It is no secret that some interiors age effortlessly, while others feel passé not long after they are completed. But what makes the difference? The answer is rarely a matter of a specific style or look, and more often lies in how a space has been put together, and how time has been allowed to shape it.
‘One of the most important decisions is to build a room gradually rather than buying everything at once,’ says James Thurstan Waterworth. ‘Collecting pieces from different places, periods, and points in your life’ allows interiors to develop ‘depth and character’, with each object contributing to a layered sense of meaning. By contrast, buying everything ‘from the same source, or within the same design moment’ risks creating a space that ‘reflects that particular period and as styles inevitably shift, the room risks feeling dated’.
For James, this has little to do with visual density, and everything to do with personal taste and inclination. ‘A timeless space doesn’t have to be busy or maximalist; it can still be calm or minimal,’ he notes. Designing ‘from instinct rather than from trend forecasting’ leads to rooms that feel more settled over time, because they are not chasing an imagined future aesthetic. He is also vocal about the importance of flexibility. ‘There may be seasons where you crave more colour, pattern, or warmth, and others where you prefer a quieter, more muted palette. Small elements such as textiles, cushions, art, lighting, and decorative antiques can shift easily, allowing the room to evolve without losing its core identity.’
There should also be room for missteps, he argues. ‘The idea of a room remaining “forever perfect” is unrealistic. What matters more is creating a space that can adapt, expand, and continue to feel meaningful as your tastes and lifestyle evolve. Timeless design is not about freezing a room in time, but about allowing it to grow.’
A similar sense of continuity underpins Octavia Dickinson’s approach. She sees traditional detailing as a way of giving interiors clarity and direction from the outset. Cornices and skirtings in rooms, and traditional moulding on joinery provide what she describes as ‘a strong starting point’, making it possible to decorate in many different ways without losing coherence. She often introduces panelling ‘to give it structure and make it feel grounded and traditional’, pointing out that these elements were originally practical rather than decorative. ‘Internal wall panelling originally evolved as a form of insulation before becoming decorative, while dado rails and skirtings have a practical purpose too, protecting walls from furniture and everyday wear. These elements endure because they are functional as well as timeless.’
Wallpaper plays a similar role. Octavia emphasises how they ‘age beautifully’ because ‘they provide a base that can then be embellished in different ways over time.’ Even in smaller details, she favours materials that sit comfortably across periods. ‘I love a brass tap, but I’ve also found myself increasingly drawn to nickel. This warm silver finish is very traditional and ages beautifully in bathrooms. Nickel became popular in the late Victorian era due to its tarnish resistance and soft tone, and I think it can look both very modern and deeply traditional, a perfect finish that rarely feels dated.’
Even within classical interiors, restraint remains essential. Octavia enjoys ‘being creative with paint, playing with combinations of colour on walls, woodwork and ceilings’, but cautions that ‘pushing this too far can quickly date an interior – particularly if it’s used throughout a whole house’. When ‘every skirting, wall and ceiling is a different colour’, she notes, the result can feel ‘contrived and overly fussy’. The same applies to traditional drapery: ‘swags and tails, frills and trims can be wonderful’, but too much can quickly ‘definitely date a room’.
Where Octavia stresses structure as a foundation, Christian Bense approaches depth with a note of caution. For him, architectural detail is a starting point rather than a shortcut. Architectural features can support a scheme, but they cannot carry it on their own. ‘These details can be used to help to create a layered interior, not solve it entirely,’ he says, noting that people often assume that adding more will automatically produce richness. In practice, this approach frequently leads to spaces that feel unsettled rather than resolved. The same logic applies to stylistic mixing, which is often mistaken for complexity. ‘It’s perceived that mixing styles will give a home a more layered look, but in reality this just creates a confusing and messy interior.’
Ultimately, he sees these elements as something that should recede rather than dominate. ‘These architectural details are a background noise, not the headline act,’ he says, cautioning against letting them take precedence over the rest of the room. Depth, in his view, emerges not from accumulation or display, but from hierarchy and an understanding of what should be allowed to speak quietly.
From a dealer’s perspective, Dorian Caffot de Fawes draws a clear distinction between objects that remain convincing over time and those that quickly reveal their moment. Pieces that last, he suggests, are rarely driven by spectacle. Instead, they tend to be conceived with ‘a high understanding of proportion, restraint and quiet elegance rather than fashion and impact’. Materials also play a decisive role. Dorian is sceptical of finishes once celebrated for their modernity. ‘Overly synthetic finishes, high-gloss cellulose lacquers often become yellowish, and lack the patina that one wants from furniture that has matured gracefully,’ he says. Form, too, can age unevenly. ‘Aggressively sculptural or overly literal’ designs tend to feel dated once their novelty fades. What time seems to favour instead are ‘noble and “honest” materials, like good quality wood and timber veneers, stone, bronze, ceramic. These materials don’t compete with the interior,’ he notes, ‘they settle into it, becoming more interesting as they age rather than less.’
William Green comes back to the simplest test of all: whether decoration suits the building it sits within. ‘One way to help a room design feel timeless is to consider the period and architectural style of the house when furnishing,’ he says. ‘You don’t have to be overly strict and match everything to the century or the specific style of the house, but always keep it in mind.’ His examples are pointed. ‘An elegant Regency house may be overpowered by rooms stuffed with heavily carved 17th century oak and walls hung with Flemish tapestries,’ while ‘dainty Regency furniture in a large and early Manor House is going to feel quite weak.’ For William, ‘a room's design and decoration always work best when it compliments the house it's in’. He is equally cautious about altering what cannot easily be undone: ‘Think very carefully when changing the structural interior and the layout knocking down walls and changing the usage of rooms – 90% of the time the house’s original layout is the best.’
