home decorating trends reflect new lifestyle realities

See if you agree with the seven emerging home design and color trends Better Homes & Gardens recently identified at the recent High Point Furniture Market.  Here’s what they say matter to most of us!

 1. A “Right-Sized” Home
Influenced by economic realities, we’re looking for a home that’s the right size and arrangement for how we live now. That means: (a) no-wasted space, (b) comfortable, casual family spaces, (c) furniture that’s more in scale with our homes and (d) finishes that improve or reflect natural daylight.

2. Comfort & functionality rather than formality
We’re seriously rethinking formal, stuffy, rarely used spaces. More of us are opting for (a) comfortable multi-functional rooms and furniture and (b) dining rooms that are more livable, casual and integrated into the rest of the home. For example, a dining room table may become the family study or crafts center, or a sideboard may hold office files and electronics instead of china and serving pieces.

3. Personal expression at home
Owning a home is part of our vision of the good life…. perhaps now more than ever. More adaptable open-floor plans are leading to a loosening up of decorating inside the home and we’re thinking more about outfitting our homes the way we dress ouselves—by mixing and matching pieces, styles, materials and colors.

4. A new kind of family room
Family rooms are evolving into entertaining/media centers. Multiple computer stations are located in a family gathering area where kids’ internet access can be monitored. The Wii phenomenon has families looking for new furniture solutions to make room for active –play—for example, an ottoman or coffee table on casters easily moves to create space. Flat-screen TVs are driving more flexible media storage furniture that works along an open wall rather than is sized to the inch because electronic media components are ever-changing!

5. A Well-Organized Home
Ample storage is an ‘absolute priority’ to stay organized and resist clutter. Smart storage solutions are top of mind, making inventive storage features such as slide-out jewelry compartment hidden in a bedroom dresser mirror appealing. More women want their own at-home office -  an open, bright and more decorative space that’s equipped with extra electrical outlet and the internet connections needed to manage work-home balance.

6. Feeling good about staying home
More of us are looking for home furnishing and decorating ideas to make staying in feel good. To create warm, inviting family spaces, wer’re moving toward (1) warm wood such as oak and walnut, (6) light neutral colors, or earth-inspired green, chocolate, wine and berry tones, and (3) backyards that feel like an extension of entertaining areas.

7. Durability
“Durability” and “high quality” define value as much as price. We’re looking for furniture that will grow up with us and our kids. For example, a bedroom chest becomes a hallway entry table to store linens and to drop keys and other items on top.

small space can be a luxury, says Langdon

Living in a small space is a real issue these days… and it’s growing more real all the time. More of us are moving into smaller homes, downsizing or huddling together with multiple generations under one roof to save dollars and improve quality of care for both the elderly and the young.

 Libby Langdon, commentator on HGTV’s Small Space, Big Style recently spoke about her own musings on this timely topic during a recent WITHIT (Women in the Home Industry Today) event in Brooklyn that included a few designers whose photos were published in her book. 

Langdon sees some recurring frustrations when people face their space. Not surprisingly, the toughest issue in a small space is how to lay it out to make it work. Defining color and design style follows, with fear of making a mistake sending many to the land of indecision. The final challenge is the need to pare back and get rid of things. “No one wants to hear me tell them that,” she says.

Apart from sharing some of her favorite colors… Benjamin Moore’s Hail Navy, Bennington Beige, Cotton Balls, Palladian Blue and Galveston Gray, just to name a few, Langdon insisted that small space can be a blessing. “Living with less isn’t lving without luxury. Sometimes living with less is the ultimate luxury.”

Food for thought. Check out Langdon’s suggestions on how to do that in her book, Libby Langdon’s Small Space Solutions.

getting the party out of the kitchen

ROOM PLANNING

Ever found yourself hosting a party and everyone just wants to hang out with you in the kitchen? It may be your fabulous personality and great looks, but it may also be annoying when you’re managing food and want people to spend time in the areas of your home you spent time cleaning!

Truth is, there might be a reason why people are congregating in the kitchen. Check your own party-ready atmosphere and try out a few new ways to combat kitchen crowding…

Have you given your visitors a reason not to be in the kitchen? Try setting up a drink cart of drink station in the dining room… use your dining table, buffet or a folding table to hold glasses, soda or cocktails. Scatter a few dishes with candies, chips-and-dip on tables in your dining or living room. Use a computer or TV to rotate a slide slow from the last trip you were on, funny pictures of your family or guests, and add music in your living and dining rooms.

Are your seating arrangements party-prone? Many people hang out in kitchens because it’s more intimate or comfortable than living rooms. The culprit is usually unsocial seating arrangments in living rooms… chairs too far apart, people lined up in a row on a sofa to talk, or no place to put a drink down. Create as many L-shaped arrangements as possible between seats. Sofa, loveseat and chairs shoud meet at a 90 degree angle. Create areas for larger groups, and areas for a private talk between two people out of earshot of others. And make chairs avilablle where they’re needed. No one knows what direction a party will take, so make it easy for your guests to create the seating they need. And make sure there’s a coffee table or end table within reach of very seat in the house.

Is there a party mood in other rooms? A kitchen usually has little party ambiance; fluourscent lighting and dishes in the sink preclude any best-face-forward party decor! So make the most of your living, dining and other public rooms. Make them the place to be with soft lighting, candles, low-wattage or yellow-colored lamp bulbs. Play music that helps your guests unwind or tap their toe. Add scents as entcing as those in the kitchen. Get a fire going in the fireplace, and use a long-lasting wood log if no one’s around to kepe adding wood.

Remember too, that your guests usually want to be where you are. As much as possible, plan menus that can be prepared in advance so you can focus on being the perfect conversationalist rather than fussing over the food!  If you’re not in the kitchen all night, fewer of your visitors will be too.