Want to give your home an up-to-the-minute, contemporary feel that will still appeal to buyer when you come to sell? We show you how…

The expression, ‘stuck in a time-warp’ can, sadly, be applied all too often to interiors. Of course, it’s far too expensive, wasteful and disruptive to redecorate and replace furniture and fittings every few seasons. A well-built bed or dining table will easily last 15 years or longer, and in these environmentally-aware times, disposing of a perfectly satisfactory piece of furniture simply because it has gone out of fashion is fast becoming less than acceptable.

So, how can you keep your home looking fresh and up-to-date without wasting resources or spending a fortune? And how can you spot the pieces that will still maintain their appeal after 10 or even 20 years?

When it comes to large investment buys, like furniture, flooring, beds, bathroom fittings or a new kitchen, look for versatility and classic style with a contemporary flavour. Then you can vamp things up to your heart’s content with less expensive fashion touches that can be replaced with the next new look. Sales time can be dangerous – it’s easy to be seduced by big reductions and end up with something that is already going out of fashion. Remember, items are put in sales because no one wanted to buy them in the first place! Here are some tips for dressing the key rooms in your home.

Living room longevity
Living room furniture and carpets put up with a great deal of wear and tear, so it is worth investing in well-made items that can take the strain. You can expect around 15 years’ life from a good quality sofa or carpet, so it’s important to spend your money on something you won’t tire of in a couple of seasons. Remember, too, that you may well want to redecorate after five to 10 years, so furniture and flooring needs the flexibility to fit into a future colour scheme.

Sofas and chairs are big-outlay items. Upholstery is ever-popular, but beware of specific print designs that fix your furniture firmly in a particular era. Neutrals and plains create an adaptable backdrop for fashion accessories. Use these, rather than the furniture itself, to introduce the colour or pattern of the moment for as long as it lasts. Leather is another stable choice – so long as you steer away from garish colours and stick to the classic good looks of black, brown or cream.

The traditional three-piece suite has now largely been superseded by modular furniture and more eclectic mixtures of old and new.

For shape and style, the watchword is simplicity. It is fussy detailing like fringing, wooden trims, over-styled legs and contrasting piped seams that will age your furniture before its time.

Carpet is the flooring of choice for most living rooms. As with all investment purchases, look for longevity both in composition and appearance. Remember the infamous ‘shag-pile’, then the epitome of 70s chic? A plain carpet, in an easy-to-live-with shade, can be perked up in the same manner as other aspects of your room. Use patterned and coloured rugs, floor-standing lamps and vases, occasional tables and plants. These are all items that can be updated quickly and cheaply when the mood takes you.

Beautiful bedrooms
Bedrooms are all about relaxation. Colours should be gentle on the eye, textures soft and lighting soothing. The bed forms the focus of this room, and a new one can cost anything from less than £100 to several thousand pounds.

Designs range from the simplest and most contemporary low-level wooden or upholstered models to traditional Victorian bedsteads, country-style pine numbers and classics like the ‘bateau lit’ or French sleigh bed.

Unless you are refurnishing the entire room, pick a bed that blends with existing furniture. A very modern style might appeal, but it won’t work without the wardrobes, lighting, accessories and décor to complement it.

Dress up your bed. Revive a tired-looking wooden bed by stripping and waxing, or giving it a lick of paint. A floaty muslin mosquito net, bought very inexpensively, adds softness and instant glamour to any room.

Fresh linen works wonders for a stale-feeling bedroom. Duvet covers, blankets, throws and cushions are far simpler and cheaper to replace than the bed itself. Plain covers with embroidery, lace, tucking and stitching detail make easy-to-accessorise choices. Ring the changes with seasonal fashion touches like colourful checked blankets or heaps of satin and beaded cushions.

Ginghams and clean stripes are other possibilities, but unless you are going wholeheartedly for a pared-down contemporary look, choose prints with care. Florals and geometric patterns can appear fussy and out-of-date.

Change your headboard and you change the entire look of your bed. A stylish leather headboard or decorative period-style brass one will vastly extend the appeal of a basic bedstead. Upholstered headboards are popular for the comfort factor, but approach with caution – unless the cover is loose and washable it may show wear and become stained over time.

And there’s always the danger that your fashionable patterned fabric will eventually lose its edge and leave the room looking a little dated.

Choose freestanding furniture in keeping with the style of the bed. The so-called ‘fitted bedroom’, with matching built-in wardrobes, dressing table and overhead storage, might maximise space but is a look that has had its day and could now devalue your property.

Wooden pieces in an appropriate style make worthwhile replacements. Wood is always in vogue and can suit all budgets.

Steer clear of anything with an old fashioned plastic or Melamine-type finish, which can look cheap.

Bathrooms to last
An attractive bathroom feels clean and comfortable, and one that isn’t up to scratch is unpleasant and dispiriting to use. Spotlessness is the number one priority, and a thorough clean will go a long way to improve an aged suite – but dripping taps, stained baths and tatty carpeting are all big no-nos.

A bathroom suite can be replaced without huge expenditure and a fresh, new look will enhance the feel of your property.

A white suite is impossible to date, while a coloured one immediately tells everyone that it is least 20 years old. Throw it out and replace with white for its clean, timeless look.

Brass fittings are a little passé, so go for chrome instead. Style-wise, look for classic shapes for both suite and taps.

Current trends include bowl-shaped basins in porcelain, rubber, wood, stainless steel and glass, all of which have bags of style but possibly a limited
shelf-life. Avoid a corner bath, as these have already had their heyday and are now on the way out.

Bathroom flooring should be easy-clean and water-resistant. Carpet has generally fallen out of favour, and a hard floor such as tiling, wood or vinyl is expected. Stone effects and plain or classic designs like checkerboard will give you long service.

Avoid obvious design trends such as photographic floor tiles featuring water, stones or flowers. Although practical and eye-catching, they’re unlikely to retain their quirky appeal over time. The same applies to ‘novelty’ plastic loo-seats with fish or bubbles, to name just some of the bizarre designs around!

Add a shower, if possible, when you replace a bathroom suite. Showers are now so much a part of everyday living that a bathroom feels incomplete without one.

Likewise, heated towel radiators have taken over from traditional bathroom radiators. Installing one is straightforward and they can be bought for well under £200. They come in all manner of exciting and eccentric shapes and colours, but play it safe and choose something that you’ll enjoy long-term.

Clever kitchens
A kitchen refit is a costly exercise, particularly if you are starting from scratch.

Glossy, ultra-modern furniture, quirkily-shaped islands or breakfast bars and massive ‘statement’ appliances, all in fabulous, vibrant colours look amazing, but there’s a fair chance they could seem wearisome and dated well before the sheen wears off.

Most kitchen units and worktops are permanent fixtures and an off-beat colour, style or material may not appeal to a potential buyer and changing it could just be too expensive. The same goes for sinks, taps and many appliances.

Minimise the risk. If a wooden or painted kitchen is simply not to your taste, use a contemporary finish such as a high shine composite, but opt for white or a smart, neutral tone such as beige or charcoal grey.

Satisfy your yen for flamboyant colour in tiling and on walls that can more readily be changed when you tire of your choice.

Get the look you want by adding semi-permanent details like unusual lighting, trendy door handles, stylish bar stools and a funky kettle or weighing scales.

Indulge your personal taste with a pillar box red range cooker or pastel blue fridge, on the basis that if you move, it goes with you.

The chances are, such an appliance will set you back much more than a standard model ­– so be as certain as possible that you love it before you commit.

Avoid unconventional or ‘of-the-moment’ fashions including attention-grabbing glass worktops, odd-shaped wooden or stone sinks and large, flexible-spout taps that are more at home in a hotel kitchen. These items look fantastic, but they will date in a way that elegantly-formed granite or wooden work surfaces, a classic butler’s sink or an understated modern tap design will not.

Photos: Shutterstock & B&Q