WHEN PLANNING YOUR first home, the last thing you want to do is fill it with interiors trends that will look outdated in a year or two. Apart from anything else, that’s not a scenario most of us can afford.

But it is possible to plan a beautiful interior that will stay relevant and look classic for years. Eily Roe of Eily Roe Interiors gives us her top tips for keeping your interior design on point beyond a flash in the pan.

From timeless white kitchens to open shelving, these are the elements you’ll want to include in your first home design in order to avoid trends that will date your home.

Stick with a white kitchen

Speaking from experience, Roe lauds the long-lasting beauty of a white kitchen. “When choosing a kitchen, white is absolutely timeless and can be updated so easily,” she says. “We actually have a white kitchen that’s 16 years old, and we’re getting new handles to freshen it up a bit.”

You don’t have to purchase the most expensive option in order to ensure yours lasts that long – and updating them will take only a swap of drawer pulls and cabinet handles.

Use natural materials in small amounts

While you don’t want to panel your whole home in wood, using natural materials in small amounts is another interiors decision for the long term.

“Even with a white kitchen, the inclusion of natural materials like a small amount of timber or bamboo, they date very well over a period of time,” says Roe.

Don’t go overboard, though. “Not a huge amount – even a solid timber countertop can date quite easily. You’ll be tired of it and looking for something else.” Timber shelves can work well, and coffee or side tables in timber or bamboo will be a solid choice as well.

Shutterstock / New Africa Shutterstock / New Africa / New Africa

Open shelves work anywhere

If you have collections or even decorative items that need a bit of a lift, Roe suggests using open shelving, “Open shelves are absolutely timeless anywhere, kitchen, bedroom, living room.”

When your space needs a lift, those shelves can help. “What you can do is change what’s on the shelves, you can update your collections, even in a very simple white kitchen,” says Roe. “You can really change the colours from season to season and year to year with very little cost to update things.”

Spend more on lighting

Finally, you’ll want to spend a bit more on lighting in order to ensure those choices last. Good quality lighting is expensive, and on top of that you’ll need an electrician to install the fittings.

“Never follow trends in lighting, they just change quickly and it’s really expensive,” says Roe. But the budget for lighting will be money well spent. “It’s important that light fixtures are fit for purpose, that they fill the space in the right way and fulfil the task they’re supposed to do. The right thing in the right place will last forever.”

These timeless styles should help your interior design last far beyond the first year in your new home.

At Glenveagh Homes, our vision is that everyone should have the opportunity to access great-value, high-quality homes in flourishing communities across Ireland. We understand that buying a home is possibly the biggest decision you will ever make in your life – but we want to make it your easiest. Click here to find out more about Glenveagh developments.