Brittny Button's timeless design lesson will ensure our homes impress for decades ahead

The question of timelessness has a way of dividing designers – and for a good reason. Predicting exactly what will inspire in years to come is a seemingly impossible task, but some still give it a good attempt, including Brittny Button. 

The California-based designer and co-founder of her studio recently sat down with H&G to share the biggest decorating lesson she's learned throughout her career. And her ideology makes a strong case that some features can, in fact, stand the test of time. 

'I've learned not to do anything too trendy at the moment, for example, following the things you see on Instagram,' she says. One current example, she shares, is not having upper cabinets in our kitchens – primarily because she predicts this minimalist trend will not age with the seasons ahead.

'Interior design trends change all the time, but when I walk into a kitchen, I just want to feel homey and cozy, and I want it to feel like a place where people can cook and store things. I'm starting a renovation soon, and I want it to feel like a tiny Parisian shop with some open and closed shelving and lots of things on display.' 

Kitchen storage like this doesn't necessarily tap into a design trend, but it is inspired by spaces that have already impressed through the ages. It's this belief that Brittny carries into her work. 

'Vintage design books inspire me, and they teach me to stay away from the trends that I don't think are here to stay,' Brittny says. 'I try to create something that will last a long time and look timeless. I also avoid the features I see repeatedly because I want every project to feel unique and special. I'm a nightmare to shop for because I have an ideology: the more unique, the better, and the more different, the better.'

Brittny Button

Brittny is the founder and lead designer of Button Atelier, based in Los Angeles. She is the wife of Formula One World Champion Jenson Button and has had her work featured in design publications internationally.

We can take this teaching into every room of our home, but as Brittny already mentioned, the kitchen is perhaps the most notable – not least because it is one of the most expensive areas to renovate. Therefore, creating an eternally stylish space here is key.

'I designed my kitchen with timelessness in mind. I wanted it to look old in a sense. I have a fireplace with reclaimed stone and a huge workman table that's probably around 200 years old that I use as my breakfast table,' she says. 'I wanted to use things that already had history and stood the test of time.'

Naturally, color is our most important tool in the kitchen (as it is in every space), so what should we use to ensure our kitchen colors excite us for many years ahead?

'Mother Nature is the best designer,' Britnny explains.' You can find any stone or anything with texture, and it will be timeless. Shiny marble is already going out of style because it doesn't look like it's been around for a long time. Instead, opt for something, like Carrera marble, that looks like it has been pulled from the earth or has been around for hundreds of years.'

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