One of the hallmarks of great design across the centuries is that it never goes out of style. It doesn’t date or appear old-fashioned; it might honour its era, but it remains as relevant today as it has ever been. Where an ultra-contemporary home might seem passé within a few years, great design has a way of transcending time. The question is, how? What’s the difference between design that dates and design that doesn’t?
The most luxurious feature of any home is timelessness, but achieving it isn’t about a specific style, set of colours, material, or brand – it’s about how you design something on a holistic level. It’s neither modern, minimalist, maximalist, nor formulaic. Instead, it’s a fusion of craftsmanship, materials, vision, and the interplay between the thing and its context.
Timelessness across the centuries
To understand the skill that goes into creating a timeless space, we need only look to the world around us. So many who went before have created furniture, buildings, parks, spaces, and clothing that remain as inspiring and treasured today as when it was first envisioned.
“Fashion changes, but style endures”, said Coco Chanel – undisputedly the arbiter of taste – and in many ways that sums it up. Consider the likes of Le Corbusier, whose functional minimalism and reverence for reinforced concrete, steel, and glass were so starkly juxtaposed with the styles that went before him. His work is as unquestionably contemporary and relevant more than 50 years after his passing.
Eero Saarinen is another master of design, whose famous works include The TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport in New York. Constructed in 1962, it continues to be remarkable to this day. As ArchEyes writes: “its wing-like roof, supported by ‘Y’-shaped piers, captures an era of optimism in air travel”.
In stark contrast, the magnetism of Gaudí’s architecture attracts attention from around the world from all generations, a century after his death. Imitating both life and nature in its sometimes strange, always organic, and invariably irregular constructions, it’s proof that timelessness is in no way akin to minimalism.
What the works of all these great names have in common is that they offer not only form and function, but also the ability to translate design in context. The result is not simply a building, a room, or a piece of furniture, but an entity that speaks to its surroundings and purpose. Through design, it becomes less of an object and more of a living language between components, users, and the world in which they exist. That’s why it continues to resonate – whether or not one likes it, one can’t help but revere it.
Bringing timelessness into your home
It’s one thing considering the idea of timelessness in the context of the world’s great architectural feats, but how can that approach be translated into our own homes?
Understanding and purpose
The key lies in the understanding – looking at why you are creating, what you want to achieve, and becoming fully immersed in the process. This depth is what makes specialist designers so valuable. It is about understanding materials and how they evolve over time; it is craftsmanship that respects both the labor and the finished perfection; and it is knowing the right suppliers. These elements are the foundation of a beautiful space.
However, it’s bringing those elements together through the lens of lifestyle, personality, the individual who lives amongst them, and the things that feed their soul, that turn design from a beautiful space into one that has the emotional cloud to remain eternally stylish. That’s not an esoteric idea either – that understanding is made manifest in the functionality of the space – the positioning of items for seamless use, so you can move around, enjoying the most mundane tasks so that they become enjoyable rituals.
The making of an icon
Perhaps one of the best examples from our recent work is a property in the Cambridgeshire countryside. Ultra contemporary in its expression, it’s grounded in its landscape, spanning clean lines, an ergonomic infrastructure, and an integral sense of calm. From the positioning of the dishwasher at waist height for easy daily use, to the dialogue between the trees outside and the burned orange coloured structural pillars within. From the visual lightness courtesy of master craftsmanship to the powerful palette of black oak and bronze metal finishes, this concept is a lesson in balancing restraint with energy for an exquisite outcome, undeniable irrespective of personal taste.
“Timelessness is in the eyes of the viewer, but in the context of the surroundings” says our Design Director, Niko Rasides. He continues: “It’s one of the reasons why AI, no matter how sophisticated it gets, will never supersede the value of an expert designer. Machines can offer technical ideas and mimic existing aesthetics, but you need the human creative eye with all its knowledge and experience to nurture the process and the outcome, ultimately creating something with soul – it’s there that you find the key to timelessness.”
Find out how we can transform your home with design and innovation.
Speak to the team at Nicholas Anthony