When starting with a blank canvass for your home design, it’s easy to focus too much on the trends of today. But this can sometimes distract from the fact that you will be living in your new home for many years and it needs to last without becoming dated.

You may wonder why it’s worth your builder, architect or building designer staying on top of trends if the trends don’t last but it’s a vital part of the ongoing professional development of the experts you’ll be working with. Knowing what’s out there and being able to “read” the trends in home design, allows your builder to offer you the best advice on the choices you make.

Trends can be fleeting, or enduring, and it’s important to understand the difference. Here’s where your building expert is best place to work with what you are loving today, but temper it with what will still be valid in the years to come.

When it comes to incorporating the latest trends into your home design, the best way forward is to choose a handful of design elements – these may be materials, textures, colours or accessories – you love and allow these to become statement pieces. For example, you may love a certain colour of brick, or render, so pair it with a neutral roof to balance the end result.

It’s never a good idea to rely too heavily on what’s trendy today – use trends to inform your decisions rather than be the overriding guiding force behind the design. Always do your research and use the expertise of your builder to guide your choices. But think long and hard about whether you’ll still love your choices in five or ten years. Your builder is best placed to advise on which trends are likely to stick around and which could be gone just as quickly.

As always, the best place to start is with a consultation with your builder or building professional. It’ their job to stay on top of building and home design trends so they will be in the best place to take your ideas and translate them into a home you and your family will love.

At Natura, we have a range of building design professionals who can advise on all aspects of the home including the latest products and materials. We specialising in building environmentally-sustainable homes that utilise both building design and the latest technology to create a comfortable, eco-friendly home. So, why not give us a call today and let us discuss your ideas over coffee?