[Advertisement – this is a paid partnership in collaboration with Habitat, but all words and opinions are my own]
What does timeless style mean to you? It’s a question British furniture brand Habitat is posing to coincide with the launch of its ‘Furniture for Life’ campaign, which explores how we can choose and care for long-lasting pieces – and they’re inviting bloggers to share their responses in order to be in with a chance of winning their dream Habitat sofa!
It’s a campaign that’s right up my street, as I’m a firm believer in investing in design that you know you’ll love and use for years to come. No matter whether you have a lot of cash to spend on furnishing your home or just a little, it’s possible to select pieces that will stand the test of time, saving you money in the long run and avoiding unnecessary waste. And for me, there are three essential ingredients to enduring style.
Firstly, the pieces you choose have to be an expression of you – your tastes, your personality, your interests, and the way you live your life. Timeless interiors reflect the people living in them, not fleeting fads that are decided by others. So, if a particular item catches my eye, I try to work out if I really like it, and if I can see myself still liking it in a few years’ time. If so, then great. But if I’m only drawn to it because I’m suddenly seeing it everywhere, or because I think it will make me look on-trend to others, then I normally walk on by.
Secondly, timeless style is about function as much as form. One of the reasons I’m so drawn to Scandinavian design is the fact it’s about much more than aesthetics, and as a result it never goes out of fashion. In fact, many of the most iconic Scandinavian pieces were created back in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, but they’re just as popular and relevant today as they were when they were first launched. The reason? They were designed first and foremost to be used, and they meet practical needs as well as looking beautiful – they don’t sit forgotten in a corner, gathering dust and taking up space. They also tend to be understated, with clean lines and no flashy adornments, meaning they never look dated or passé.
Finally, in order to be truly timeless, style must be able to evolve as your needs change. Long-lasting designs aren’t static – they’re versatile, and they can be adapted to suit a range of different settings and uses. I therefore try to seek out multifunctional pieces that can move from room to room and even home to home – perhaps a sofa or rug that will sit well with all sorts of different colour schemes, or a stool that can also be used as a side table or nightstand. It means that I can easily refresh and update my home to suit my mood and requirements, and that I won’t have to start again from scratch if I relocate or my lifestyle alters.
If you’re a UK- or Ireland-based blogger with a passion for interiors and you want to have a go at winning a Habitat sofa of your choice worth up to £1,500, all you need to do is publish a short blog post about what timeless style means to you and share it on social media. The competition is open to anyone with a blog and closes on 31st August 2019, after which the Habitat team will select and announce the winner. For more entry details and full terms and conditions, visit the dedicated competition webpage. Good luck!
All photography via Habitat
What an interesting competition! I look forward to sharing this with the community
Thanks Juan – and best of luck if you decide to enter!
I think it is also important to think about if a new bigger piece will keep its value, so when you do decide to get rid of it you can resell it and not just throw it out. Love your thoughts and love that rug on the top image.
Yes – so true! We need to move beyond the throwaway culture and look at ways to reuse, sell or adapt anything we no longer need
Lovely piece Abi and a great competition idea. My new flat move has me feeling inspired so I’ve just posted an entry. Fingers crossed 🙂
Good luck – and congratulations on the new flat! I bet it’s going to look amazing.