Home Decor Do’s & Don’ts 2017

Trends in home decorating change from year to year – and sometimes month to month.  For the trendiest among us, regularly swapping out fixtures, accents and accessories can be a full-time job.  Thankfully, it looks like some of 2016’s trends will continue into next year, with enough “new” touches coming to satisfy those looking for a change.  Below, we’ll touch on what’s staying, what’s leaving and what’s HOT and NOT in homes for 2017.

Color

We all know that one dramatic way to change the look and feel of your home is updating with color.  Paint is often quoted as being a relatively inexpensive way to update a room without breaking your back or your bank.  What colors work for 2017? Here are the latest color trends:

• White – A staple for kitchens and baths, white is now hitting rooms all over the house.  A clean fresh look, white in various shades is showing up in living rooms, bedrooms and foyers as a means of tying the home together and creating a bright neutral canvas to help accents, fixtures, and natural woods pop in a big way.
• Gray – Beige is out, gray is in when it comes to neutralizing the color scheme in your home. Combining dramatic dark grays, with lighter tones throughout the room create that neutral backdrop which will allow you to bring in color through lamps, rugs, and pillows.
• Muted Tones – A subtle distinction for sure, but pastel is becoming a no-no in color, while muted tones are making their way into bedrooms and baths using color to create a tranquil and soothing environment where we rest, relax and prepare for our day.  Think soft blues, greens, and even pinks – but not the bright pastel version of those colors that were popular in the 80’s.  Like many past trends, this is a variation on a past theme, updated for a modern look.
• Accent Walls – The one red wall in the room is gone.  Accent features using color in 2017 will pop up where you least expect them.  More and more we’re seeing painted ceilings paired with white beams and white walls, painted trim work or mouldings, even our flooring space is being used to add drama through color as walls are more muted and hardwood floors – while still very popular – are beginning to give way to patterned carpeting, especially in bedrooms.
• Wallpaper – Anyone who’s ever had to remove it will moan a bit here, but wallpaper is back.  Especially as the aforementioned accent wall, new and exciting patterns of wallpaper are helping to create bold, eye-catching spaces in our living rooms and bedrooms.  Think feature wall more than accent wall as wallpaper is a great way to draw attention to a specific spot in the room.

Kitchen Design

• The hottest thing in kitchen design in 2017 is the “modern farmhouse look.”  You can credit cable home shows focused on reworking, reconditioning and generally modernizing old spaces for this hot trend.  This look brings character back into the “heart of the home” and contrasts the old with the new.  In the trendiest of homes, you’ll see wooden beams and a farmhouse sink paired with a cascading surface of marble flowing over a large island.  Speaking of marble…
• Granite remains a staple in many modern kitchens but like 2016, we’re seeing other solid surface materials take the lead with homeowners looking for the “next big thing.”  Marble countertops and islands wrapped all the way to the floor create a clean, luxurious look.  Marble is showing up on backsplashes, floors and everywhere else.  In some of our more modest kitchens, marble soap dispensers, photo frames, and other accents help bring in a piece of this trend without the high cost.
• Cabinetry and the overall color scheme of modern kitchens stay white and bright in 2017.  Wooden beams and painted ceilings provide the accent – walls and cabinets remain neutral.  As mentioned above, gray is also a subtle deviation as long as it stays on the lighter side and still paired with bright white trim work.
• Stainless steel may finally be on its way out.  As we reported in a kitchen related article earlier this year, the basic stainless look is now nearly dated.  Bronze and copper finishes began to challenge stainless but have lost favor quickly.  Black stainless appliances are easily the number one trend today going into next year.  If you – like me – came late to the stainless party and are worried that the thousands you invested creates a dated look, relax.  It may not be the latest and greatest, but it’s still a long way from the avocado refrigerator it replaced.

Lighting

• One of the biggest departures in 2017 is exemplified in choice of lighting fixtures.  Think BIG.  Large dramatic lighting has moved from the foyer and into the rest of the home.  Whether it’s a vintage chandelier or a series of large blown glass globes, lighting creates mood, atmosphere, and romance for your home.  It’s also a great way to bring your personality into a room and like paint can be a quick and easy way to complete change the look of your kitchen or bedroom.
• Tying into the “modern farmhouse look” lighting fixtures also allow you to combine a vintage, rustic look with a modern twist.  Reclaimed, reconditioned materials of wood and metal paired with glass and LED tech match the old with the new.

Flooring

• Hardwood floors still reign supreme.  However, comfort and color are beginning to show up especially in bedrooms as carpet is making a comeback.  As our walls are becoming more neutral, our floors are another option for bringing color into a room.  Patterns and bolder colors are hitting the floors as whites and grays are hitting the walls. Additionally, carpet helps to create a warmer feel in the bedroom as well as providing an insulation against noise from the rest of the home.
• Geographically, tile is still found especially in our warmer climates.  In Florida and Arizona for example, tile is still a popular choice.  Large tile is definitely more popular than small and we’re still seeing the popularity of tile patterned to look like hardwood floors.

Storage

• In the newest and most appealing homes in 2017, storage abounds.  Clean, uncluttered spaces adorn the pages of every Home Decor magazine. But being real for a minute – we all have stuff.  Create drop zones and cubbies, benches with hidden storage, deep cabinets and cupboards.  Put away our stuff and the appeal of our homes goes up dramatically.

Technology

• There is no end in sight to tech entering our home.  It has followed us from the living room to the kitchen and now into our bathrooms.  Smart lighting helps set the mood in our showers, our refrigerators know when we’re out of milk, and we are constantly connected…EVERYWHERE.
• USB integrated charging stations, outlets everywhere, wireless connectivity linking our sound systems, televisions, lighting, locks, and phones.  The one thing to remember is we want the tech available – but it should be seamless and unobtrusive.  Wires strewn along floors or walls are a huge NO.

The big takeaway from what’s coming in decor is clean, bright and neutral.  Mix old with new, create drama with big lighting and most importantly put your personality into the home through accents and accessories.  The great thing about the direction we’re heading in is that it creates a timeless look you can live with.

Until 2018 anyway.

John Kotrides