10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comHow was your weekend?! Emmett and I spent the majority of ours working outside. It felt fantastic to shift our focus to the exterior of our home for the weekend. Our new roof and the spring weather had us itching to work outside. Aside from that, I’ve really been thinking about what I classify as “timeless” when it comes to decor lately, as I’ve been choosing new goods for our shop. I always try to source things with longevity and quality in mind. Anyway, this led me to a fun blog post idea… design elements and materials that I feel are classic. Obviously context and use is everything, but for the most part, this list of 10 design elements is filled with “safe bets” that I’m convinced we’ll love for years to come, that will never go out of style. Click through to see which items and materials made the cut! 

#1 // Marble

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comFrom tile to tables and countertops to decor, marble is one of those materials that has been popular for centuries and will remain a timeless classic. I’m always gravitating toward all things marble and natural stone. I feel like any color or type is a safe bet- nero, carrara, white marble, etc. It’s a staple I’ll continue to use in our home forever!


#2 // Natural rugs

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comNatural rugs are another great choice if you’re searching for an area rug that will withstand the test of time. Materials like sisal and jute are classic and will certainly pass the longevity test. They’re great for durability, traffic, and are also wonderful for layering alongside vintage rugs (another timeless decor item). Check out this roundup of my favorite neutral area rugs, if you missed it! There are lots of beautiful options.


#3 // Classic Wood Furniture

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comClassic wood furniture with traditional or simplistic lines is another design element I feel has major staying power- especially if you choose a nice medium, rich wood tone (not too light and not too dark). I feel the same way about hardwood floors, as well!


#4 // White Bedding

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comWhite bedding is another functional decor element I heavily rely on in our home- especially guest spaces. Crisp and clean white bedding is always a timeless way to dress a bed, that can easily be layered with texture, color, or pattern to insert personality. It’s the most versatile, timeless option for a bed, in my opinion. I’ll have to share a roundup soon! It has been awhile and many of you have requested bed making tutorials. It’s on the calendar!


#5 // Blue & White Porcelain

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comFrom ginger jars to lamps and tile, blue & white porcelain is a combination and pattern I will always love. A little bit goes a long way to make a design statement, and it’s another piece of decor I’m constantly saving.


#6 // White Dishes

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- white dishes make all food look good! If you are investing in a set or gifting dishes, white is always the way to go. They’re easy to layer, provide a nice timeless look, and are truly the most versatile when it comes to setting a table. You can see all of the white dishes I own in this post!


#7 // Gilded Frames

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comGilded frames are another timeless favorite I had to add to the list. From artwork to mirrors, an ornate gilded frame feels very classic to me. Those are always the ones I’ve ended up keeping over the years! I’ve donated my fair share of modern frames, but the gilded ones I refuse to part with because they work well with any type of art.


#8 // Terracotta

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comI talked about terracotta and shared a roundup of my favorite planters last week, but I truly feel that terracotta is one of those materials (like marble) that feels utterly timeless. From tile to planters, terracotta ages and patinas so beautifully!


#9 // Classic Glassware

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comWhen I’m vintage shopping, I always end up in the glassware aisle. From cocktail glasses and decanters to your everyday water and wine glasses, timeless glassware is a must for me. I’d rather invest in a nice beautiful set early on because I know it will withstand the test of time! Most of my regular glassware is linked in this post, and you can catch a peek at my barware here.


#10 // Vintage Rugs

10 Design Elements That Will Never Go Out of Style - roomfortuesday.comYou all know how I feel about vintage rugs. Ha! I don’t need to profess my love for them for the thirty-seventh time. I think we can all agree that they feel classic. They’re super durable, fade beautifully, and really add character to a home.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! What other items would you add to this list? I feel like I could’ve added a lot more, but for the sake of time and a short blog post, these 10 felt like obvious, amazing options. I hope your week is off to a good start! It’s going to be a busy one over here, but I’m looking forward to it.

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7 Comments

  1. Classic. Timeless. I have to say that these are not words I use to guide my home purchases. I try to avoid trendy, contemporary and just plain tacky…which is obviously just another way to say classic and timeless.🤣 I noticed that four of your ten are natural materials (marble, wood, sisal, terra cotta). Since the materials have been in use for centuries, our continued attraction to them makes sense. I like the idea that a piece’s form can be fresh (your ruffled marble bowls), but the substance from which it’s crafted creates timeless appeal. As for white sheets and dishes, I know you are right, but my wacky heart just craves color and pattern. I just can’t make timeless decisions in those instances! When you mention vintage rugs, do you include all styles (braided, hooked) or just Persian and Turkish? Oh, blue and white porcelain! What is the magic? Thirty years ago (gulp) when I was setting up my first home, I dreamed of beautiful blue willow dishes. I didn’t get them right away, but I still love and use them today! Timeless, indeed.
    Here’s to a wonderfully busy week! 💜
    PS Your roff looks amazing! They finished so fast!

    1. I don’t believe you! Haha! You have impeccable taste and I think many of the decor & furniture items I’ve seen in your house feels timeless to me! I also like your point that materials can be updated and interpreted differently over time (like the marble bowls). That’s an excellent point as to how classic things can evolve, and still remain classic. You know I fully embrace your love for color :) I think many styles of vintage rugs are timeless (braided jute, berber, etc), but I primarily think of Persian and Turkish when I think “vintage rugs”. I loved reading about your blue willow dishes! They sound incredible. There definitely is something mesmerizing about blue & white. Here’s to a great week ahead! I am really excited about our roof- thank you! Emmett called me this afternoon and said we had a leftover palette of tile, so they’re going to put the leftovers on our shed. Is it weird that I’m more excited for that? Haha! Hope your Monday was an excellent one. xo

  2. I would definitely agree with this list! Is there a better combination than marble and natural wood?? Lately I’ve been hoarding all the marble decor, and dreaming up areas of our home to add a touch here, a dash there…marble is just so…classy! White dishes are a must for me. I looked for so long at so many different colors and patterns, to replace my old dishes, and never could commit to a set. After owning a white set of dishes for over ten years, I was ready to invest in a set that would be better quality, last a lot longer, and look timeless. My mom questioned my choice at first, but has since retracted her hesitation. The set I landed on is stunning, simple, and will look beautiful alongside any decor. Jute is one of my favorite type of rugs; I’m itching to have a large scale jute somewhere in our home eventually, which lends itself to a gorgeous vintage layered on top-I mean…who can resist?? I will say I’m still about 25% resistant to white bedding. I’m quite surprised that my white sheets are doing so well. I envisioned a disastrous mess having white sheets and kids, but so far it’s not the horror show I imagined. I can’t bring myself to pull the trigger on a solid white duvet cover, *yet*, but I know if I had a guest space white bedding would be a must. Blue and white porcelain gives me all the feels, all the time-I have yet to add any pieces to our home, but one day I know I’ll come across a piece I just can’t live without. Your list sums it up perfectly- and I’m quite surprised that most of these timeless pieces can be found in my home. I had a perception that there wasn’t much in our house that would be considered timeless or traditional- I’m pretty happy that I’ve made a lot of these decisions. Maybe I’ll trust my gut a bit more when I’m out shopping or searching for something specific. The roof looks incredible, and I’m sure you’re happy that it will be one less thing to worry about for years to come. I spent yesterday at a local nursery- highly impressed with the selection and quality of plants-not so much with their Terra cotta selections. However, I’m no closer to coming up with a landscape plan for our front elevation than I was before I went. 😐🥴 This house is such a conundrum in so many areas…here’s to hoping I can come up with something soon. Our yard needs it! Have a wonderful Monday Sarah!

    1. Nothing can beat marble and natural wood! I’ve been on the hunt for a marble pedestal and am not having great luck. I’m trying to be patient over here. White dishes are essential at our house, and you’re right- so much easier to commit… and I really do feel like they make all food look good. I feel like white can be more forgiving than other colors (surprisingly) when it comes to bedding and upholstery. I say this as our downstairs sofa is covered in muddy paw prints. Ha! I need to wash it. You have amazing taste! I’m not at all surprised that many of these can be found in your home :) Thanks for your kind words about the roof. I am SO pleased with it and I just found out this afternoon that we have enough overage tiles to do our shed! YAY!! I immediately thought of you and your terracotta shed roof vision. Ha! I’m sending you all the good landscaping vibes. You’ve got this! Hope you had a great Monday. xo

      1. Ohhh I already know what that’s for!😍😍Sending you all the vibes for finding one! I’m excited you have enough tiles for the shed-I was going to ask about that when you posted the shed in stories. Yay!!! I’m going to need miracle vibes over here. I’m almost to the point of trying to go through shrubhub or something similar to get a plan, because I *thought* I had a good plan…turns out not so much. Womp womp womp. I’m so bummed I can’t even bring myself to think about it anymore. Hopefully the sunshine will inspire me this week.

  3. Longevity and quality elements for a home have been on my mind a lot lately. Enjoyed reading through your list. Marble, wood furniture, white dishes and vintage rugs are my favorite.
    You have beautiful marble pieces in your shop and it takes me sitting on my hands to not purchase them all! Oh, vintage rugs get me excited to plan out a room.
    When my husband & I got married, I found a set of dishes that were green and burgundy (I am dating myself here) and loved them but would only pull out during the holidays. Then I nannied for my dermatologist who had all white dishes. I went to Williams Sonoma and over time bought our set of white dishes that we use every day and have loved them more. Never tire of white dishes. Also, Williams Sonoma still has our dishes after 20 years!
    Never thought about glassware until now or terra-cotta as being timeless. I enjoy the designs of them both. Hope you have a great Monday! I am finally back to my regular routines and reading your posts. I have missed your blog and friends on here!

    1. I love hearing that, Danna! I figured you’ve had all things home on the brain lately and have been super busy :) Not surprising that your favorites are also my favorites. I love all of those things! I also love the story about your dishes! I really enjoy colors during the holiday season as well, but nothing can replace our classic white dishes. Good to know about Williams Sonoma and their quality. Ours are from Crate & Barrel and are over 10 years old now. Welcome back- we missed you, too :) Hope your week is off to an amazing start! xo