Are decor trends important?

I am interested in following the latest  trends in interior design.   I need to know these things to have relevant discussions with clients and to understand where the industry is headed.  Many  trends come and go without ever hitting the average home.



Colour of the year is a good example of a temporary trend.  Depending on which paint company your like, you will have a different colour of the year!   I use Benjamin Moore paint and this year the colour of the year is ....

 Lemon Sorbet 2019-60

This is an interesting fact to know, but I doubt this time next year it will make much difference  because there will be a new colour of the year.

 Then there are broader colour trends that seem to last for much longer, e.g., the change from beige/brown to grays as the predominant neutral in home decor.  This type of information  is  more important to be aware of because it produces whole palette shifts in home accessories including textiles. The  change to grays has moved palettes from warmer and earthy  to cooler and cleaner colours.

 Rather than the burnt orange/rust  of the brown/beige  era

 source 

 you will now find  a more true orange mixed with grays.

 Rather than olive/mossy greens of the brown era...

  you will find fresh apple greens.

You can have such wonderful pops of colour with grays and this is reflected in the vibrancy of home accessories available in the market place today. 

 Several years ago I looked for emerald green accessories for a client.  It was almost impossible to find any!  Pantone's colour of the year for 2013 is...

I find Pantone's colour predictions have more impact on fashion and home decor than those of specific  paint companies. This year you will have no difficulty finding emerald green accessories.

 It is important to keep up with trends that will  impact big ticket, relatively permanent products like hardwood, tile and cabinets.  You do not want to select something that will be dated  quickly.  Awareness of these trends does not mean you have to buy into them.  Sometimes choosing exactly the opposite is the the best design solution for longevity.   That is why it is wiser to choose  more neutral  long term items for your home.

Homeowners  who jumped on the dark wood look  for kitchens will probably end up sorry for their selection sooner rather than later.     Extremes rarely work for long periods of time. I predict the patterned glass mosaic backsplash tile that is all the rage now  will have run its course soon too.

 Reynolds Architecture- Northfield, Illinois

That's why classic soft white kitchen cabinets will always work. There are no extremes in this kitchen.   The style is softly traditional, the tiles are plain and the counters are  lighter granite.   I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea.  I am talking about what stands the test of time.

 

Staying with a traditional example, if you don't like white, consider a more mid tone neutral  or  ...

  mid toned stained  wood. 

Stay tuned for 2013 decor trends with staying power. 

2012

Whew! I can't believe we are about to ring in a new year! Before we start off 2013 I thought I would do a little round-up of a few of my favorite posts from each month. Also, for those that may have wondered about our December donation, because of the amount of e-mails we received for nominations for our November donation we decided to split up both November and Decembers money and give it to several different families that were nominated. Starting next month we will go back to featuring another family or organization.

Let's get started with some of our favorite blog projects/posts from 2012:

January

 In January we added a few new things in our kitchen. One one side of the island we added these buckets and basket:

and we painted the other side of our island to create a little chalkboard "wall". 

and finally painted and put up curtains in our master bedroom (and painted some Euro Shams as well)

February:

In February Jason graced us with a lovely tutorial:

and Lillie got her first bike:

March:

In March we made tea-stained silhouette Easter eggs:

and made over a little french cabinet:

and stripped and painted  our coffee table:

April:

In April we updated our staircase by painting the railing and making these inexpensive chevron frames (tutorial here).

and this sign for my parent's anniversary:

and our little Lorelei Wren turned one:

May:

In May we had her first birthday party up in NH:

and during that trip to NH we also made this sign for Jamie and Josh's kitchen:

and made over this 1990's hutch:

and we also shared with you all Matt and Meredith's huge kitchen makeover:

June:

In June we shared this recipe:

and added some color to our porch:

which included a tutorial on how to make these oversized posters:

and one of my favorites projects was this lemonade stand:

which also works as a puppet theater and an ice cream stand:

  You can find the tutorial on how to make one of these basic stands here.

July:

In July we shared how to make a window seat with just a screwdriver and a glue gun:

and I started playing around with my new camera and took some of the last photos at the tree swing at my parents old house:

August:

In August I played around some more with my new camera while Lillie and her cousins played baseball:

we did a relatively lengthy basic photography Q&A post:

and shared pictures of Jamie and Josh's new den:

September:

In September we updated our dining room by making a farmhouse table (click here for that post), a bench (click her for the tutorial) and I updated our old runner and made it a bit longer and we finally started selling them in our shop! (And we just restocked them again last night if you are waiting on one!)

I also showed you some things I made for our wedding six years ago:

and our fall chalkboard:

October:

In October we showed you a desk makeover and another autumn chalkboard:

and our Thanksgiving tablescape:

November:

In November we started selling our growth charts in natural pine (we have a discounted batch listed right now!):

and we showed you a tutorial on how to make this tufted ottoman:

and this fun and easy little jewelry holder:

December:

 In December Lillian Annabel turned four!

and we shared how to make your own chalkboard with just a screwdriver:

and one of my favorite chalkboards so far:

as well as our Christmas Tour:

For a full list of all of our tutorials just click here, and for more information about items seen in our home click here. For 2011's Favorite Posts click here.

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve! I am looking forward to lots of new and exciting things for  Dear Lillie in 2013!