This time of year we are overwhelmed with predictions for the New Year. Whether it’s on TV or in the magazines, experts are telling us what we should buy in 2009 to look or be “hip”. Our homes are no different. Most of us want our home decor to reflect current trends and to not look “dated”. However, just as with fashion home decor trends run the risk of being ‘in’ one day and ‘out’ the next. So, what’s a savvy homeowner to do?
As a professional decorator, I have found that the number one thing to keep in mind when decorating your space it to do what makes YOU feel comfortable, happy and functional – no matter what may be the newest fad. That’s why I often ask to see a clients closet or visit a room that they absolutely love – even if it’s in a hotel or out of a magazine. More than likely those are the colors they can live with comfortably for years to come. I’ve seen more people fall for a current color scheme – say the recent trend in pale blue and chocolate brown – and then spend a lot of money furnishing an entire room in that scheme. Though they may not ever wear blue or have any brown in their home they still want what’s “in”. Sadly, after just a few short months many have grown tired of the scheme or find they aren’t as comfortable in the space as they had hoped — they have fallen victim to fads…
Luckily, there are many ways to keep up with the latest trends while still maintaining your personal sense of style – and save you valuable dollars in the long run.
Accessories: An inexpensive way to introduce a trend into your decor is to use accessories while keeping the same pieces of furniture you already have in a room. Another trend we’re seeing is bringing funky, vintage items into otherwise modern rooms. It’s the juxtaposition of old/new that makes it current. Other trends in accessories include silver, mercury glass finials, large glass apothecary jars filled with items that complement your color scheme and groupings of large, white porcelain vases or bowls really add visual impact.
Color: Painting always breathes new life into a space and costs next to nothing. Color trends we see that can be used for years to come include combing raw neutrals like grays and beiges with more organic pops of color, like terra cotta, lavender or green. Another theme recycled over the years is picking two main colors for a room, including the walls, furnishings, and flooring then adding a splash of a third color through the use of accessories, art and florals. Black and white is still a classic scheme for creating drama but we are seeing the addition of a third bright color like turquoise or hot pink to update the scheme. Color experts predict that current economic conditions will attract us to bring shades of yellow into our home as it brings thoughts of joy and happiness to our psyche. For that same reason we are seeing less shades of blue – unless used in combination with yellow.
