January is not complete without a What's Hot list for the coming year. Here are some trends you'll see hyped and some you may already be on to:
Individuality: It's bye-bye mass production and hello individual flair in 2009. Eclectic urban, rustic glamor, understated elegance, modern nostalgia, bohemian... Basically any mixing of styles and periods, or cultures and ethnic influences is being embraced in a big way. This is your chance to break free and put your own stamp on your home, and you can do it with what you already have! If you are worried about getting it right, focus on a balanced look.
Eco-trend: Anything eco- or environmentally friendly is only gaining momentum in 2009, which is brilliant. If you really want to hit green you need to work on incorporating existing pieces rather than replacing. Think about antiques, vintage, found objects, charity shop treasures, salvaging, reclaiming, re-purposing and recycling anything! And, of course, new covers rather than new pieces. The interior decor industry as a whole has a way to go before it is truly green but look out for eco-fabrics made from sustainable, natural, and organic materials.
Retro and vintage: Still big this year with everything from appliances to home furnishings available either as originals or re-makes of our old-time favorites, right down to old-fashioned board games. If you are looking to inject a touch of the old into your home, have a look at our designer fabrics.
Light and sleek: Furniture itself seems to be cut down to size as the trend for less bulky and cleaner lines comes into its own in 2009. The trend is on things that just look and feel light.
Back to nature: Tied in with the eco-trend is the resurgence of natural materials in 2009. Wood is making it big with everything from natural edged cutting boards and serving pieces to lamps and stools. Recycled glass and leather are also hot ticket items.
Greys: The time-honored neutral Beige is being succeeded in 2009 by grey in all its shades. For those of you who want to be on the cutting edge of color trends, anything from the smokey Dove Greys, Cloud Greys and A Paler Shade of Grey, to the more metallic Zinc Greys (in Belgian Linen blend and Panama Cotton) and Graphite Greys (in Chenille, Belgian Linen blend and Panama Cotton) should be on your list. If you like the idea of going grey, but are looking for some pattern to go with it Symmetry- Jet Black, Woven Whimsy- Cloud Grey, Classic Ruta- Black, New Baroque- Jet Black or Josephine- Graphite Grey will still tick the box on this trend.
Over the top: Bold wallpaper patterns, fabrics with traditional prints in larger scale, audacious colors and geometric patterns, eye-catching pinks, violets, lavenders, rusty reds, tangerines and all shades of green, (paired in fact with the greys listed above for a winning formula) are also hitting the right notes for 2009. As for fabrics, look for velvets, chenilles, linens, cottons, silk and even bamboo.
Mismatched dining room chairs: With all this talk of recession and economic downturn, a lot of us are choosing to entertain at home rather than going out. An easy way to update your dining-room is by replacing the dining-room chair covers. Choosing different fabrics, colors and patterns for the individual chairs will give the room a more personal and distinct look. If you look for subtle color and pattern similarities in the fabrics you'll achieve a uniform yet diverse look. Check out our Mix and Match palettes for some guidance, or why not get some ideas from our Lifestyle photos?
Master bedroom rules: Again with consumer spending down and more nesting going on, people are focusing on making their bedrooms more luxurious. This can be achieved with lots of pillows, luxury linens and investing in a high quality mattress. The look is spare, simple design, punctuated with touches of luxury.
Bring on 2009!
Sources: Christopher Solomon of MSN Real Estate; Susan Dickinson of Home Accents Today.
Given the overall economy, grey and blue are safe choices. Check out this article on the Sparxoo blog that talks more about color choices http://sparxoo.com/?p=98
Posted by: David | February 10, 2009 at 06:28 PM
[Christie from Bemz] I liked the article. Looking at the psychological role of color is an interesting one and I think very relevant, especially in times like these. I look forward to when we are all daring to use Orange and Yellow as I guess that'll be a sign of times turning, in our minds anyway! Thanks for that David.
Posted by: Christie | February 10, 2009 at 08:54 PM