Home Decorating Style Guide

Much like clothes, the trends in home decor and furnishings can change season after season, but that doesn't mean you're expected to totally redo your furnishings with the latest styles. Instead, you need to learn how to create a stylish home that will stand the test of time.

When you are considering furniture purchases for a stylish home, you should go through a two-step checklist.

First Question - Is the furniture going to change with the trends?

Second Question - Are these pieces that you are willing to say goodbye to?

Items under the first column should be the larger items – sofas, dining room tables, coffee tables, beds, and dressers. You want these items to be with you for a long time, as the payments on them likely will be the same. That means you need to either be a psychic, and know what will change in the trends, or choose items that will never go out of style. The safest bet is the latter. For these larger items, pick pieces that are not part of the latest fad. They shouldn't be pieces that stand out as being a part of a trendy home. You may want to stick with something a little simpler and plain, so you know it will always be around to do the job and still fit in.

You can add accents to the second column of your checklist. They could be smaller accent tables, lamps, area rugs, even tablecloths and chair covers. As the new styles come into play, you can purchase some of these accent pieces to dress up your large items. The ending result is that you have a home that looks stylish, while letting you keep the larger furniture pieces you love.

You can even have style in your home office in this respect, by choosing base furniture pieces that are stable and simple, and dressing them up with the more current themed decor accents.