Trends in decorating come and go and, as with fashion, there are some of us who are way more eager to jump on the latest bandwagon than others. Some of those fashion trends give me nightmares. Did anyone else think that wearing acid-washed jeans and the matching jacket were a little much? And probably should have been outlawed?

Even the word "trend" scares some people because they feel like they have to try it or else they will be left in the Dark Ages. But don't feel pressured to change things constantly because of trends. Luckily in design, most trends are usually around for a short (but good) time, not a long time. Not every trend is meant to last; some things do end up sticking around longer than others, but most of the time new trends come and go in the blink of an eye.

To stay on trend but not redecorate every six months is pretty basic. You need to design a home you love that looks great and works well for your lifestyle, and then make small, gradual changes with some of the right trends, some of the time. Here is what I mean by this:

Often big new trends are discussed in January of the new year; a lot of the time they have to do with the latest and greatest colors, or styles of furniture, patterns, fabrics, etc. But you don't need to buy new furniture or repaint every time a new trend rolls into town. Instead, my advice is that it's a whole lot easier to keep large "investment pieces" for the long term, and small accessories in the short term. You can add in trendy colors and styles in small doses every once in a while. Think about changing small things like pillows, accessories, blankets, lampshades, artwork or even new rugs every so often, but not the big things like sofas and dining room tables.

Trust me, trends in design really do come and go quickly, so it's always best to start small. For example, if there is a hot new color you're dying to try, please give it a little time first. Don't run out and paint your entire house in it. Start with a pillow or a vase, something small you can easily change back or swap out before you make a major change like paint.

You just don't want to be the person that runs out and paints your whole house in that new hot color, only to find a trend didn't quite last. Or, even worse, you paint every room in all new trendy colors, and then you decide you actually can't stand any of those colors after six months.

If you really do love a trendy color or style, just try to live with seeing the trend for awhile before you commit. To help you do this, try cutting out an inspiration picture from a magazine or a catalog of a room in the color or style you love, and if you still are thinking it's right for you after a few months then go for it. And even then when I say go for it, I mean paint one wall or one room, not your whole house.

Something else to consider: With fashion, not every trend will look good on you, so try to think of your house in the same way. Trust me, I'm not even going to get into the fashion fads I've attempted over the years — let's just say the tight perm was not the best look on me. So every person isn't suited for every fashion craze, and not every new trend will suit your home, either. Take the pressure off and don't worry so much about trends but more about what really works for you and your home. And please, let's not ever let perms or acid wash become trendy again!