Decorating is a patient pursuit, and according to the latest Houzz Decorating Trends Survey, most homeowners feel they have barely crossed the midway point in realizing their full design vision. The survey polled more than 1,700 Houzz users across the United States and Canada who are either planning a change to their space or presently engaged in decorating projects.

Acknowledging that their homes are a work in progress, 66% of homeowners revealed that they had recently decorated the same room they are currently tackling. In fact, 21% are redecorating just two years later, and 45% after five years.

“For most, decorating a home is an ongoing effort,” said Liza Hausman, VP of Community for Houzz. “People like to invest in things that last, but continue to update their decor as they discover new items they love, and that add to the comfort and enjoyment of the home by their family. Working with an interior designer or other professional can help people enjoy their homes more, creating spaces that are not only beautiful, but also specifically suited to their lifestyle.”

The survey first asked if and how homeowners are hiring interior designers for their projects. 12% chose to turn to the Internet for help, 23% looked to interior designers to help them create a design plan, 32% hired a designer for a few hours of consultation and 33% hired them for the entire project.

Personal taste (84%) and comfort (75%) are the biggest drivers of decorating decisions. Just 15% of homeowners say incorporating the latest trends is a priority, though trendiness was surprisingly cited by a greater percentage of men, with one quarter saying trends impact their decorating decisions. Whether by choice or by necessity, men are more likely to be influenced by their significant other’s taste than women (43% versus 20%, respectively).

Younger homeowners are more likely to make bold decor choices like adorning their walls with wallpaper, a choice that is most popular among those under 35 years old (17%), and least popular among the 65 and older crowd at just 3%.

The under 35 crowd are also 50% more likely to decorate with color schemes characterized as “bright and colorful,” compared to those surveyed who are older. The bold choices of younger homeowners carry into upholstery and bedding fabrics as well; while homeowners of all ages are choosing classic patterns like solids (64%), stripes (25%) and florals (22%), homeowners under 45 are two and a half times more likely to use chevron patterns than those 45 and older (15% versus 6%, respectively).

Additional findings from the survey include the following:

•    Three in five homeowners are including seating in their master bedroom (60%). Nearly one in 10 are taking bedroom nesting a step further by adding a fireplace or a mini fridge.

•    Nearly half of homeowners are using their dining room daily (45%) and another 26% are using it weekly. Rectangular dining tables (62%) with dark wood (38%) or glass (25%) and seating for six are most popular.

•    In addition to the usual popular living spaces, televisions are showing up in 16% of dining rooms. Homeowners are just as likely to include a TV in their kids’ room as a reading nook (both 35%).

•    Accent walls remain popular throughout the house, but are most likely to appear in the home office (57%), kid’s room (55%) or master bedroom (52%). Urban dwellers are more likely to have accent walls (54%) than homeowners in suburban (42%) and rural (41%) neighborhoods.