So, what are the new hottest trends in design? Our last buying trip to Las Vegas in August showcased some beautiful new surprises. Elements of nature are definitely popular themes in everything from the recycled and sustainable wood used for furniture, the botanical patterns incorporated into accessories, fabrics and rugs, and the rich, natural woodsy colors infusing all of the above. The general idea is to bring a touch of nature into your home with clean, crisp and clear visual lines.
Area rugs are an easy way to incorporate some of the new natural elements. The biggest change that you will see in this
arena are the over-scaled, bold floral patterns in bright colors, with a contemporary lean. One of my favorite rugs that I saw had a dark cocoa background with a large floral and leaf motif in autumn colors of reds, oranges and greens. What struck me about this particular rug was that I could visualize it in a very contemporary home because of its' design, but I could also just as easily picture it in a California-Tuscan style home because of its' colors. Things that have true “transitional” characteristics will tend to be more easily adaptable in an existing setting than those that are leaning to one style or another. If the thought of a large floral pattern is not your cup of tea, then consider a luxurious textured rug. There are many to choose from, so there will be something that suits every color palette and design preference to bring in that twist of nature.
Speaking of color, this season the Panetone Color Institute (a.k.a. “The Color Gods”) suggests using “natural outdoor based shades-think browns, mushroom, foliage greens and greenish yellows. Also popular are ethereal blues, concrete grays, dusty grapes, pale yellows and earthy reds.” One of my personal favorites for the main core of the house is actually from the older Frazee deck “Crisp Khaki.” It continues to be a strong, basic neutral color, and it allows for the trendier accent colors to blend with it in fabrics, art and accessories. Paint smaller rooms (bedrooms, Family Room and even the Living Room) the trendier shades. With any color, invest in samples of a few options and paint several coats on a piece of poster board and walk with them around your rooms at different times of day. This is a very cost effective test to see how the small paint swatch translates to large wall. I go out on many paint consultations and am aware of how frightened people can be of paint, but it can make such a huge impact on your home and is a great way to bring on a welcome change.
As for accessories, we noticed that warm toned silver-patinas were shown along with the Old World golds, in everything from picture frames to bookends to lighting. Bird motifs were prevalent in many items, and indeed, are popular purchases from our clients. Even finishes on furniture are taking a subtle cue from nature. We saw many pieces that had a rougher, almost rustically worn look to them with straighter, sleeker lines. These had a light washed-over look that can best be described as looking like they have been in the family for years, not Shabby Chic, and definitely not Southwest. A popular recurring style involved a soft burlap-looking material mixed with classic French framing and the whitish finish. Manufacturers are aware that consumers want to be eco-friendly, in fact, there was a “Green” presence in most all of the showrooms, and many are boasting of their sustainable materials, it's up to us to support that. With those thoughts in mind, “Happy Designing!”
Area rugs are an easy way to incorporate some of the new natural elements. The biggest change that you will see in this
arena are the over-scaled, bold floral patterns in bright colors, with a contemporary lean. One of my favorite rugs that I saw had a dark cocoa background with a large floral and leaf motif in autumn colors of reds, oranges and greens. What struck me about this particular rug was that I could visualize it in a very contemporary home because of its' design, but I could also just as easily picture it in a California-Tuscan style home because of its' colors. Things that have true “transitional” characteristics will tend to be more easily adaptable in an existing setting than those that are leaning to one style or another. If the thought of a large floral pattern is not your cup of tea, then consider a luxurious textured rug. There are many to choose from, so there will be something that suits every color palette and design preference to bring in that twist of nature.Speaking of color, this season the Panetone Color Institute (a.k.a. “The Color Gods”) suggests using “natural outdoor based shades-think browns, mushroom, foliage greens and greenish yellows. Also popular are ethereal blues, concrete grays, dusty grapes, pale yellows and earthy reds.” One of my personal favorites for the main core of the house is actually from the older Frazee deck “Crisp Khaki.” It continues to be a strong, basic neutral color, and it allows for the trendier accent colors to blend with it in fabrics, art and accessories. Paint smaller rooms (bedrooms, Family Room and even the Living Room) the trendier shades. With any color, invest in samples of a few options and paint several coats on a piece of poster board and walk with them around your rooms at different times of day. This is a very cost effective test to see how the small paint swatch translates to large wall. I go out on many paint consultations and am aware of how frightened people can be of paint, but it can make such a huge impact on your home and is a great way to bring on a welcome change.
As for accessories, we noticed that warm toned silver-patinas were shown along with the Old World golds, in everything from picture frames to bookends to lighting. Bird motifs were prevalent in many items, and indeed, are popular purchases from our clients. Even finishes on furniture are taking a subtle cue from nature. We saw many pieces that had a rougher, almost rustically worn look to them with straighter, sleeker lines. These had a light washed-over look that can best be described as looking like they have been in the family for years, not Shabby Chic, and definitely not Southwest. A popular recurring style involved a soft burlap-looking material mixed with classic French framing and the whitish finish. Manufacturers are aware that consumers want to be eco-friendly, in fact, there was a “Green” presence in most all of the showrooms, and many are boasting of their sustainable materials, it's up to us to support that. With those thoughts in mind, “Happy Designing!”
