Timeless does not mean predictable.
I love an unexpected design choice, but I'm careful about where I make one.
If you want to experiment with wallpaper, an unusual paint color, a playful tile, or something particularly trend-forward, consider using it somewhere relatively inexpensive and easy to change.
A powder room, laundry room, mudroom, or small secondary space is the perfect place to have a little fun.
Be more thoughtful with the expensive, permanent elements of your home—especially flooring, cabinetry, countertops, kitchens, and major architectural details.
Natural stone, beautiful wood, classic proportions, and quality materials give you a foundation that can support changing tastes for decades.
Take risks with what you can replace. Invest in what you don't want to replace.
4. Be Picky About What Comes Into Your Home
This may be the most important rule.
Don't buy something simply because you need to fill a space.
Wait.
Finding the right piece can take weeks, months, or sometimes even years—and that's okay.
The best homes rarely look as though they were decorated all at once. They feel collected because the pieces inside them were actually collected.
Look for the piece you can't stop thinking about. The antique you weren't looking for. The handmade object that feels slightly imperfect. The chair that's exactly the right shape. The artwork that makes you rearrange an entire wall because you have to find a place for it.
Those are the pieces worth bringing home.
When you become more selective about what enters your home, you naturally buy less—and what you do buy tends to stay much longer.
