for rich browns, and shades of greens and grays.
- As you arrange your furniture, keep symmetry in mind, which will instantly add an air of the traditional to any space.
- Lighting can transform a room with elegance and style, chandeliers and dramatic light fixtures set the traditional tone.
- Decorative candlesticks, bookshelves, decor items and art help create a more traditional vibe.
Now that we’ve got a good understanding of the trend, let’s see how it works in listings I’ve recently sold or leased!
Modern Exterior, Charming Interior
This gorgeous living room features decor over the fireplace, modern Restoration Hardware chandeliers, overstuffed couches, built-in bookshelves and stunning art. The house is a 1980s English Tudor with black and white on the outside to modernize the exterior but Old World European charm on the inside, with lots of fun knickknacks and embellishments throughout. There’s a lot of color and eclectic touches that make the interior feel warm and inviting from the moment you step in the door.
Bring in the Funk!
Check out this funky wallpaper! There are other pops of color throughout the home, including bold-colored chairs in the breakfast/dining room.
Newer Construction, Cooler Decor
This newer-construction home features really incredible artwork and was one of the first listings I saw in a long while that was more in the beige family in terms of decoration, not the solid black and white we saw for years. These rooms are a nice mix of updated new construction with an eclectic feel.
The trend is all about adding lots of cool things to a home so it feels almost like an old-style New York apartment, complete with your grandmother’s tea service and vintage paintings. People want fun, modern and eclectic. They want to be able to curl up in the TV chair and read a book or their kindle.
The ultra-modern, museum-quality style in high-end homes isn’t too practical for families with children. Instead, they’ll often opt for a streamlined, cool but liveable house where their kids can have fun and be kids!
Of course, if you’re looking to sell your home you don’t want rooms to be overcrowded and you still want to maintain a streamlined, pared-down space. The smaller the home the more crowded it feels, and this trend has to be very curated to work for a home you’re looking to list. For home-selling, everything is geared toward the photos. The camera captures everything! If you have too much stuff, a prospective buyer can get overwhelmed and move on (quite literally) to the next house, which is not a scenario you want! Of course, once you move in you can add all the fun decor you’d like but when selling, it’s about striking a happy medium between embracing this trend and remembering that less is more.
Want additional design ideas? Let’s chat! Small, cosmetic updates not only make your home feel more cozy but also can add value whenever it’s time to put your house on the market! Get in touch for a complimentary real estate consultation today!
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Andrew Manning • REALTOR® • Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties • DRE: 00941825 • 818-380-2147 • andrew@andrewmanning.com