This dated room is almost a case study with having to deal with trends. Most people have seen this room before, the wallpaper is from 1975, the bedding and drapes and carpet from 1987.

In 1975 the paper was installed. Its actually a periwinkle blue tending toward the blue grey, not purple, paper with grasscloth over. 40 years ago the grass was not as dark.

Anyway, the chair and bench were upholstered in a periwinkle blue linen with a geometric flower pattern that matched the grass (a pale wheat color). The bedspread and drapes were periwinkle blue linen with sort of rustic tassel fringe.

But the periwinkle shade was discontinued and the drapes and bedspread came in in a very dark Federal Blue. (And unfortunately the person who approved the substitution, not the designer or my parents, actually some admin who worked for the store, was fired because the store had to eat the drapes and bedspread, or pay to recarpet, repaper and reupholster to coordinate with them. My parents were unhappy that someone got fired over it, but on the other hand the color substituted was not good).

So things were refabricated in the wheat color because there was not a blue Anywhere that worked with the upholstery or paper in that short amount of time. Plus the bedspread and drapes weight a Ton, because they were heavier fabric.

When the dog died, it was time to replace the rugs. There was not a blue that worked well with the paper or upholstery, and there was not a neutral that worked that well with the bedspread or the drapes, (plus they weighed a ton), so the chair and bench had to be reupholstered and new lighter weight fabric was chosen for the current drapes and bedding. And it's not even blue, it's green, but there was no blue that worked as well with the paper as this green based fabric. The original 1987 carpet had an undertone that worked really well with the new fabrics, but it literally started coming untufted when they were installing it, it was defective. A new carpet had to be ordered from a different manufacturer, and no one else made a shade that worked as well as the original choice. And the blue delft chandelier had to be replaced because it no longer worked with anything, as did the blue and white ginger jar lamp.

I think the best this room would have looked Now is with all the original original 1975 choices but trends and other forces that was not to be. I still think this looks okay for a 30-40 year old room, though not as good as it could.

That is a very tastefully done room for 1975 or 2075, thought, love and a good eye are the only possible ways to obtain any sense of timeless most likely.

I think though, it looks of its era--it's not current or timeless, but I think that's okay personally.

This room popped up in the local real estate this week, and not only is it dated late modernism, it's a specific sort of sub-genre of modernism with the mirrors (mirrored furniture out of frame) and china dog (and there are lots of other mirrors in this house) And yet, I find it a serene room. I don't think it's bad just because it's dated or very taste-specific:

I wish someone would date me -- oh wait, that's not what you mean. Well, yes kinda. Most of my furniture is traditional and done in traditional colors. I have a John Widdicombe bedroom set from the 60's or earlier and it is timeless, unless it falls in the category of brown furniture, which I don't think it does.

I guess I don't want my home to say "old lady lives here". As I become an old lady, I am more sensitive to that.

I hate that long glass tile.

I make an effort to purchase things that are not trendy and to only purchase things we really like. This has served me well for 45 years. My house was built in 2014 and my newest furniture is almost 20 years old. Everything I have makes me happy.

Funny dedtired, with my love of dark real wood furniture and this present house built in the 20s I was orginally trying to get a grams lives here vibe. Not sure if I accomplished it or not but I am now almost a woman of a certain age;) so it would be fitting.

I never liked the pencil thin tile for my home on trend or not but have seen applications that work well in their settings.

The above real estate room is again taking an era and using the trends from that time tastefully and with restraint thus it holds up well is my take.

As a New Englander, I have noticed that those with lots of family money do not redecorate newly as much as the hgtv folks or even this forum leads one to believe is normal. They decorate once when need be, new house, replacing very worn things, fire or water damage and they do it expensively to their tastes using often very on trend finishes for the time in which they are decorating and than they are done. Keeping it as is and even bringing it to a new house if moving.

As for reupholstering..I know that my armchairs have to be reupholstered (they're 17 years old and one of them started tearing a bit..) and my chairs have to reupholstered cause not a great job from the very beginning and very heavily used..you know, I've just decided I like them as they are for now..:) First, I really like the colors. Second..less worries..already old, right? lol. I did drape a throw on the torn armchair though. Third..I 've been looking at the fabrics too much ..and I like Timorous Beasties and House of Hackney and William Morris and all of these preferably in velvet lol and other crazily expensive fabrics..

I did think of upholstering the armchairs just partially..leaving the back the same..will take somebody really good at what he does and not a very nice man that took 40 dollars for upholstering the chairs..:)

financially, doesn't make any sense

but also-how much will I pay nowadays for armchairs of the same quality?

Also I really like them..loved them 17 years ago, love them now

I don't know..I think I'll wait until I REALLY want to reupholster all this jazz..

Fun2behere, I have those pulls. I like 'em

Again I think HGTV has buyers all hyper vigilant about being up to date. When it comes down to it--it is an eye of the beholder thing. Best to live surrounded by things/choices that make you HAPPY and let the tide of public opinion wash right by!!

roarah..well..I don't know too many really rich people(I guess I do sit with them through the back to school nights ..but I'm a quietly, warmly smiling anti-social, so we don't really talk..and I have some far relatives that don't know me..)) ..but the most aristocratic person I know(who accidentally happens to be my DH or else I wouldn't know..no one truly aristocratic would talk about their descent either..from which you can derive-I'm not that noble LOL)..he doesn't care about things at all..and if already circumstances(like me)) dictate it-he's into worn and used..:) And he gets attached to what he's got.

He does like art, books, movies, food(any food..the provenance doesn't matter..he likes to try new food..) and travel..ah and things pertaining to food-like edible plants? to grow? that yes, that he'll buy:)

Things? no..unless it's already some history..or some history in the making..:)

luckily we have this meeting point about worn and used... so we used to hit vintage shops and flea markets..that does speak to him...

Rich and aristocratic are also two very different things..I guess..

as for thin glass tile-well it's just not that pretty from the very beginning..I even thought I dislike all glass tiles, because of it, until I saw some beautiful ones..at a very very different price point..

simple glass is one thing, is not pretentious. when you start with more complicated stuff, like mosaics, it needs to have dimension, and all..to pull that off..the colors should be rich and I don't know what else..

that's why it's "dated". it's not dated..it was just not that successful from the very beginning. if you ask me..

some mosaics are breathtakingly beautiful..but they are very well thought through, and very well made..hence the difference

I worry about what works for me and my specific and special needs. And that we both like it. That's pretty much it well of course cost enters the picture too. I don't really care much about trends and in style or if everyone else likes it or not. I am the one that has to live here. If I ever sell in all likelihood people will want their own preferences and change things. It is pretty much the norm. I don't plan for them I plan for us.

I don't. I do tend to shy away from permanent things with a lot of design or bright/dark color to them because I want the freedom to repaint or change accessories, and bright blue/red/purple bathroom tile will preclude that option.

But would you ever pick bright blue/red/purple bathroom tiles? I am not sure that most people who would pick bright red bath tiles would do so if they were afraid they would grow tired of them, unless they knew they knew they would spend the money to redo it to change the color--and I think most people would move first instead of redo the same place

I don't think the people who committed to any of the bathrooms below gave a thought at the time that they would tire of it. And given the age of the bathrooms I don't think they did. I think this is two different sub groups of people.

I am dated 73 yrs. old, my house Nooooo!

My taste has always leaned toward classic, timeless designs, though I'm not always able to pull it off the way I'd like to. When I've been drawn to a "trend" in decorating, I've usually come to regret it.

I've always loved white kitchens, hardwood floors, simple white tile...for as long as I can remember. What I have found difficult to work around are the design decisions I've inherited every time we moved. The last house had a Tuscan-ish kitchen with glazed cabinets, brown granite, tumbled marble backsplash -- I found it impossible to work with and hated it for the fifteen years we lived in that house. If I had not known that we'd be downsizing in a few years, I would have painted it off white and replaced the tile, and maybe the granite as well.

If I look back through images of rooms that I love, they're all cream and soft green, pale neutrals, warm woods, very classic looking. Every time I've gone off in a different direction, I've regretted it.

My current house came with turquoise accent tiles in the master bath and blue backsplash tile in the kitchen. I almost didn't buy it because of the tile. Now I find myself trying to work with the blue, and I can tell you that I'm not having fun doing it.

I think this is why I'm so averse to fixed elements that dictate the direction of everything else around them. If only the PO of my house had installed white subway tile, I'd be having so much fun right now.

It becomes a very slippery slope because "dated" is such a loaded and contextual term:

Technically unless your house was completely decorated from top to bottom by a young but well-known, or up-and-coming innovative interior designer from one of the coasts or a few select cities from the interior within the last five years, your house is dated.

And since many designers in the above categories currently like either completely bare windows or actual draperies, room sized rugs (or even wall to wall in some rooms), highly eclectic mixes of furniture including healthy doses of 1980s late-modernism/art deco revival, shades of pink and blush and band-aid, and non white trim, and love mixes of unusual colors and clashing pattern, and wouldn't be caught dead installing matching white venetian blinds or plantation shades for every window in the house, or almost completely bare floors, or wood-look tile replacing wood floors, and would never buy big pieces of furniture in neutral so they could do a quick changes, or even concern themselves with "flow" from room to room ( I hate that word personally, it reminds me of toilets)--well then the entire decorating oevre promoted by GW and television...is dated at it's core.

Unless of course you get your house decorated by one of those top designers who hasn't really changed their outlook since 1987 and repeat their signature successfully forever.

So, what's perfectly fine and not dated in one context is dated or was maybe never even on the map in other contexts.

I've been around old people that seemed to have become completely disconnected from the world; Completely lost interest in current events and the world around them. From that standpoint, it worries me a little that I might become like that some day. Since I associate old lady / dated decor with people to whom their surroundings are no longer a concern, yes it would worry me that my surroundings would become dated.

My mom didnt have buckets of $ but to her last days, she would get excited about getting a new knick knack or occasional table or pillow for her house. I hope I am the same to my last days, and not like others whose house looked like time just stopped or museum-like. Hope this is clear.

I am going to steal Powermuffin's expression - "I just do my thing". It took me a long time over the years to realize that I am the only one I need to please with my home decor - well DH also, but he's easy :)

Saypoint, I would counter to say that what you just described as classic and timeless are now considered sooo 2000 by today's trend setters. At least in Fairfield county, ct. where such kitchens and baths are being ripped out faster than we can say DATED, by the younger new buyers and decorators. Classic and timeless are made up concepts. If you like white subway and such, which I do, it is great and should be used and kept but I find the idea that one style and one style only is timeless and classic and will hold unending universal appeal to be the biggest trend there has ever been and it is already dated today at the expense of many not following their hearts in an attempt to never have to redo it for resale.

Roarah and Louise McCarthy, I don't like the tile, but I do like the pulls. Everyone else likes those pulls, too, because I see them often. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with either the tile or the pulls, but I think they are "of a decade" and will be viewed as such. I have no opinion about whether such things should matter to a homeowner. My only comment was that I wouldn't choose either today because I think they are era-specific.

I'm sure that the style of drapery and rods that I've used...pinch pleats on rings...will be considered dated soon. I know my beige walls have been out of style for a decade...no grey in this house.

I am not sure that I would have a negative association like that. That someone who doesn't redecorate has given up on life. Or that someone who lives in a time capsule has neglected their house badly and they probably need a new roof and has ignored important structural things. That hasn't been my personal experience with people who don't redecorate, and that hasn't been my experience with looking at real estate nationally. There is usually a world of difference between a time capsule house and a house that's been neglected and in my opinion the difference starts right at the very beginning. Because a house that's neglected was often never "decorated" to begin with and abused from day one. Whereas a time capsule house was carefully decorated when new and carefully taken care of since. (Very elderly people with no one to help may be an exception).

I grew up in an area where most people did not serial redecorate, and honestly I think it was mostly, among the people who probably could have afforded it, that they had better things to do and they were perfectly content with the way things were, "current" was of minimal importance. I grew up in an essential time capsule (although things were reupholstered as necessary and new art and stuff came and went) and my parents air conditioned when they were in their eighties and my dad had sidewalks redone and a new roof at age ninety. He worked until 79, and my mother had regular volunteer and committee until she was 80 even though she was partially disabled by that point. I don't think the fact that the living room was redecorated in 1987 had anything to do with them "giving up" or being "out of touch".

There was one friend in their circle who was a serial redecorator and if anything they put That in a negative light: They assumed her life was unfulfilling, that she should be volunteering or doing committee work, that she must be awfully bored if all she wanted to do was use the pool and redecorate, and that she should really think of something more constructive to do.

So you can put a negative spin on it either way and I don't think either is accurate across the board.

I do not think everyone views a house as an artistic expression of themselves, like many here , myself included, do. If you think of it as foremost shelter, and I know many very young, happy and active people who do, than having it functioning well and clean is more than adequate for their happiness and I appreciate that attitude a lot.

I also think many people have a consistent style that they do not necessarily tire of even though current styles have moved on. I appreciate all sorts of design genres and keep current in fashion and appreciate new expressions of style greatly but at the same time have no desire to shed my personal things acquired over time. Just as I do not wish to shop in the junior's section at stores I feel no need to keep my house from being undated....

I don't worry about dated. Dated design - it's in the mind. Someone liked or even loved that style, once. Or maybe even now...

Dated appliances, yes. My old range lacked a clock or timer. Dated. When i had it removed and replaced, discovered it was a ticking fire hazard. Definitely dated!

ETA - Design, though? Where's the line between dated, retro, classic? Personal proclivity?

My mom didnt have buckets of $ but to her last days, she would get excited about getting a new knick knack or occasional table or pillow for her house. I hope I am the same to my last days, and not like others whose house looked like time just stopped or museum-like.

bossyvossy, my Mom was the exact same way.

My Grandma was like that..well until she was too sick to..actually, anything..Alzheimer's..but she was so much into all that and never had a big chance because life, you know? that was a really hard century..the last one (not that this one looks like it will be very bright but lets hope) ..and still we always had a really cozy flat..I don't know how she managed..)) She got her first and last chance in remodeling(when we moved from a communal flat to a separate one) when she was..76, 77? She did an amazing job,,and she sure had a blast! I'm happy she had her chance..

But everybody's different. My Mom, she's excited about new things, for sure..but it never was that important. When something really really needs to be changed-well then she changes it. She rarely buys new accessories or art..but then we bring her small gifts from all over the world..me and my brother..She never really decorates or styles..the china stands as I put it there 20 years ago..)) And she's very active..she's 77 and still works, and it's not like she's the healthiest person ever, you know? she constantly reads..she learned 3 languages completely on her own..she's extremely curious, just not about design

It's not the age thing. It's that just people are different

Anglophilia, our previous home-was far from being as great as yours..but it was personal, and did have some antiques and lots of art and hey! even owners inside:) when we came to see it. they were older couple. with an older dog.

We went to the realtor's office right from the house(it was a late evening already)..and she faxed our offer to their agent.

what's the problem, I don't get it?

Some people get so easily bothered nowadays..signs of kids-not good, pets-not good, old ladies-not good..well guess what? you also were a kid(noisy and crying sometimes) and you probably, as much as you're not madly in love with the thought of becoming old, would rather get old than lets say something else?

It's life, you know. You don't want signs of other people's life-buy new construction. If you're not into new construction-stop whining.

Updating need not be redecorating. There is a great deal of ground between decorating once, never changing anything and re-doing the house every time a new trend emerges. For me, a house needs to evolve with its owners. Interests in art and treasures found on travels or treasures made by little hands- or one's own hand. Those types of additions to a house are not trend based at all; yet they keep a house breathing. Furniture, case goods and upholstery should be relatively permanent in my mind- whether the furniture is traditional or modern or a mix of both. Accessories, the inexpensive types, like placemats, utensil crocks, soap dishes, they can bring in the latest trend without compromising the integrity of the house causing one to cringe years later.

I do me. Sometimes me is trendy.

I have a lot of dated things in my house. I have shiny polished brass coffee tables that most would hate. I have a TV stand that I think is from the early eighties that is shiny and vibrant & I bought cheap from CL. I have a sort of curvy champagne-y fake brass & glass dining table cheap from CL. I think that's from the eighties as welI. I could go on but my point is that I think they are sort of so ugly that they are cool. My walls are warm gray and I think are already dated but it's the only color that worked with my burnt toast look granite that came with the house.

" they are sort of so ugly that they are cool"-yes, yes, yes..I know what you're talking about..hard to explain a bit..and no, not everything falls into that category of course, but some things-they really do, somehow

in my opinion, a color can't be dated. it's like to say "this sky is so dated" or "the sand is so dated" or "these leaves are so dated" or "this light is so dated"

we didn't invent the color. we didn't even invent our eyes lol

the combos of colors that people put together-these can become overused and thus feel like dated or tiresome..I presume?

but just a color? that's absurd to me.

Worrying about your stuff becoming dated is like worrying about wrinkles. It's going to happen. You can fix them or let them go natural. I do a little of both. ;)

I used to be concerned about that sort of thing but don't care anymore at 53. Living the rest of my life authentically and with purpose is now more important. I will always want a nice house and garden but I don't expect AD to come critique either.

I do think there are some colors and color combinations that are closely identified with a certain trends. Obviously they can be used in fresh ways. But if you were decorating and bought in to the trendy color and the trendy pattern and the trendy things then I think as a whole it can certainly look dated.

I love the color of this couch but in context with the other items? Nope.

More recently, I think turquoise and brown have run their course even though I like both colors.

d_gw,

Would you have ever really liked that room in totality? I can't remember ever liking rooms like that even when they were on trend. It's about the same era as the beige silk upholstered bedroom I posted and I did appreciate rooms like that then, and still do. But there are a number of qualities about that room that I think make it not a good room now or when it was on trend. Just curious about what others think.

I've said it before but I think some people have no particular personal taste: it's pretty if it's on trend, it's ugly if it's not. Their opinions are dictated by trend. That's okay but they must get tired of keeping up.

I think exactly like you Palimpsest..it's either good or not. Here it's just not good. And was never good.

(I watched "Sopranos" recently..I never did before..well it's amazing good movie-level series that I have a lot to say about just not here..but of course I still couldn't help noticing the curtains..:)I didn't like these combos back then, and don't now. Not because blue and green and pink or whatever they've got there are bad colors..or not even because the combo is bad(take any botanical garden-it's good..))..but probably because they use it in same proportion, same tonality, same darkness..distribute it too evenly I don't know? I'm not educated well enough to explain my thoughts on the matter..but absolutely everything can work-or can fail...it's the question of how you use it..how it correlates to the rest..what quantity is it..etc..

or maybe also..how authentic it is? if you're doing Tuscany-are you sure it's..erm..Tuscany? lo.l French Country-are you sure, have you seen French Country? If you re trying to do Southwestern..is it, or is it some ..template of what you think Southwestern is?

Of course if you imagine this and this should be just such and such without much consideration (again"you" can be "me"..doesn't matter))-you'll hit one note, it will fall flat, and will be dated. But it was the wrong note from the very beginning then..or else it wouldn't fall flat

Pal, I would have never done a room full on trend because until recently I never could have afforded it. But, our first house in the early 90s had pickled cabinets and some Southwest influences. My thought process at the time would have been, well I don't have many choices in my price range, this appears to be popular, it's not offensive, let's go with it.

Which speaks to my comment above where I occasionally fear that I am attracted to the newness and freshness of a trend rather than the trend itself.

And really my post was about colors being trendy. I still think that colors can certainly be associated with decorating trends and can turn as dated as the trend.

And really my post was about colors being trendy. I still think that colors can certainly be associated with decorating trends and can turn as dated as the trend

Right, essentially there is something Additive that makes it dated. X+ color one +color two.

I think though, you could find a 2016-17 room with those exact colors that looks good and maybe wouldn't even make the associate to 1987-1990 Southwestern.

_____

To go back to the tastes dictated by trends I can thing of two of my mother's friends. Both were very exotic looking, one along the lines of Sophia Loren and one along the lines of Liz Taylor (she looked a lot like Liz at her best and at her worst)

Sophia had shoulder length hair from the late 1940s until she died at 88. She always dressed in style but also in her own way. Liz was very trendy but also stylish. But looking at old pictures of them at various social functions usually went something like this

Liz : Gaaaakkk! look at my hair and that outfit, hideous!, but that's what was in style" (Liz in Pucci-esque polyester, gigantic black heavily lacquered beehive with ringlets.) Sophia with her hair pulled up in a chignon wearing something in matte jersey.

Liz: Oh my God! What was I thinking?!...but that was the style. (Liz in a "Lusty Barmaid" type blouse with cleavage down to her ankles and hair teased out past her shoulders. Sophia with her hair pulled back in a band wearling something silk.

Liz: ShrieK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Liz in hotpants and boots with a midi length vest, black ringlets down to her shoulders) Sophia with her hair loose wearing something flattering.

Liz: "How could I go out of the house????" Black mullet to rival Markie Post, Bat wing sleeves and a belt about 9 inches wide. Sophia looking like always.

They were both always in style with Liz almost always looking ridiculous in retrospect and Sophia always looking about the same. You really could only place the time because she got older.

D_gw that room makes me smile. No I never liked that full on look but it made me think of golden girls. I think the room you posted was the result of " a woman of a certain age" ;) trying but failing to be on trend not an example af something that though once held beauty than became dated. It never held beauty!

i grew up in that era and my mother very tastefully used navy and mauve, and coral and seafoam in rooms that I still think of as beautiful.

But I think the Golden Girls is very of it's era but it still looks good. It was never really my style (especially didn't like the kitchen or think it fit the house) but it still looks okay.

I don't worry about my furnishings becoming dated, however, because it was time, I put in new carpet, had almost the whole house repainted and bought all new light fixtures. I can't believe how "fresh" my house is now! I don't think you realize sometimes how grungy your house gets over the years.

Yes tchat, updating is very important and I do like to edit and add things at times too. More maintance at this point for I am feeling my house is complete for this stage of our lives. We have kids rooms that will need changing as they grow but the public areas and the master and guest rooms are good enough to work with just refreshing paint as need be.

I always liked the Newhart inn as a better example of what I saw as a good tv decorating during that era. But the GG's kick butt over rosanne' s set!

I built my house for myself and my family, with what speaks to me. And yes, espresso cabinets spoke to me (oh, the horror). They have since the first time I saw them, and I found myself coming back to the look of dark cabinets and lighter countertops again and again. I love dark, rich colors including brown. So when I was finally able to build my dream house 2 years ago, guess what I chose? Along with granite countertops that might be described by some here as "vomit" haha. And every time I walk into my kitchen, I smile. My friends and family all love it too. It's warm, inviting, and livable, and busy granite countertops hide dirt :) Do I worry about it being dated? No. Will I tire of it someday? Maybe. Am I judged by many on GW as having no style? I'm sure. Unless you have to worry about quick resale, do what you like. Even then, someone's going to come along and want to make it their own anyway. So do what you love, life is too short for anything else.

I don't but then I rarely choose the things that are popular with the masses at any point in time. I get what I like that goes with the architecture/style of my house. I always have a kind of eclectic, collection of things that isn't tied to any particular timeframe. I prefer what for me looks like a warm, inviting home where people live vs an interior design showroom that leaves you wondering if anyone actually uses those rooms.

I'm kind of a real estate junkie and regularly peruse the local listings online. I get that people make things look nice for the photos but some places are so perfect you wonder how anyone could possibly live there. And at times they're perfectly dated in a popular look of days gone by.

I know there are glaring exceptions like the pink kitchen that was never used because for 50 years the original owners used a basement kitchen and family room, but I think the type of people who live in time capsule just tread lightly on their environment even while using it fully. And some people are extremely hard on everything they touch. I had one client who started marking up walls the day the paint was finished and has had two powder room faucets, three kitchen faucets, a new trash pull out, new carpet twice and a final replacement of the carpet with LVT in a little under ten years. She damages every thing she touches.

Most people are in between.

For me it's more I get visually bored after a while. However, moving things around is exhausting when you have as many books and bookcases as we do, so we only seem to do it every 10-15 yrs [smile].

We did a massive change of our MBR suite in 2015, but it needed it since it was a 1989 end-of-the-project-budget disaster. It was a "we can make do with this for a while" cheapo finishing after we originally bought the house in '89 and completely gutted it before moving in. Now it's the nicest room in the house, but it sure was bargain-basement ugly for almost 25 yrs. "Dated" would have been a kindness to apply to it back then!

I would love to update my 1989 kitchen, but that would require a major investment in replacing cabinets, and my countertops from a 2003 update are still in flawless shape. Since the layout is still perfect, the frameless semi-custom cabs would cost 4x what we originally paid, to replace.

Since the cabs are also in great shape, I have absolutely no justification for replacing anything but a dying appliance or two when it happens.

I get bored easily, too, but I was just recently thinking about the fact that our kitchen is 12 years old and I still like it, and have never wanted to change any of the elements (except for the light fixtures, which I changed about a year ago). I think it's because I didn't do "trendy." My backsplash tile is slate, at a time when everyone else around me was doing glass tiles. My cabinets are cream, when everyone else was doing cherry or white-white. I do have granite counters, which was trendy I guess, but they're a color that I've never seen elsewhere.

As we contemplate moving, I'm not sure what I'd do if I had to remodel a kitchen, but I know for sure I would not do gray and white! Every new kitchen I've seen in the last 2-3 years has been some variation of gray and white. I'm so tired of it. It's a pretty look, but enough already.

Usually I buy into trends with small, cheaper items. Not large furniture or whole rooms. For instance, I like the new(ish) matte brass. So I have a couple of lamps now, and a couple tchotchkes. But I stopped there.

I buy what I like and so far even 20 years later I like my choices. There is a exception though, the choices I made due to budget at the time and not "choice" have slowly been replaced by things that are more "lasting" pieces.

Some people seem to be unable to differentiate between "dated" and "not my style"