Trends

Home Design Trends: Stripes

Stripes are a classic pattern and decorating trend that never go out of style.  Their bold look has a wide appeal and can be used just about anywhere in the home from walls, to floors to furniture.  Horizontal stripes help to unify a space by moving your eye around the room, while vertical stripes give the illusion of height and lend to a more traditional look.  As far as width goes, use thin stripes in small spaces and wider stripes in bigger rooms.  Here are some striped pieces that could work for your home:

Photo: Dwell Studio

Photo: Missoni Throw

Photo: Pinterest

Home Design Trends: Polka Dots

Polka dots are great because they’ll blend into a modern or traditional setting, so any homeowner can experiment. A neutral color scheme with just a pop of color is a smart way to keep your decor sophisticated, but don’t be afraid to incorporate non-traditional colors when adding this trend to your home. Just remember that this is one of those trends where less is definitely more. You can’t go wrong with classic choices like black, white, or metallic ensure that your dot motif will remain chic for years to come. Here are some items we’re loving that make good use of this playful trend:

Photo: John Derian

Photo: Fishs Eddy

Photo: Bartsch Paris

Home Design Trends: Emerald Green

Each year Pantone polls designers and brands about colors they’re featuring to aid in its decision for what hue will tinge the next 12 months. For 2013, the company has bestowed the honor of “Color of the Year” upon Emerald Green.

“Green is the most abundant hue in nature- the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said in a press release. “It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity- no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.” Eiseman said that emerald is easily applicable to fashion and to interior design and we’re excited to see more of this beautiful color!

 

Home Design Trends: Velvet

There’s no denying that velvet is luxurious and beautiful, and this season it has home decor designers under its spell. You’ll find velvet fabric being used in chairs, pillows, drapes and more. Because it can be a bit showy, be careful to only add touches of it throughout your entire home. More than one or two velvet pieces in a room can begin to look overdone.

Home Design Trends: Designs for the Digital Age

Furniture designers are finding many creative ways to adapt to new forms of technology and the common household uses of devices like the iPhone and iPad.  The traditional alarm clock of yesterday has become irrelevant and there’s always a need for another USB charging station.  Welcome to the modern home!

JonasDamon.com

Rich Neeley Designs via Etsy.com

cb2.com

Home Design Trends: Argyle

An argyle pattern is made of overlapping diamond shapes, and comes in any color combination you can dream of. It dates all the way back to 17th Century Scotland where it was commonly used for kilts and socks. Today, though we still love a good argyle sock, the diamond design is popping up in everything from light fixtures to landscaping. We love the sense of three-dimensionality, movement and texture it lends to any space.

Photo: Houzz

Photo: West Elm

Photo: Houzz

Folding Glass Walls

Looking to commercial designs of residential developments for new trends and ideas that are happening is always a good indicator of the next big thing in home design. We talked about outdoor living rooms in our last blog, and another aspect that we’ve been seeing like crazy are folding glass walls.

Often called Nano Doors (which is actually a popular brand who manufactures them) they are doors that can either be slid into a pocket wall, or into an accordion. At first glance the walls look like floor to ceiling glass windows, but each panel is actually attached to a hidden overhead track that allows the panels to easily slide open. A pocket wall will allow them to disappear from view once opened, resulting in a very cool effect. There are endless colors and finishes to work with including wood and aluminum, making them a great fit for a modern or traditional home just the same!

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Pinterest 

Photo: Pinterest

Home Decor Trends: Paisley

Paisley is showing up in surprising guises, from fashion runways to home accessories. The pattern represents movement, energy and variety which reflects the emerging mood which is bolder and ready for action! If you’re looking to punch up your decor without doing a total overhaul, adding a few paisley accent pieces will make your home look absolutely modern without leaving you absolutely broke.

Photo: DesignSponge.com  

Photo: CostPlus.com 

Photo: Marye-Kelley.com