Décor spotlight: what’s the latest?

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As millions of North American homeowners look for new ways to spruce up their home sweet home this year, they’re expected to spend more than $10 billion on interior design services.

That’s a lot of money but the truth is today’s décor is about a lot more than just paint swatches and sofa pillows. And designers and consumers are becoming pretty inventive about how they modernize their home’s surroundings.

Here are just a few of the latest trends – and some that are heading out the door:

Less clutter: Call it the Marie Kondo effect but homeowners are deciding to spend more on fewer items that they absolutely love. Gone are busy gallery walls with tons of art and shelves with knickknacks. The key word: edit.

More nature: Maybe it’s our way to reconnect with the outdoors, but today’s décor is reintroducing more natural materials – including wood floors, stone, wool rugs and plants (both real and faux).

Fewer traditional colors: Homeowners are less concerned with choosing predictably masculine or feminine palettes – as Living Coral, Pantone’s Color of the year, attests. Grey hues are also fading away and being replaced by bolder ones – like hunter green and indigo. 

More florals: Whether it’s on sofas, headboards or walls, floral patterns have made a comeback – while geometric patterns are on their way out.

Sustainability: Perhaps in response to concerns for our planet’s future, sustainable materials like jute and rice paper are taking precedence over plastics and metals. That said, not-so-sustainable acrylic furniture is growing in popularity as homeowners look for ways to visually unclutter their spaces.

Brass vs. black: The gold-hued metal (as well as faddish rose gold) is now deemed heavy and dated and it’s disappearing as a furniture accent, while black accents – especially in the bathroom – are viewed as high end and modern.

Light woods: Dark stained wood floors and cherry kitchen cabinets, hugely popular at the turn of the century, are being replaced by light birch and oak, which provide a more open and relaxed vibe.

Quartz : Solid white or off-white counters, while clean and modern, seem to have had their day as homeowners and interior designers replace them with marbles and other rich-looking stones.

Mid-century meh: The last two decades saw a massive return to classic styles from the middle of the 20th century. While mid-century furniture’s classic lines and design will always have a special place in any home, today it’s increasingly about mixing up styles to create a more layered and personal look.

Are you in the midst of a home décor transformation? What styles do you gravitate to? Share your two cents with the Shop Talk blog community forum.

Did you know? Pewter and gunmetal

Replacing your kitchen or bathroom hardware? While brass and matte finishes have had their day, pewter and gunmetal are rising in popularity. (Source)

37 thoughts on “Décor spotlight: what’s the latest?”

  2. Love it. I’ve always been one who pays more with less clutter for an item also natural color and indoor plants. Keep windows cracked to expel unwanted positive ions as well.

  4. I completely agreed with most aspects of the article and felt for quite some time that the color choices were not limited, out of date, and impacting design flow.

  5. Times are changing. Where at one point, everone had
    Dining room tables and buffets, have downsized to
    A spacious minimalistic home. This is the same space
    Only looks larger with natural floors and light walls.
    Pleasing colors work anf flow together. I am truly
    Loving the style.

  15. Our house was built in 1897, on an assembled masonry foundation, which settled, over the years, is comfy (for us). Nothing is plumb. Nothing is level. Nothing is square. It has lots of air exchange (it leaks). The accoustics are marvelous. Remember that it settled?

    Repairs are a royal pain.

    (Honey, I want a – insert idea 1 here – .

    Ok, first, we have to replace the back door, or widen five interior doorways, so the refrigerator can be put in the office, while the – insert idea 1 – work is done , because we have to get behind the refrigerator to do the – insert idea 1 – work. To replace the back door, we have to dis-assemble part of the roof, and wall, then rebuild that wall high enough that the roof eave does not block the swing of the door, so we can open it, to take it off its hinges. The house settled. more, since that back door was installed, because those heavy rains five years ago dumped more water than the slope would carry away, and it puddled, out there, remember? Then the door stuck. and we have used only the front door, because the back door won’t open. IF we got it open, it wouldn’t close. Then, we have to widen the doorway, to get the old -insert item 2 here – OUT, to make room to get the – insert item 3 here – OUT, to have space in which to store the -insert item 4. Then we have to install the wider back door, and trim it. We have to rent a truck, with a Tommy gate to haul the boxes of – re-insert idea 1 – in, so we do not have to carry all those boxes from the street, around the house, and inside, out of the weather, to have them protected until the electricians and plumbers can bring that room up to code to install the new – re-insert idea 1 here, because we have to buy the things in those boxes, next month, while they are on sale, or rent ANOTHER storage spot, because we do NOT have time and space, otherwise.

    Oh, well. Maybe I don’t REALLY want to – insert idea 1, now.)

    Want to have grilled burgers for supper, Saturday? I will have to defrost some 80%, so move to your right, three feet, so I can dig it out of the freezer, please.

  16. Styles change as fads come and go. Still prefer the classics over Nuevo trends. The classic look will always be just that classic while in ten years you will look and say what was I thinking.

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