old country house blog

IS CHEVRON DEAD?

chevron wool rug pottery barn kids
chevron wool rug pottery barn kids
POTTERY BARN TEEN CHEVRON RUG - NOW ON SALE!
POTTERY BARN TEEN CHEVRON RUG – NOW ON SALE!

 

 

THIS PAST WEEK...House Beautiful Magazine..on their Facebook page asked:

“What decorating trend do you think will be SO over in 2014? “

The Top 3 contenders were:

1.CHEVRON,

2. “KEEP CALM” (and other “words on walls”)

and 3. STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES.

All things I have in my house. Am I worried? Not really. But it DOES fascinate me…TRENDS.

What is a TREND?

Dictionary.com says: ” the general course or prevailing tendency; drift: trends in the teaching of foreign languages; the trend of events.

WIKI.ANSWERS.COM says – “A trend is like something that’s in. Something that everybody is doing/wearing. 
Its fairly popular. Like a certain shoes, brand of clothing etc. 

It seems to me that even the TERM “TREND” has evolved to define, well basically……..

Popular….

pb teen chevron sheet set
pb teen chevron sheet set

I am not so much concerned with what is TRENDY as much as what I LIKE. BUT, My answer to the House Beautiful Question was “Chevron”. No, not because I don’t like my Chevron sofa anymore…or because I have burned out on what I used to call “zig zag”…but because it seems that like ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD…we tire of things …especially things we see ALOT of…be it a fabric, a food, a TV show, a style of clothing,  even sometimes …a person…we begin to see faults…and we get bored. Then annoyed. This is human nature. And I believe it is this one little trait is what FUELS the world of stufF!

 

BUSTED!!! KEEP CALM AND DO YOUR OWN THING!
BUSTED!!! KEEP CALM AND DO YOUR OWN THING!

I think that we might EVEN burn ourselves out on Cupcakes and that makes me very sad, because I LOVE cupcakes.

YUM FORM A BITCHIN KITCHEN
YUMMY TRENDY CUPCAKE FROM “A BITCHIN KITCHEN”

It is what we do. It fascinates me.

Do you know who Maria Killam is? She has the blog Colour Me Happy and is ” is an internationally sought after colour expert, design blogger, author, trainer, decorator and stylist.” and she is my Mentor …in my mind…she has no idea. She is a color GENIUS and DIVA, and has developed a method of communicating how color works that enables you to “get it right every time” . I love her blog and I read her posts voraciously. They are smart, thought- provoking posts. One of her recent posts which I have read over and over again had to do with TRENDS. I won’t try to paraphrase the article, you should read it, but she spoke about what is involved in a color becoming popular or “trendy”. There were things I had never thought about, like that a fabric designer has to have a crystal ball to almost predict what will resonate with people…but not too soon, because it is extremely expensive to launch a new color  in anything…floors, cabinets, fabric, clothing, cars…anything. So by the time you can walk by any store and see a color…for example, like now, aqua is pretty much everywhere…it has taken years and millions of dollars to make this happen. And because of this monstrous investment…color trends last about 10 years.

THE PREDICTED POPULAR COLOR FOR 2014 - DAZZLING BLUE BETTER WATCH ITS BACK!!!
THE PREDICTED POPULAR COLOR FOR 2014 – DAZZLING BLUE BETTER WATCH ITS BACK!!!

So if it is expensive and risky and time consuming to launch a color…imagine the investment launching a PATTERN…like Chevron or a material…like stainless. I found it interesting that there were  a number of folks who posted “what is Chevron”? on the FB page, after seeing the Chevron so dissed… It made me wonder…who is tired of Chevron?…everyone? or just those whose jobs or hobbies or passion it is to be on the pulse of what is happening in design.

30" Uptown Bar Stool - Grey & White Chevron
30″ Uptown Bar Stool – Grey & White Chevron

The same goes for Stainless Steel. Which God forbid better not go south because I just put in a brand new kitchen. When I STARTED my kitchen… I actually started with White..yep I got a white dishwasher…The white looked so bad against my NEW creamy painted cabinet doors that it looked like the only possible way I chose it was because it was free. So does this mean that white kitchens must go????…to make way for something new in the kitchen…It gives me a bit of a headache trying to figure it out…so I will just wait and see.

my stainless dinosaur?
my stainless dinosaur?

The last thing i will say about TRENDS is the same thing I tell my kids when they want this or that hottest thing…sometimes…it is just plain fun to have what everyone else has…but it should NEVER be the make or break it ingredient to your happiness…it is all just stuff. So if you want and can afford to surf the trends…go for it. Me, I stick to what I like, what is easy to keep clean and …what looks pretty even when it is messy…and of course…what makes me smile.

Like my pink cabinet.

BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN "CREAMY WHITE" WAS STILL "SPRING IN ASPEN"
I see CHEVRON!!!!

What trends do you think are getting tired?

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More on MY personal list on Monday!!!

32 thoughts on “IS CHEVRON DEAD?

  1. The fake animal heads, the Swedish/plus sign/cross thing?, kilim, southwest stuff would be big contenders to go out! I tend to avoid chevron because it got so trendy so fast…but I still love it. As far as stainless steel appliances people still love them! I always prefer the white vintage appliance look. Use what you love!

    1. I will never get yired of turquoise and brown with splashes of salmon .green gold. I like black glass appliances. I would love it if tourquiose appliances vane back. I have never really liked stainkess.too hard to keep clean..I never go with the trend unless I nust plain like it.I never even heard about Chevron I just called it zigzag. My husband days it really got started in military strpes earned.

  2. Back in the day, one of the things I learned about myself as a young bride and first-time homeowner was never to commit to pattern if it’s something more or less permanent…like wallpaper or a large upholstered piece {like a sofa}. I tend to tire of big doses of pattern within about a year. Thankfully for me – and my marriage – my husband is exceedingly patient…and handy.

    The first time we painted the interior of our first home, I burst into tears when we finished. I HATED the color. HATED. My sweet hubby bought new paint the following day and repainted. Everything…living room, dining room, hallways.

    We wallpapered our dining room and in less than a year I hated that, too. So, hubby re-papered. And a year later I was sick of that. {We moved so he didn’t have to re-paper again.}

    I learned that for me – not for anyone else – that I’m happiest with antique-white painted walls, simple muslin curtains with ball fringe on every window, solid color major upholstered pieces {like sofas}, and wood floors. This is my canvas to which I joyfully add pattern…lovely hooked rugs, needlepoint pillows, books, etc. If I tire of a rug or pillow, it’s much easier to change than repainting, re-papering, or reupholstering!

    One thing for sure, I’ve NEVER been one to follow trends. I like what I like, whether or not it’s considered stylish. Love your chevron, your “Keep Calm”, and your stainless appliances, Leslie! Loving your own home NEVER goes out of style!

  3. Interesting question! I declared chevron dead early this year but then I gravitated toward it again mid year and bought chevron crib sheets for my daughter’s nursery. Weird, right? It’s like I caught the second wave! I do think it will fall out of favor soon. I still like the animal heads, though. I just think it’s so cheeky. I think gold tones, anything lacquered, acrilyic, mid-century mod will all be robust in 2014 even though they are key players now. Basically anything reminiscint of Jonathan Adler. Oh and I love Greek Key and I’m so glad it’s not nearly as ubiquitous as chevron. It seems to be just under the radar where I want it to stay!

  4. For me it is these patterns: camouflage, chevron and ikat. Also -color dipped legs on furniture, animal heads, gold and brass tones, feather accents, glossy/ lacquered surfaces and anything approaching the neon color spectrum.

  5. I can’t see stainless steel ever going out of style, that just sounds weird to me! I didn’t realize it was a trend anyway. I think chevron will go out soon, I prefer herringbone myself which is similar. I don’t even mind chevron, I just think it screams “PINTEREST!” at me. Like a chevron accent wall would make me feel like I spend too much time on Pinterest haha.

  6. I don’t like stainless steel. To me, it’s a pain to keep clean – too many fingerprints, dents, etc. I agree with Jenna – use what you love and the heck with the rest of it…

    1. Wanna know how out-of-style I am? When we purchased our old farmhouse in 1997, the first room we gutted and renovated was the kitchen. I LOVE my kitchen…including the almond appliances we installed back in ’97! The antique-white-ish color suits the mellow age of the house and all the original chestnut woodwork. I don’t know what I’ll ever do if the appliances need replacing and I can’t find almond!

      http://www.pinterest.com/pin/49891508341720296/

    2. We just got a smudge proof stainless steel dishwasher, and I must say- it really is smudge proof! I have a 17 month old who is all over it, and no fingerprints!

  7. So very interesting!! Stainless Steel a trend? I think it’s more of a design mainstay. I don’t think stainless will ever go out of style.

    I think patterns in general cycle in and cycle out. Remember toile? It was hot hot hot and now not so much, but it is always a classic touch in certain design styles.

    I still have a touch of chevron in my house and right now, I’m totally love quatrefoil pattern in my rugs. I’m sure I’ll get bored with it at some point and move on to something new! It’s just the way it is!

  8. Great article! It’s like you read my mind…I was shopping yesterday and was literally thinking “Chevron is everywhere so it must be out of style…or is it?” If you live in the Midwest, everything is out of style everywhere else by the time it reaches us. But who cares? I love Chevron – my eye is always drawn to it, in blankets, rugs, dishes, whatever. I agree it might be a good idea to use it in ways that can easily be replaced when you tire of it, like in pillows vs. wall paper. I also believe you should go with what you love, and the heck with everyone else. As for some of the other “outs” like stainless, I think designers and retailers tell us what’s out and what’s in so we’ll go out and buy all new items every few years. At least I’m telling myself that, since I just bought a stainless fridge 3 months ago to complete our stainless collection in the kitchen. 🙂

  9. I saw that Facebook thread and reading the comments made me crazy AND feel like everyone is just really CRABBY. You could find someone who hated every “trend” and they were so negative. I am all for like what you like and use it in your house.

    But as a blogger and lover of decorating/decor/DIY I do get tired of seeing the same things on blogs and Pinterest. I also realize I might be over exposed. So I love this “who is tired of Chevron?…everyone? or just those whose jobs or hobbies or passion it is to be on the pulse of what is happening in design.”

    I have floor to ceiling chevron curtains in my two story family room and I still love em!

  10. I have had all white appliances for 15 yrs. My fridge was finally on its way out so we bought a new one. I was going to get another white one b/c it would have been cheaper. Long story short, the white one was just not meant to be. Instead, I have the same fridge that I picked out, but in stainless. I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO WHITE! The Stainless is so much easier to keep clean than the white. Finger prints & smudges really don’t bother me compared to the dirt, grease, etc stains that would get on the white & be next to impossible to get rid of. I also had a white range…don’t even get me started on how difficult that was to clean. I’m so happy w/ my stainless

  11. This is a great post. Even though a style is trending, I think I just like what I like. Some trends I like, and some I don’t. Of course everyone gets tired of things after a while.. I still like my chevron pillows and will probably keep them around even if they fall “out of style.” Just because I still like them. 🙂

  12. I agree with everyone that we should please ourselves and who cares if it is trendy or not – we all know that trends come and go and certainly what goes around comes around. We are the ones that live in our homes so as long as it is our haven that is what matters most. Many that decide the next trends are in the business to sell these ideas to us – the consumer. Your home is beautiful – period.

  13. What an awesome post, I’m sharing this next! thanks for the mention.

    ps. Until they come up with something more neutral than Stainless, it’s not a trend in my opinion. What would be the option? Bronze? NOT. White? CHEAP LOOKING? Where are we now? At the end of the options.

    1. Remember when electric appliances first hit the market? The ONLY available color was white. I have coveted a vintage 1940’s stove for my kitchen forever. I like {new} white appliances with a retro vibe simply because it reminds me of my grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen!

  14. I read this as a link from Maria Killam. I haven’t like “Chevron” because it reminds me of “zigzag” which I never liked years ago (reminds me of what my mom decorated with), and stainless is too industrial and cold to me. While white appliances are also cold in their own way, at least you can easily keep them clean versus stainless and pretty much any wall color, fabric or dish color goes with them. Since all trends are just that, trends, they will die, but if we LOVE something, then it’s not a trend for us personally. It’s something we feel energized having and love having in our home. So if I happen to match a trend fine; if not, I’m fine too because I love what I love and have what I love in my home. I love this statement you made: “Me, I stick to what I like, what is easy to keep clean and …what looks pretty even when it is messy…and of course…what makes me smile.” This sums up the way to decorate….thanks for the article.

  15. A lot of the FB comments and ideas about trends are silly. Of course in blogland and pinterest these popular themes pop up time and time again. But in real life…how many people do you know with large doses of chevron in their homes? Probably barely any. And stainless steel is a neutral! If you don’t like it great. But don’t call it trendy unless you also consider white walls trendy. On this topic I recently read some designers saying starburst mirrors were out. Well they’ve been around since the French Revolution so is it safe to say they’re a classic that is having a “burst” of popularity?

    1. Tara, Love your comment. I often wonder is there some central data base who is in charge of what is in and what is out? It is all so silly. Like someone said…chevron is a pattern, like plaid…it has been around alot longer than facebook and pinterest…and US!

      1. I believe someone mentioned this earlier, but perhaps it’s worth repeating. The main reason there are “trends” and things go “in” and “out” of style is strictly a matter of making money. If trends and styles never changed, they’d never sell or make a profit!

        The other reason is simply because we humans tire of things and need change from time to time, and many of us love to feather our nests!

  16. Something can always be redeemed if it is done well. Chevron could totally be out but if it is the right design element in the right place, it will look fantastic.

    I AGONIZED over putting in wood cabinets in my newly remodeled kitchen rather than white but as much as I love white kitchens, it just didn’t feel like the right answer to the space. That is when knowing what trends are can bite you. You want to stay on top of the trend rather than doing what works best in a space. Which in my case was wood cabinets and white appliances. On paper, it sounds dated but when you see it, you know that was what worked best in the space.

  17. I am also over chevron. It has been overused to a fault. I think granite countertops will end up being the be the “Harvest Gold”, “Avacado Green” appliances colors of years past. Especially Venetian Gold and Ubba Tuba..

  18. Years ago when I was picking wallpaper for my living room, my mother said to stop worrying and pick what you like. She added “it’s not the last time you will pick out a paper.” We’ll, I love my mom, but actually that was the last wallpaper and then all the paper came down. So did my tassels and cabbage roses. I have two items I love and that is my chinoiserie drapes i refuse to get rid of and wallpaper. I’m tired of barrel shades stainless steel will probably stay. I think it has now become part of a given in the industry vs. trend. There was a time when stoves were fired by coal and the ice man comets. Some things just change. I also think ikat is great and would prefer it to stay.

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