Staying En Vogue with Your Home Style
Trends come and go—whether it’s your wardrobe or your home—and they tend to stick around for about ten years before cycling back every 30 years. Think about it: the low-rise, baggy jeans and fit-and-flare silhouettes that defined the 90s (a playful remix of late 60s style) are making their return. Much like hit 90s girl group En Vogue—it’s well, en vogue.
Our homes follow a similar rhythm. Just as fashion embraces cycles, interior design is witnessing a revival of elements like glass bricks, teals, dusty rose accents, colored tiles, and even art deco touches. We’ve even seen borders—the old wallpaper trend—and stencils making a comeback. And before you call your mother to tell her her time has come, remember that these design staples have been around as long as wallpaper itself.
While fresh trends continue to emerge, recent design reports show that the sterile white-on-white or grey-and-white “Apple store” vibe is losing its appeal. Instead, maximalism is stepping into the spotlight with bold terrazzo surfaces, warm walnut finishes, and layered textures that add personality and warmth (BHG.com).
Keep reading this post to “Free Your Mind” from outdated home trends. The design choices that felt fresh a decade ago might not be what today’s buyers are looking for.
So, What’s the Play Here?
If you’re preparing to sell, you might be wondering whether to update your home to reflect current trends or let it stand as is, trusting the next owner to bring their own flair. Today’s buyers are savvy—they have a smorgasbord of options. A few thoughtful, strategic updates—whether it’s modernizing fixtures, refreshing your color palette, or incorporating subtle maximalist accents—can elevate your home’s appeal without erasing its unique character.
At Cool Murphy, we help you navigate that balancing act. We pinpoint upgrades that capture the market’s attention while still preserving the charm that makes your home distinct. Our approach isn’t about chasing every fleeting trend; it’s about choosing enhancements that offer a real return on investment when you decide to move on. Our recommendations vary by neighborhood, home style, and price point because buyers vary by these same factors too!
For example, if you bought during New Orleans’ height of the Italianate shabby chic vibe because that felt so authentically New Orleans to you, be aware it might not resonate with every buyer in every neighborhood today. After all, did the home's original owners 100+ years ago prefer chipped plasterwork and large-format post-Katrina tiles? Probably not. Yet, many who invested in renovations over the past twenty years feel that’s what makes a home feel, well, like home.
Personalize Away—But Know Your Timeline
Not every design choice needs to be made with a future sale in mind. If you plan to settle in your home for another five to ten years—or even longer—then go ahead and personalize your space to reflect your unique style. Your home should be a canvas for your personality, whether that means keeping the “saved by the bell meets MTV’s Total Request” vibe or crafting an entirely new aesthetic.
For those who see their home as a long-term haven, the joy of living in a space that feels authentically yours often outweighs market trends. But if you’re on a shorter timeline, keeping up with the pulse—or having a realtor like us in your corner—can help ensure your home appeals to today’s buyers.
How We Can Help
In New Orleans, every neighborhood tells its own story, and your home is an integral part of that narrative. Whether you’re on the verge of selling or creating your own long-term retreat, making informed, strategic updates can make all the difference.
At Cool Murphy Real Estate, we help tailor choices to resonate with the current motivated and qualified buyer who’s willing to pay top dollar—and we help you weigh whether the investment will pay off. Our expertise ensures you’re making updates that actually move the needle, not just chasing trends for the sake of change.
So, to those folks clinging to industrial chic or blank-slate minimalism, you may ask top dollar, but to quote En Vogue themselves: "No, you're never gonna get it, not this time." But maybe in 25-ish years.
Voted Neighborhood Favorite by Nextdoor, Team Cool Murphy is a top-producing, licensed real estate team based in New Orleans, brokered by Cool Murphy, LLC.
Celebrated for her next-level creative approach to real estate, Elisa Cool Murphy is an award-winning, top-performing real estate broker in New Orleans and the founder of Cool Murphy Real Estate. She specializes in historic homes and consults on new builds and renovations for resale.
Contact Her - email: cool@coolmurphy.com
Facebook: @homeinneworleans
IG: @coolmurphynola
YouTube: @coolmurphynola
phone: 504-321-3194
