Designing a home that still feels right years from now often comes down to a few thoughtful choices. Interior designer Brian Gluckstein frequently returns to three tips to design a home that stands the test of time. These guiding ideas are practical, approachable, and easy to adapt to any style. Here’s how to bring them into your own home.
1. Make Comfort the Starting Point
A well-designed home feels good to live in. Comfort sets the tone for how you spend time in each room and how naturally you move through your space. Think about the pieces you rely on most — a supportive chair where you read, a sofa that encourages you to unwind, or a dining chair you can sit in for hours without noticing the time.
Lighting plays a big role here, too. Instead of depending on a single overhead fixture, try introducing softer layers of light. A table lamp near the sofa, a floor lamp that fills darker corners, or sconces that offer a gentle evening glow can shift the atmosphere of a room immediately. These small adjustments help create spaces where you instinctively want to settle in.
2. Reflect Your Own Style
A home feels most timeless when it reflects the person living in it. Trends can be tempting, but your personal style is a much more reliable guide. One helpful cue often comes from your wardrobe. If you gravitate toward colour, consider where richer tones or playful accents could energize a room. If you prefer a calm, neutral palette, lean into that serenity through subtle layers of texture and tone.
Pay attention to what you reach for again and again — a material you love, a piece of art with meaning, or a fabric that makes a room feel grounded. These consistent preferences say far more about your style than any trend cycle. Ultimately, a home that mirrors your tastes will stay relevant far longer than one shaped by outside pressure.
3. Embrace a Mix for a More Collected Look
Spaces feel richer and more layered when they’re made up of pieces from different eras, styles, and materials. Rather than choosing everything from one aesthetic, try blending silhouettes and finishes to create a look with depth. A streamlined sofa beside a classic accent chair. A contemporary light fixture above a traditional table. Natural textures paired with smooth, modern lines.
This mix introduces contrast, which naturally adds interest. It also gives your home room to evolve. As you find new pieces over time, they fit more easily into a space that’s already built on variety rather than uniformity. The result is a home that feels lived-in, thoughtful, and uniquely yours.
Designing a home you’ll love for years doesn’t require a complete overhaul. These guiding ideas — prioritizing comfort, reflecting your personal style, and embracing a mix — can shape how each room feels and functions. They’re also among the tips to design a home that Brian Gluckstein returns to often in his work, and they’re just as helpful for anyone making thoughtful updates over time. When you choose what feels right for you, your home naturally becomes a place you’ll love for years.
Photography by Stacey Brandford
