Design trends comes and go. It's fun and frustrating at the same time. If you're like me, you feel like you've just gotten used to a new trend when it's out and there's another one you're trying to decide if you like. But there are some trends that are still working even if you may not realize it. They may have taken a back seat to other new, more popular trends, but these are still working. So if you're not liking any of the new design styles and still feel comfortable with some of these--you're in luck! You're house can still be current. ;)

Right now there's a lot of texture-on-texture design. Lots of white and muted tones and not a lot of pattern. But pattern still works! And mixing pattern works too. Mixing patterns can create a space that's interesting and whimsical while having depth. If you're confused about how to do this and have been since the trend became popular, just follow these guidelines. One, keep a common color scheme in the patterns you select. Two, select patterns that are very different in scale. Three, select patterns that are very different in shape. You don't want it to look too matchy-matchy or intentional, but rather feel casual and collected.

The emerging metal for 2016 is brass. It's up-and-coming and you're about to see it a lot. Is this strange to you? ARe you thinking, "when was the last time I saw brass as on-trend"? Brass is one of those metals that's sort of always been around. It's definitely had it waves of popularity but with the distinct popularity of gold, brass, it's slightly more harsh sister, is resurfacing. The thing with brass is it can feel casual while gold will always feel a little more dressy. But it's important to note too that mixing metals is absolutely ok and actually encouraged. So you don't have to commit to one metal--use gold, brass, coper, and silver all in the same space. Trust us, it can be cool!

Finally, don't be afraid of oversized art. It's something that was super popular during an era when people were all about showing off how much money they had. We've come away from those times since the recession and economic difficulties and have moved more toward smaller collections like gallery walls, but large art makes a big impact. It instantly becomes the focal point in the room and keeps things a little more streamlined instead of feeling messy. If a big piece of art with lots of color doesn't seem to fit the room it's going in, select something with more white in the background.

Overall, everything that goes around comes back around. It may have a new twist but you better believe you'll see it again so even if you can't seem to get used to it right now, you'll have plenty of time to accept it. :)

Design Trends | What's Still Working