Trends that may date your home in the future

Image via WikipediaGreat design is all about a seamless transition throughout the ages. Great design seldom follows trends, but instead relies on timeless proven beauty merged with great form and function. When renovating and updating your home you have to use a keen eye to be sure not to be tempted into  a momentary trend that may be taking place at the time your do your remodeling. It is very important in your renovation process not to over use trends that may end up "dating" your home later on.
One has to train their eyes to know the difference between a design element that is timeless, and one that may only be a trend of the times. So how does one avoid the pitfalls of decor trends that will come back to haunt you in the future? There are a few signals to be mindful of. Look for big pushes of certain decor related materials in the home stores. When you see stores stocking up on a lot of certain types of design element, chances are it is a new trend that has emerged. For instance, glass tile backsplash is easy to install and seen more and more in kitchen and bath renovations. Because it is a hot item right now and also is convenient for do it yourself types to install it is going into kitchen and baths everywhere. There is no sure fire way of determining that this may be a temporary trend or an ear mark of the time period, but from a designer stand point it is beginning to seem a little "too trendy". That being said, if you truly love it, you should always do it. Other ways to determine whether some renovation element is a trend, is by seeing if it has been around for a while. Usually items that are here to stay in design and decor will have shown up many times through out the ages. Go back 20-30 years and see what design elements are still being used. This is a good indicator that this may be a design/decor element that will have some staying power and be hard to pin down to a trend that was done in the 2010 period.  This is not limited to any particular material, or style. Sometimes the best way to get a trendy look to stay fashionable after it has stayed its welcome is to always incorporate old and new together. Merging old and new together keeps the livelihood of the design going and it is able to easily transition the eras. See HGTV's Flooring Trend: Layering area rugs.
Old bathrooms that have some high end finishes, can actually become a trend in and of itself. Make sure though, the old element of another era still has something attractive working for it. Salmon colored tiles will have a hard time merging with anything contemporary in a classy way. There are usually great work around for all bad trends from the past. Mixing traditional, with contemporary, and modern with classic can be a great look. See:  HGTV's Contemporary Style in a Traditional Living Room. The most important thing to remember is they still have to share some common way  in how they relate to each other. Sometimes the new design trend needs to be downplayed, sometimes the older traditional elements in your home need to be downplayed.
With most clever budget friendly designs and remodels it is all about the moderation, and the relationships between the contrasting items. An old iron candlestick may pair well with a new set of contemporary bookends. What can the common ground be? Maybe it is the dark colors, or the shapes involved. Train your eye to find the likenesses between old and new and you will be able to bypass being caught in a trend time warp.