Design Trends To Keep And Skip, According To HGTV Star Alison Victoria

According to Alison Victoria (and most other seasoned design professionals), not all trends are created equal. With hit HGTV shows such as "Windy City Rehab," "Rock The Block," and "Battle on the Beach," it's clear that Victoria is a bona fide design expert. If you're seeking advice on what trends to try in your own home, following the HGTV host's lead is a safe bet. While she is known for staying true to her unique style, she's also not afraid to try out certain trends, provided they'll stand the test of time. Some interior design trends are inherently fleeting, but others have a little more longevity, and this experienced designer knows how to pick the two apart.

From contemporary colors to modern floor plans, there are many ways to make your home feel more updated. Victoria is careful about trying any trends that will go out of style as quickly as they arrive. There are various ways home design pros make modern décor trends timeless, and with these tips, you can strike the perfect balance between creating a space that is both current and long-lasting. Continue reading to curate an interior that feels fresh while still ensuring that your choices won't look out of place or blatantly dated. 

A great way to ensure a trend won't immediately feel dated is to mix the contemporary concept with some traditional elements. Victoria is a fan of this transitional aesthetic, as is evident in her interview with Cabinets To Go, where she showcased how raised panel kitchen cabinet doors can pair beautifully with sleeker modern pulls, saying, "I've done this in my own kitchen and I absolutely love it." 

So how do you deploy this strategy in your own home? In the interest of longevity, the goal should be to choose a design that looks natural in your space. If you're not a fan of Victoria's cabinet color choice of dark gray, consider a warmer variation like Driftwood by Benjamin Moore, or take inspiration from this list of HGTV star-approved kitchen cabinet colors. Once you have your shade, find a balance between contemporary and traditional. If you choose another classic color, such as white or navy, pair those cabinets with more modern knobs — or perhaps contrast the cabinets with a more contemporary backsplash, such as one with graphic geometrics, like hexagons or herringbone. On the other hand, if you choose a trendier cabinet color like forest green, pair it with a more traditional backsplash, such as marble or white subway tile.

Want to make an open-concept floor plan look more streamlined? Alison Victoria supports this trend of concealing your kitchen. She told Realtor.com, "One trend that I would say I am really leaning into is that our kitchens, of course, they're the hub of our homes, but they're becoming such a part of our living space that we don't need them to look like kitchens. You'll see a lot of that in the design, where it's like the kitchen could actually be the living room. Your appliances aren't there on display, but instead they're in the background." If you want to get on board with this look, there are several ways to conceal kitchen features in a stylish and understated way.

You can keep small kitchen appliances organized and hidden with garage door cabinets, and opt to install panel-ready appliances when it's time to replace larger ones. You may need to make some modifications to your cabinetry for this, and you will probably need a professional to install them, but most models should fit the dimensions of standard cabinetry. For example, an integrated refrigerator is usually slightly less than counter depth to allow room for exterior panels to be applied. The goal is to make your appliances disappear behind panels that match your cabinet doors. One of the reasons why panel-ready appliances might be a good option for your kitchen is that they'll save you the hassle of trying to match the model's finish with the rest of your space. Another way to make your kitchen blend into your living space is by purchasing an island or sideboard with integrated elements like trash cans, such as the DWVO Double Trash Can Kitchen Island from Amazon.

Certain design trends can add character and personality to your home, and this one undoubtedly falls into that category. Design fanatics have been taking to social media to share their disdain for ripping out historic elements and ruining vintage features. It's no longer popular to redo and rip out every inch of your old home, and Alison Victoria applies this outlook in her projects. The HGTV host explained to People, "When I walk in the homes, most of the history has been stripped out. For me, it feels like it's my job to put it back in."

Although the restoration process may be taxing, the ROI for well-preserved historic homes is consistently high. A few historic pieces to preserve include your fireplace, original molding, any exposed beams or woodwork, and flooring. Rather than painting over brick, wood, or other original materials, consider refurbishing the existing finishes. If you need help deciding which historic elements to prioritize, check out our survey on which vintage home features people love most.

To take things a step further, mixing in a few antiques and thrifted treasures can help create a conversation between your home's architecture and décor. This is a favorite strategy of Victoria's, who shared that she loves "taking these really historic pieces from wherever I find them, breathing new life into them and then, in turn, breathing new life into the spaces and creating a new history for the pieces." Of course, shopping vintage isn't as simple as heading to a big box store, and certain pieces might require quite a bit of TLC. But once you master some of the secrets to successfully buying antique furniture for your home, you're sure to pick up unique, storied pieces that add serious style to your space. 

Rather than perceiving green as an accent color, it's increasingly popular to use a wash of green in place of a standard neutral shade. Alison Victoria backs this trend — especially in your cooking space. The HGTV host told BlueStar Cooking, "Your kitchen should be timeless and should still look great 10 or 20 years from now." And she thinks green is a shade that has some lasting power. "Green is essentially a new neutral that pairs well with wood tones, crisp or creamy whites, or bolder tones like deep blues, creating an optimistic, fresh space." Unlike trending yellow or pink cabinets, you won't be wishing you could swap out your green cupboards after a few years.

If you're searching for a trendy shade of green to use for your kitchen cabinets, there are several understated options to choose from. Sage green is a perennially safe choice due to its subtle, earthy nature. Consider the best-selling shade Saybrook Sage by Benjamin Moore for a soothing pick. For a hue that is even closer to a traditional neutral, Jojoba by Behr is one of their top six most popular greens. If you've chosen your shade and you're ready to transform your space, these are the easiest ways to paint kitchen cabinets, according to experts.

There are various trendy kitchen appliances that, while alluring, can cost an arm and a leg. For example, the retro Smeg refrigerators might be temptingly on-trend, but it's important not to break the bank and get swept up in the hype. Other examples include bronze or gold-toned refrigerators and colorful appliances. HGTV's Alison Victoria told Pro Builder during an interview that you shouldn't play with trends if they involve making a large investment or installing a very permanent fixture. She explains how changing major elements in the kitchen can be pricey but offers little payoff in the long run, saying, "I hate the word 'trend' because I feel like it's not timeless. Your kitchen is such a hardscape." Fortunately, there are other avenues to upgrade your kitchen for a fraction of the cost than shelling out for an appliance or finish that will be expensive and disruptive to upgrade once it dates. 

As an alternative, you can try experimenting with trends in less pricey ways, like swapping out hardware. A trendy, geometric option in a mixed metallic finish like the Amerdeco 10 Pack Brushed Satin Nickel and Gold Cabinet Pulls from Amazon could give some serious personality to your space, while being easy to switch out should you tire of the look. And if you're desperate to play with patterns in your space, try experimenting with impermanent options first. For instance, a peel-and-stick backsplash in a trendy pattern, like the Vamos Peel and Stick Tile, can provide a fun update and allow you to live with the look before committing. 

Black exteriors have been an ultra-prevalent design trend. Although she is a consistent fan of using black in décor, Alison Victoria surprisingly votes against the popular black exterior paint trend during Season 2, Episode 11 of "Windy City Rehab", and gives a lot of thought to how the cedar stain on her selection will fade over time saying (per Realtor.com), "I don't want the siding to be a harsh black. I want it to look weathered." Even if you do want a saturated black exterior, Victoria says that a dark black stained siding selection will inevitably turn grey. As an alternative, she recommends adding black accents through elements like window frames.

If you love the dark look but (like Victoria) feel black will appear too harsh, you can use other deep hues that give a similar but slightly less intense effect. For example, if you're repainting, try a charcoal gray like Hopper Head from Farrow & Ball or a dark brown like Espresso Beans by Behr. Paint won't fade as fast as stained siding, so color change is less of a concern when repainting. Following Victoria's advice, you can also choose to paint only your window frames or the trim itself. For even more visual impact, here's an easy tip: Using a high-sheen finish on your trim can emphasize the visual depth and architectural elements of your exterior.