Interior Design Trends 2018: Part Two

Continuing this blog post with more of the Houzz 2018 design trend predictions!

DEFINING KITCHENS IN OPEN FLOOR PLANS

Half walls with or without cabinets, I'm not sure about this trend. Open concept living is here to stay, so the thought of adding half walls here and there to define a space seems counterproductive. I like the idea of defining spaces and delineating them. But I have fallen out of love with drywall! Spaces can be divided with the use of low lying furniture, screens, double sided seating, rugs or lighting.

MILLWORK FEATURE WALLS AND DETAILING

Shiplap, reclaimed barn boards, Tudor paneling, this trend prediction was bang on correct. A certain husband and wife television show has made shiplap more famous than it has ever been before. Same goes for reclaimed barn board adorning walls. If rustic isn't your thing, Tudor style paneling or wainscoting are also very popular options. This trend speaks of interesting textures, rather than colours.

HIDDEN RANGE HOODS

This trend has been big in Europe for many years. Some are physically hidden, some are disguised as pendant lighting. Our new kitchen design hides the hood (mostly). I have never really understood why such a utilitarian appliance has such prominence in a kitchen. Perhaps it was a way to create a focal point. I would rather do that with tiles and the cabinet designs themselves. The whole room should be the statement, not necessarily the one element jutting out.

MIXING METALS, TEXTURES AND SHEEN

Why have people felt so scared to do this before? I suppose we lived in a chrome dominated environment for so long that when other choices came along, we didn't know exactly what to do. Also, paint technology has evolved so much that we can now look at low sheen as a real possibility for high traffic areas. We have more choices now than ever before.

Antique Reproduction Carved Wood Console Table with Mirror

Antique Reproduction Carved Wood Console Table with Mirror
Purchase this product.

 

COUNTERTOP DETAILS (GROOVES FOR DRAINING, CHISELED EDGING, METAL EDGING)

This is another trend which has been more popular in Europe. Most U.K. kitchens have grooved countertops next to the sinks for drainage. It's a really nice and practical idea, but some do not have the real estate to spare for such a trend. Other trends such as live edge, chiseled or metal never really got very popular or their heyday was short lived.

TROUGH OR BUCKET SINKS

This wasn't much of a trend. The most popular styles continue to be undermount, surface mount bowls or country apron sinks. I think that very decorative sinks should be restricted to powder rooms where they won't get a lot of use as these designs tend to be harder to work with than the popular options.

FISH SCALE PATTERN BACKSPLASH

This trend is just getting ramped up! I think that we will see more of this pattern in the coming year. It's not going anywhere in the near future. I love the variety of colouring and textures of fish scale patterned tiles.

RICH COLOURS - COLOURFUL OR DEEPER SATURATION

I've always been on the fence when it comes to painted feature walls. I think that this idea should be restricted to very specific, architecturally appropriate alcoves or jut-outs. I do love rich and deeper colours. But I think the trend these days is to restrict them to neutrals like dark greys.

Cozy Coral Pink Cove Accent Swivel Chair

Cozy Coral Pink Cove Accent Swivel Chair
Purchase this product.

 

VINTAGE LIGHTING

Oh my goodness this trend is hot, hot, hot. It gets all its energy from advanced LED technology allowing for more interesting designs and from our continued love affair with mid century modern aesthetics. People aren't afraid to mix styles and eras. And there is a romantic honesty when it comes to vintage lighting, real or home made.

Lorraine Pendant Lamp Chandelier

Lorraine Pendant Lamp Chandelier
Purchase this product.

 

DEDICATED BROOM CLOSET

This trend idea strikes me as being a strange choice. I wonder if it's more to do with wanting a dedicated space for cleaning and tidying products, rather than just for brooms? I think that the idea of such a space got lost since the mid 20th century. But mudrooms are back and so are broom closets. Makes sense in the world we live in today, full of OCD people in the kitchen!

FLORALS 

In prints and wallpaper! This isn't grandma's house, nor the 1980's coming back for a scary revival. This trend is all about over-scaled, saturated images which usually take pride of place on one feature wall. This trend is not for everyone. It's a bit overwhelming. But if you opt for removable wallpaper, you can do this until you get tired of it, then remove it. I think this idea is a real trend - it has blown in and it will blow out. I think that some ideas should be more transitory.

Coralina Aubusson Hand Woven Tapestry Accent Cushion

Coralina Aubusson Hand Woven Tapestry Accent Cushion
Purchase this product.

 

LESS WHITE OR STAINLESS SINKS

I like a good stainless sink - easier to clean, better for fighting bacteria and neutral in colour to work with any interior. I am not a fan of white sinks as they tend to stain or crack or chip. Those who have Corian countertops have moulded sinks made of the same material for a seamless look. I think that right now, our choices for non-standard material sinks are still limited. And really, is this a big problem? I don't think so. I have seen some black sinks. Other than that, we don't have a lot of choice in North America.

It's nice to follow trends sometimes. They keep your interiors looking and feeling fresh. But I think that it's more interesting to be a trend setter or just do your own thing. Trends come and go, so expensive purchases should remain as neutral as possible. We live in a very disposable world. But we needn't follow suit. Have fun but be very selective and considered when it comes to decorating your beautiful homes. They should say who you are and not who you think you should become.

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