How to Change Home Decor to Avoid Looking Dated

fresh home ideas—Denise Vasi
Jenna Peffley for MyDomaine

Style isn't eternal, and sometimes no matter how much money and time you invest in decorating your home (or how few trends you fall for), your interior décor becomes dated, and the look you once loved doesn't work as well. Despite your best efforts, that brightly colored accent wall you painted earlier just isn't looking so fresh anymore, is it? This doesn't mean you have bad taste or that your house is old; it's just that this part of your home is starting to look a little dated.

How to Avoid Dated Home Interiors
Emily Roberts/MyDomaine

To help you passé-proof your home, we listed a few tips to keep your dwelling up to date. Of course, these are only suggestions based on our experience. We believe style is truly individual, so whatever your choice, it's right for you.

Figure Out Your Personal Style First

How to keep your home fresh
Justin Coit for MyDomaine

You know which clothing styles work on your body, but do you know what décor suits your abode? Knowing your personal interior style is crucial if you want to create a home you'll love beyond the current season. No one can afford to take that risk. So ask yourself the following: What defines my personal taste? What colors do I love, and why? The key is to determine your personal style fundamentals first, then build on them.

Have a Flexible Color Theme as the Base

home decorating ideas
Christopher Patey for MyDomaine

Pick a base color palette that allows for some flexibility as the trends change each season. While many will expect this to be a mostly neutral theme, leading Australian interior designer Shaynna Blaze says it's all about warm and cool, and "whether you love white and gray or cream and stone as a base to build your colors on." Once you settle on a preference, sticking to that constant color theme throughout your home should prevent it from looking dated too quickly and ensure it survives the seasonal trends. It's the perfect backdrop to feature period pieces, so you can still have fun with timely styles.

Keep Your Paint Job Fresh

how to decorate
Jenna Peffley for MyDomaine

Nothing screams modern like a newly painted interior. It doesn't have to be white, it just needs to be fresh. Painting is the simplest and cheapest way to update your home when it's starting to feel a little unfashionable. Whether you do it yourself or hire a good contractor, you'll hit a home run. 

Try to Avoid Themed Rooms

moroccan room
D. Gilbert Photography; DESIGN: DISC Interiors

You might be in a Moroccan mood right now, but will you still love that boho vibe in five years? It's okay to throw in some Aztec accents and a few printed pillows or a gorgeous throw, but entire rooms built around just the one theme will become dated very quickly. Mix it up, and fuse elements of the look you love with modern and traditional décor that complement each other and work together over the long term.

Utilize Layers, but Not Too Many

new home decorating
Chris Patey for MyDomaine

We love a little layering: It creates a diverse space that keeps the eye moving. But it can also restrict your home and add years to its appearance.

Try to take some time every quarter, as the new season hits, to declutter the items in each space of your home. It's an easy yet impactful update that costs nothing!

Embrace Change

Small entryway design mistakes
Tessa Neustadt; DESIGN: Emily Henderson

In the end, you have to be adaptable and move with the times. If you're open to change, you can adapt your home quickly to embrace newness as it arrives and find a way to intersperse it. It can be simple things like changing your cushions, giving your living room a lift with some new artwork, or updating the hardware in your bathroom to bring it from drab to fab.

Budget for the Next Wave

living room
Catherine Kwong Design

Interior trends have a habit of changing on us, but that shouldn't stop you from buying that "in" piece you really love. Put aside a budget that allows you to move within the times and enjoy those sporadic moments; it's fun to play with what's new. But really consider what you spend your money on because furniture trend cycles are shorter than ever before.

We suggest a separate savings account for the major makeovers, such as the bathroom or kitchen. These can be costly—on average, a high-end kitchen can set you back about $60,000. As the two biggest and most frequented rooms of the house, they are the first thing to make your home look dated. We're here to say it's time for a refresh. That's when that dedicated décor savings account will come in handy.

Article Sources
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  1. How Much Does It Cost To Remodel A Kitchen? HomeAdvisor. 2021