TREND, SHMENDS...Don't throw that away yet!

I had planned on writing about new home trends for 2019. There are new and interesting ideas headed our way. However, I realized that you can find this information in any of the current magazine publications, television shows and social media. You can also get a really good feel for what is trending, by having a stroll online or in your local decor stores. I prefer instead to give you my take on which design ideas needn't be tossed away.

Let's start with kitchen trends.

Apparently rose gold anything is out, out, dead, gone. Such fickle tastes people have! If you recently purchased something of that metal colour, which has been nailed down, screwed in, hard wired, or around your neck, I say keep it. Keep it all. One of this year's trend is to mix metal colours. So why exclude this one?! Keep your rosy hues and enjoy them for years to come.
Rose Gold Oval Bar Cart
Rose Gold Oval Bar Cart
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White kitchens have gone out of favour. Our old white cabinets were from 1994. We didn't replace them because they looked dated. They were 25 years old and were starting to look their age. Neutral colours and door styles will never go out of style. Kitchens are very expensive investments. They shouldn't devalue like a new car just off the lot. You can always change up the hardware, even replace your countertop if you need a refresh. The only cabinet colours which have stood the test of time are white and black. Your little black dress will always be the staple item in your closet. Be like Switzerland, be neutral.

Quartz countertop have also lost points this year. Trendsetters are suggesting industrial materials such as concrete or other textured hard wearing surfaces. I know it's silly to think that anyone would replace their existing countertops because a magazine or blog said so. I suppose many of these new trend ideas are geared towards those who foresee a renovation in their near future. I still love quartz as it is (so far) the only hard surface which offers practically limitless colour and pattern choices and the fact that it's just about bulletproof with heat and spills. I don't see this material going out of style anytime soon. Some may opt for a different island countertop material for variety.

It's nice to have a secondary colour weaved into your kitchen design. Before you start ripping down your kitchen's upper cabinets, think about what Marie Kondo would do! Seriously, the new trend is to have no uppers, just open shelves with carefully curated items. Sorry, this just doesn't work for me. I'm not very tall, so if I had a very large kitchen where I could afford to have loads of lower cabinets for storage, that would be great. But most people do not have this luxury and we desire as much closed storage as humanly possible. I think one small area with an open shelf is really nice. But not to have any uppers at all? I really wouldn't want that.

One trend I wholeheartedly support is more integration with technology in our kitchens. I wouldn't call this a trend, more like the new way to live. A long time ago, a client of mine asked if I thought that kitchen islands would go out of style. I said that an island isn't really a trend, it symbolizes a major shift in the way that people want to live and function in their kitchens. The same goes for techy gadgets. Our kitchen has its share, with pull-up power bar, sliding countertop, appliance garage doors and even verbal command wireless assistants. My favourite kitchen tool is probably my tablet, which stores my favourite recipes and YouTube to entertain me whilst I stir and stir!

Let's look at home decor trends.

According to Elle Decor, gallery walls have become tiresome and cluttered. It suggests you replace the many, with one significant piece. I like the idea of switching things up. But let's face it, patching nail holes or repainting walls is way more trouble than professionals would like to admit. All the DIY shows extol the virtues of a can of paint. But anyone who has ever painted their homes knows the cold hard truth - painting is really hard and messy. Having to manoeuvre around existing furniture, covering up precious flooring and getting a lot of paint on yourselves are inevitable! This is why so many are afraid to paint, afraid to hang a picture. Because once that picture goes up, it will only be replaced by something else that can use the same nail on the same space of wall. If you love your gallery wall which you bravely put up recently, leave it. It tells the story of you. There is nothing more important or endearing as that. If you do tire of one or more pictures, just keep the frames and swap out your images. That way, it's the continuing story of you, not just that one moment in time.
Notre Dame Wall Mirror
Notre Dame Wall Mirror
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I'm not at all surprised that Mid Century Modern is getting the boot. It has had a long run and sadly the market was absolutely saturated with the look of Mad Men, making people go mad! But classic Eames and Le Corbusier pieces are timeless.

Apparently 'Memphis Design' is becoming all the rage - the use of primary colours and graphic shapes. Throughout history, the next trend or movement that took over, came as a result of the inevitably growing discontent or contempt of the one that came before. So controlled, sleek interiors are to be replaced with more colours, more chaos. How does this jive with the popular Zen philosophy which still dominates? My advice is always the same. Keep what you like, and swap out only those things which seem tired in your mind. If you like it, it will work with the rest. Trust your instincts.

Light coloured flooring is still trending strong. I have to admit to being a convert. Our basement has dark bamboo. Our second floor has dark laminate flooring. Our new main floor is light, birch engineered wood. I just love it for its practicality. It's hard to spot the dirt, dust and anything else which has fallen there. It looks so natural, like I'm barefoot on outdoor decking. It feels more like I've brought nature in.

That by the way is another new trend, bringing more nature inside, but keep the succulents out! If new flooring is not in your budget, try a large, light coloured area rug. You'll get the same effect. If you live in a calm and grey interior, I suggest spicing it up a bit for more visual interest. Embrace some colours. Don't be afraid to be bold once in awhile. It's not about following this year's trend to nix the neutrals. People's personalities are multifaceted and colourful. Your homes can be too. Adding and tweaking aren't signs that you are slavishly following trends. The overall message we are getting this year is for us to continue in our journey to be natural and homogenous in our home decor and design. New trend ideas are interesting and fun to ponder. However, considered collecting and buying remain paramount.
Coral Shaped Metal Decorative Bowl
Decorative Openwork Silver Metal Bowl
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A successful interior is one where you feel really good to be in, one you admire, even if you know it's not at all your style. Any room designed with passion and honesty shows well.  It should feel like you are in the person's head, seeing what they like, feeling what they feel.

 

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