First off, I’d like to say that the “Keep” pile is the name of the game. If you really want to be green, buy less and keep more – virtually anything can be re-styled, re-tweaked and repurposed, so take the accompanying “Buy” and “Store” suggestions as merely a nudge in one direction or the other. Disclaimer aside, I must admit that apart from holding onto the colour turquoise for dear life, trend forecasters are having a hard time compiling a neat list of what's in. The eclectic mix still reigns supreme, with virtually imperceptible tweaks in colour, tone and fabrics. Bad news for us decor writers, but great news for all decor buyers! None the less, here are my thoughts on the subject, for what it's worth...
KEEP
Clockwise from the top; SlightlyNorthofWorth blog; ThisNext.com; AliciaBDesigns blog; DecorAddict blog; Photobucket.com
- Open shelving is still going strong and the focus of many a kitchen and living room, so if you're lusting after doors having installed a naked kitchen, hold out.
- Natural wood is proving to be the perfect neutral filler for any style, and good thing too because many of us bought LOTS of it (and by us I mean me.)
- The 'gallery wall' I predict will never go away, so if you've been putting off undertaking the puzzle in the hopes that it'll finally go out of style, get on it -- it won't.
- Greige Never heard of it? Beige and gray mixed together. A hit for the past three years on walls, carpets and textiles, and a great choice if you made it that long ago -- it's still a winner.
- Florals and Patterns Keep mixing!
GET (On It!)
Clockwise from the top; TheLennoxx.Zymichost.com; HabituallyChic blog; Bethy blog; Elana's living room; Saint Tropez Boutique; Crate & Barrel.com
- Turquoise Even though we've all been touting it as the second coming, I would keep it to pillows and vases (although that wall fabric above is beautiful and will for sure have legs, as well as any watered-down sea foam wall paint.) Next season it's sure to go the way of black and yellow (see below.)
- High Gloss It's the mirrored surface of the moment. A bit odd to get used to, but certainly original. The expensive alternative is polished Venetian plaster; the more affordable, high gloss paint, especially in black. If you're too afraid, do it in a powder room.
- Wall-to-wall is carpet back! Yes, it's true -- partly because of our greenification of the home, the cost of hardwood and the un-appeal of laminate -- nice, textured wall-to-wall is making a comeback. Stick to sea grass or something equally textured and neutral. Please no broadloom.
- Painted Floors I did, and so can you! They're popping up everywhere and are expected to continue in 2010. A great solution to old flooring, and even boring pre-finished floors you may have inherited with a 'new reno.' You can even stencil stuff or go checkered if you're brave.
- Encaustic Tiles Are you thinking grandma's house? Well move her out and move on in, because these fussy floors are all the rage! If you've recently purchased a home and found them in your kitchen, hallway or bathroom -- don't rip them out, try to work around them. They're expensive to buy new.
STORE
Clockwise from the top; InteriorDesignStory.com; Alkemie blog; Trinharchi blog; diynetwork.com; CompareStorePrices.co.uk; BarbaraCosgroveLamps.com
STORE
- Black and Yellow Epileptic seizure. Take down that wallpaper and do something -- anything -- with the yellow (you'll need a zillion coats of paint as it's the most poisonous colour to extinguish, next to red.)
- Mauves Over. Especially in wall paint. A pillow or two, mixed with a layered colour scheme will do no harm, but break up your mauve guest rooms and move on.
- Shaker/Mission Style Furniture Not its time to shine. While not to be scoffed at if it happens to be an antique, something about the zillion vertical lines in every piece, and the overall plain Jane feel, makes this one of the only styles not welcome in the eclectic mix. Perhaps because it's neither here nor there, which does nothing for a contrasting feel.
- Laminate Flooring I'm sorry, I just don't like it. I"ll do anything not to have to put it down, including paint, cover with a large carpet, or deal with whatever is there. I'm hearing more and more about how no matter how durable it is, it buckles and bubbles, and ultimately looks like kaka. Please don't get mad at me, I'm sure there are exceptions, but not for me.
- Oversized Headboards No more. Moving in favour of soft, tufted, romantic beds with lots of fabrics. If not romantic, modern incarnations are much less imposing with natural wood frames that are low to the ground.
- Turned Contrasty Table Lamps I find them too simplistic and much like the red glass chandelier of last year, they've become a shorthand for style. I like to try a little harder than simply throwing one of these on my side table and calling it 'chic'.
Well, let the tomatoes fly!
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