Timeless Design

Article Curated by: Anna Newell from White Pine Local.
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In the late 2000s, I was on a team designing an elementary school. We planned big patterns and bold colors all over the place. Random squares and rectangles in reds and blues and yellows, oh my! Schools don’t get a lot of chances to renovate so these poor children are most likely living in this crazy design of ours and wondering what we were thinking.

After this project, I continued to spend much of my career designing educational spaces. Many of them had big patterns and bold colors as well. In 2017 I was hired to be on staff at a university overseeing furniture specifications, guiding outside architects and designers on renovation projects and working on smaller renovation projects with an in-house team. What I learned in the short time I was there, flipped my design thinking on end. And for the better.

There were spaces on campus I visited that hadn’t been updated in decades. There was orange wall covering, multiple repairs and patches of tile in shades of cream through hallways, and the forest greens and teals that were so big in the 80s and 90s. 

And then there were spaces that had been there for over 100 years. They were stately, collegiate with limestone and wood, slate tile, intricate patterning…beautiful! 

There was one space in particular that I toured. It had wood wainscots, limestone accents, terrazzo floors, patterned metalwork in the handrails, coffered ceilings, and clean-lined furniture. I assumed this space had been around for a long time. I shocked to find out I was wrong. It was a recent renovation, less than 5 years old.

What I learned in my time at this university was that timeless design won. Every single time. Timeless design not only outlasted the trends of orange and green and teal, it made a statement to all students, faculty, alumni and visitors: Wherever you go on campus, you know you’re here. You’re at a university 200 years in the making. You are a part of history. A part of this elite group of people.

What is timeless design? 

Timeless design is using materials and patterning to create interiors that stand the test of time. It’s about enhancing the user’s experience and using your client’s resources thoughtfully. Timeless design is sustainable design. Timeless design is about using the building and branding to guide your interior decisions. 

I’d like to walk you through four ways to shift your thinking when designing a timeless interior. 

First, start with the exterior. What style is it? What materials were used? How can you garner color, material, and pattern palettes from the exterior? Is there anything that could be repeated or part of a conversation with the interior? 

This is applicable for new buildings and renovations. Using materials like limestone, brick, and metal on interior surfaces – carefully thought out – can last the building’s lifetime, even through future renovations. I have a project to convert a bank into an office building for a local business. This bank has beautiful rectangular limestone panels in the entry way and behind the tellers. Our design will reuse these panels in a new way at the reception desk and entry. Not only will this create and sustain the language of the building, we’re keeping that limestone from the landfill. 

Second, these materials can start to pull an elegant and timeless color palette together. Limestones bring out warm and cool neutral tones. Brick bringd out luscious browns and reds. Metal on the exterior is typically dark gray, bronze, or black. These colors can set a foundation for the entire interior material palette.

The next layer of color is where branding comes in. What colors are a part of the institution? What colors are in their logos and marketing materials? Some larger companies and institutions have brand guidelines with primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Using brand colors in creative ways can subtly enhance the overall brand. This doesn’t need to be expensive either. Paint can go a long way. Carefully placed laminate, accented upholstery, or a ceiling texture can enhance brand colors.

The third way to design for a timeless interior is to specify materials that will last a long time. Flooring like terrazzo, porcelain tile, and natural stone (kept up well) can last decades. Wall finishes like limestone, brick, and wood (again, well kept), will bring elegance and texture to a space for a long time. 

But not all budgets can allow for terrazzo and wood. If you need to work with lower-cost finishes, select the most durable you can for the project’s budget. When using LVT, look for tough finishes and/or heavy wear layers. When specifying carpet, look for patterns that can hide stains and spills well. Heavier ounce weights and solution-dyed yarns will wear well over time. When looking at porcelain tiles, choose color-body or through-body for flooring. 

Fourth and finally, get creative with patterning. Bring in rich texture through patterning. Herringbone, basketweave, running bond, the list goes on. Patterning can be shown through mosaic tile, wood, carpet tile, LVT. Thread in some brand colors and you’re on your way to a timeless experience. 

Look at the exterior again. Are there any patterns you can replicate or expand on? Was the building built in a style and period that had a significant pattern? Look for mullion patterns, HVAC registers, exterior datum lines, and roof lines for inspiration. 

Timeless design shouldn’t make you feel boxed in. Find the inspiration and you’ll be able to dig deep into your designer mind to provide your client with an amazing, unique space. You’ll use their resources thoughtfully while providing a sustainable design. You’ll enhance users’ experience with your client’s brand and help them attract more business.

And bonus, a young designer 20 years from now won’t cringe when they walk into your space. If all goes well, they might even be inspired.

Article Curated by: Anna Newell from White Pine Local.
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

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