The Trend Report 2007

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THE TREND REPORT 2007

By Gabriele Campbell, ASP, CID                                       www.campbellinteriordecorating.ca

Trends come, and they go, but the longevity of the trends of 2007 can be summed up in one word – layers. With a nod to honouring the past and preserving our future, 2007 combines the styles we previously embraced and puts them right beside the concrete reality of evolving needs and wants. Interiors are more complex, unusual, inspired and definitely individual as we pull together favourite pieces collected over years, layer them with new styles and designs, and completely do away with the notion of starting from scratch. Living spaces this year are not so contrived, matching and predictable. Prepare yourself to shake it up a bit!

Decorating 101. Matching is out – coordinating is in. Overlap patterns and motifs with solids and tone-on-tone prints. Experiment with the shape and rhythm of your accessories, and watch how your eye takes in the space. Does it naturally move and flow, or does it get stuck in one spot and struggle to move on? Is your immediate response to your interior a soothing ‘ah’ and ‘wow’, or is a disappointing ‘oh’? Play with you arrangements and see what you come up with.

Deeper richer colours The popularity of truer, purer colours grows in 2007 as home owners reject ‘builder beige’ and head towards yellow as the new neutral. Red has always been popular, but in 2007 you may see it replaced by orange and trendy terra cota. Green with yellow undertones still attracts us perhaps because it reminds us of nature. The many guises of blue with its spa-like relaxing qualities still find a presence in our homes. Look for shades of turquoise, cobalt and sky in paint and accessories. Brown continues to be the new black, but it takes on a softer more earthy character this year.

Retro is still hot. But more in style and form than colour, especially in house wares. Try to stay with flexible neutrals of white, black and gray (or steel and chrome) in blenders, coffee & espresso machines, and other appliances. Express your penchant for colours in table and glass ware, napkins and place mats.

Lighting takes on deserved importance with expanded options in colour, size and style only the beginning. Fully integrated systems that allow you to control every aspect of lighting for practical and safety purposes are available in every configuration for every budget. These systems monitor your usage and behaviours over a period of time then store that information to automatically ‘turn on’ based on the history. Another example where today’s luxuries will become tomorrow’s necessities.

Kitchens continue to be the hub of the active home, and it is not so much about entertaining as simply being a part of the social gathering while preparing the meal. 2007 goes beyond open concept and integrates beautiful appliances, hardware, faucets, fixtures and house wares as every aspect of the kitchen combines form and function.

Outdoor features and amenities have never gotten so much attention! It all started with the concept of curb appeal and now we are doing it for ourselves with screened in porches and outdoor kitchens, artful landscaping and lush gardens, rock and water features, ornate gates and fences. Talk about expanding your living spaces.

New build? Add your own touches. It’s your opportunity to look beyond the decorative finishes and inject permanent architectural features. Take inspiration from the classic designs of Palladio if you like columns and arches, Wright if you like arts & crafts simplicity, or Johnson if you gravitate towards the modern aesthetic.

Eco-design takes on new importance as the gravity of the decision to rip out the carpet and replace it with what weighs heavy on our collective environmental conscience. What to do with the old carpet? Landfill or recycle? What to put down? A natural product that can regenerate within a few years (cork and bamboo), or a biodegradable product that won’t clog up a landfill when it gets replaced (linoleum)? The choices are endless and simple aesthetic is no longer the major driving force. Environmental stewardship, eco-friendly design and the legacy for our children are now determining factors. Your contribution to eco-friendly design may be as simple as placing a recycle bin in the garage, or as complex as researching the environmental practices of a manufacturer.

Accessibility and the concept of aging-in-place will drive many decisions as we face renovations of kitchens and primary living spaces. Designs will incorporate ideas meant to make living easy in our December years, like lever handles, wider hallways, space for ramps and elevators, and accessible bathrooms, showers and tubs. ‘Universal appeal’ is the phrase for homes of the future as baby boomers age and the culture, age, size and ability of the basic home buyer shifts from young and fit to aging and not so agile.