The entertainment industry may have been the forerunner of annual award shows, but every artist deserves kudos for a job well done. Designers and decorators are no exceptions. Recently, the Best in America Living Awards (BALA) announced what is currently trending in terms of interior design. Their list comes on the heels of the survey done by Houzz (think of this one as the “people’s choice” award) predicting what homeowners should expect this year.
Whether you are starting from scratch or just updating your space, here is what you need to know:
Natural finishes, like wood flooring, have been popular for some time. We now see beams and wooden ceilings as design elements in both kitchens and family living areas. This board-and-batten look, along with shiplap, (thank you Joanna Gaines), creates a focal poi and adds a feeling of warmth to both traditional and contemporary room designs.
Customized organizational and storage solutions are high on the list of what’s new for 2017. Wine cabinets, murphy beds, built-in recycle bins, and multi-tiered drawers reign supreme. Architects are incorporating benches, bookcases, nooks, alcoves, and under-stair storage into new home designs and renovators are following suit.
Automation and smart appliances have moved into today’s kitchens. Thanks to the relative affordability of technology, we can have a refrigerator that composes a grocery list, an oven that can communicate with our smartphone and a Wi-Fi enabled coffee maker.
When it comes to color, Benjamin Moore has named “shadow” their color of the year. A dramatic blend of amethyst, lilac and gray, it is a shade that will contrast beautifully with the new look in appliances – black stainless steel. Speaking of color, we recently saw a farmhouse sink in apple green. Stunning.
Look for white-on-white-on-white kitchens, dark wood or black window and door frames, mixed metals, speckled granite, and quartz in the designs of 2017.
Whether you’re planning a small refresh or preparing for a major renovation, contact us for answers to the question, “What’s hot and what’s not?”
