It's nearing the end of the year and guess what that means?

Time to talk trends. What's in, what's out, etc. Everyone has an opinion.

I've got my post about interior design trends cooking in my drafts for now, it'll be coming out in another week or so. 

As I was going over my list of what I think is going to become more popular and what is about to die, I considered these and feel like they have some staying power. Even though they've been used a lot in the last few years and some people may be tiring of them, I can see these interior design trends still being viable options for design features in future projects.

Here's the deal. When a trend really does work best in some instances, when the idea or product or basic look really answers a problem effectively, when it squarely is the best choice for the job, then you just cannot discount it no matter how "trendy" it may be. 

Here are 4 design trends that we've seen a lot of in the last year, but IMO will no doubt have more longevity because they are simply still a good idea.

(All images below are from my own projects, photographers are either myself, Tori Astonor Miro Dvorscak, unless otherwise noted. Click on the images to go to the original post about that project.)

4 POPULAR INTERIOR DESIGN TRENDS THAT WON'T BE GOING AWAY

1) Shiplap - Oh, stop it. You know you like it. ;-) Just because Joanna Gaines is done with her show doesn't mean #shiplap is out.  There's so much variation you can explore with this look. You can make it more contemporary looking with wide planks, you can paint it a high gloss, you can put an interesting texture on it, you can run it vertically, diagonally, or do some really beautiful natural wood. It's a durable wall finish, it has a historical reference, and Home Depot even has a primed pre-cut version now to make it more cost effective. 

The bunk room above, was designed by Chairma Design Group. See more of my tour of this special new build at this link.

The guest room above was designed for the ASID Showhouse 2017, by Christina Mullen of CM Designs. See what else I saw at the showhouse at this link.

2) Subway tile - Same as above. There are so many variations of subway tile now, that anyone who thinks subway tile is over is just not thinking about it creatively. There are so many sizes available, so many variations with finishes and colors, and so many ways different ways to lay a subway shaped tile.

I'm wanting to do a basketweave pattern now, to create a more boxy look with it. I wrote a whole post about subway tile earlier this year. No, this trend will not be going away.

3) Barn Doors - Yes, I'm a fan. Why? Because I'm a working designer who sees the real benefits in certain places for these doors. 

You can believe me when I say, there are certain situations where barn doors are BETTER than regular doors and not only add some charm and style (and no, they don't have to actually look like they came out of a barn), but are great for their functionality. That's because I'm actually doing remodeling design every day and constantly searching for ways to get more square inches of usable space out of a small room.  ;-)

Sometimes, you don't need to actually close a door tightly with a click and lock. Sometimes you just need the option to cover the opening and there's no place for the door swing to go and, let's face it, pocket doors are a real pain to open and close.

New barn door at laundry room that kept door swing out of that crowded space and provided a nice detail in this hallway. See more about this job at this link.  #interiordesigntrends #2018 #barndoor

In-progress shot of entertainment center with barn doors #interiordesigntrends #2018trends #barndoor

5) Free standing tub - Ummm......YES. I still love these. I propose them in just about ALL my bathroom remodels unless someone just likes sitting on the side of the tub and just wants the deck.

Why? Because they do so much architecturally for a bathroom. They open up the space, they give the bath a luxurious appeal, they add VALUE to a home and look up-to-date, and they turn a big "brick" shape of a design element in a space into a graceful sculpture. :-) 

I realize these are not ideal for seniors or people with physical limitations, however, do you realize that showers are BEST in that situation anyway? Getting up and out of a tub for anyone with limited mobility is not a good thing or a wise every day practice. That's actually sort of inviting an accident unless it is a special tub with a door for entry and exit.

Matter of fact, most people rarely use their tubs, I find. In my practice, I find often that homeowners just don't want to get rid of them because of resale.

Therefore........since we are always looking for a way to add visual square footage, to make a beautiful visual statement, to minimize the footprint of something not really often used in space, a free-standing tub does the trick beautifully.