Skip to content
  • X

Subscribe

Magazine | Newsletters
  • Food & Drink
  • News
  • Culture
  • Style
  • Home
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Things to Do
  • Travel
  • Best of NoVA
  • Best Restaurants
  • Most Influential
  • Top High Schools
  • In This Issue
  • Home
    • Home
  • 5 Design Styles That Will (and Won’t) Stand the Test of Time
open layout of kitchen and family room with area that leads out to sunroom
  • Home

5 Design Styles That Will (and Won’t) Stand the Test of Time

Trendy or traditional? Experts weigh in on the styles to embrace and avoid when upgrading your home.

By Megan Perry March 18, 2025 at 10:48 am

Whether a design is a seasonal trend or will stand the test of time is an important consideration when planning a home renovation project. 

One thing that will never go out of style is a renovation that expands the usefulness of your home, says Michael Sauri, owner and president of TriVistaUSA Design + Build in Arlington. Take, for example, creating a connection between your indoor and outdoor living spaces. “If you can connect the inside of your home to the sunshine of your backyard or to a beautiful little garden, you can never go wrong with that,” he says. 

Creating cohesiveness between the rooms in your home is another solid design choice. 

“A good example of this is if the primary suite can have a bathroom that feels very relaxing and luxurious. That never goes out of style,” Sauri says. “It should feel like a curated, spa-like experience when you enter the bathroom.” 

Smart home features also appear to be on the rise — and that trend is likely here to stay, says Stacey Dobrovolny, principal designer and founder of Two Navy Lane in Culpeper. 

“This can be anything from blinds to light switches, chandeliers, fans, mood lighting, and more,” Dobrovolny says. “It’s been a big feature we’re seeing a lot of people integrating into their home projects.” 

As far as trends to avoid, experts note that it all boils down to how long you plan to stay in your home.  

“If you plan on being in your home for 10 more years, then I say do what you want,” Dobrovolny says. “If not, then still pick something you love, but make sure that it’s something that will appeal to the masses if you’re planning to sell your home.” 

Dobrovolny recommends staying away from an all-gray aesthetic. 

“That trend is definitely leaving,” she adds. “People are going back to brown tones. If you can’t make that leap, maybe meet in the middle and go with a taupe.” 

Whatever trends you decide to follow or avoid, Sauri says to make sure you don’t skimp on insulation for your home project. 

“This is something that people tend to not think or ask about, but you should spend as much as you can on quality insulation,” he adds. “This is what makes warm, comfortable houses in the winter and cool homes in the summer.” 

Feature image courtesy TriVistaUSA Design + Build

This story originally ran in our March issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.

Megan Perry

Megan Perry

Contributing Writer

Megan Perry is a contributing writer for Northern Virginia Magazine with over a decade of experience writing for lifestyle magazines and other various publications. In addition to freelance writing, she has worked as an editor and senior content specialist for DecisionHealth since 2019. Originally from Pennsylvania, she received her journalism degree from Penn State University in 2013.

  • Email

Trending in NoVA

7 Virginia Universities Ranked World Best in 2026-2027 List

These New Virginia Laws Go Into Effect July 1, 2026

Head to One of these Trendy Northern Virginia Listening Bars

14 Longtime Restaurants in Northern Virginia and DC That Closed in 2026

22 Fourth of July Fireworks Shows Set to Light Up the Night Sky in Northern Virginia

things to do newsletter

Our Top Stories In Your Inbox

Our newsletters delivered weekly.

Subscribe

Feeds

RSS Feed Follow in Feedly

You May Also Like

Music room with guitars on wall

A Home Renovation Gave this Vienna House a Modern Look and a New Music Room

After photo, exterior of Alexandria home

Before and After: See How Designers Reimagined This Midcentury-Modern Alexandria Home

The 2027 Best Home Experts Poll Is Now Open

  • X

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Internships
  • Terms of Use

Magazine

  • Magazine
  • Subscription
  • Newsletter
  • Back Issues

Talk to Us

  • Contact Us
  • Submit an Event
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Shopping

  • Subscription
  • Back Issues
  • Plaques
  • Realtor Client Gift Subscriptions

On Newsstands Now

NoVA 250 - July 2026 cover image

Copyright © 2026 Northern Virginia Magazine

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Hey AI.