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Want to make sure your new home doesn't feel dated in a few years? Then you need a good interior designer.

One great thing about a new home is that you get to create a space perfectly tailored to your needs. Once that's done, however, your satisfaction with the space will depend largely on what you've put into it. Ensuring this satisfaction is the value provided by your interior designer.

Think of the interior designer as an artist and your home as the canvas. This professional will collaborate closely with you to create the perfect composition based on your style, taste and vision.

An experienced designer will also help you make good decisions, thanks to wisdom born of a perspective that extends over time. Having seen the ebb and flow of trends and fads, the designer will help guide you toward choices you will still like a decade from now. 

An essential part of the designer's wisdom is the ability to predict which current trends will stand the test of time, and which will prove fleeting. Let’s look at a few examples.

It has been trendy in some markets to make the kitchen island a different color than the main cabinets. But color tastes change every few years, and properly refinishing an island is difficult. A good designer can help you think through other ways to get the look you want.

Or take surface materials. Floor tile with bright, flowered patterns may be all the rage but chances are you will tire of it over time. Your interior designer can help you choose a more lasting tile pattern. If you still want that splash of color, you can incorporate accents (such as upholstery, window coverings or wall stencils) that can be easily changed later. This strategy gets you the colors and patterns you want, but without the long-term commitment.

Other trends take established styles and add embellishments that can become quickly outdated. A good example of this is farmhouse style, which is characterized by vintage accessories, neutral colors, and shiplap walls. Although the style continues to be popular in rural areas, in other regions it's waning in favor of more color and modern touches such as mid-century-inspired light fixtures and bold wallpapers. 

At Tim O’Brien Homes, we understand that although this part of the home building process can be the most exciting, it can also be quite challenging. That’s why we have a team of Design Specialists that will work with you to create the interior design that you’ll love. We also offer in-house Design Studios, giving you a convenient one-stop-shop to make your selections.