Trends come and go and I often hear clients say ‘I don’t want to choose anything too trendy,’ which is a valid concern but don’t work too hard to avoid them as there are some current design trends that are truly wonderful.
Functional and decorative elements alike will enhance your home.
Look up…way up, what do you see on your ceiling? Flat boring drywall? Splatter coated knock down or worse yet….stipple? Ceilings have been ignored for far too long and it’s time that they were recognized and treated well for all they do for us!
Ceilings protect us from the elements, they graciously hold our lighting without a single complaint and all we can do is paint them white. Try adding a beam detail to your ceiling; ceiling coves or coffers also add beautiful detail. Beams and ceiling trim are raging back into fashion and are available in every material from painted styrofoam to recycled wood. Whether it is a faux finish detail or an open structural beam for your ceiling it is time to dress them up in their best. Detail the area above your kitchen with a pot rack or bulkhead feature to house the lighting scheme for that area; this is a wonderful little detail to enhance your ceilings.
So you are building your dream home; how long are you planning on living in this beautiful creation? An elevator may be a wise and practical investment for your new home. Elevators are considered elaborate but they have a very practical side as well. The possibility of you or a loved one having compromised mobility increases as we get older and how wonderful to not have to sell your home due to stairs – you already have an elevator!
Residential elevators and dumbwaiters are becoming more common in the modern family homes as they allow for ease of movement (either people or items) from floor to floor of your home. If your stay in your dream home is long-term, an elevator may be a very wise investment.
After about 20 years of being out of fashion, wood stoves are making a comeback. I’m very happy about this as nothing creates ambiance in a room like a wood stove.
Wood stoves have come out of the wall and are taking on all sorts of funky shapes and sizes. Go to www.houzz.com and put wood stoves in the search field, you will be treated to thousands of photos of wood stoves ranging from traditional to extreme contemporary which will surely inspire you to create a space for this practical and eco friendly heat source for your home.
If you have the opportunity to create a new space or renovate an existing one the addition of a wood stove is a winning choice.
Trends in appliances are never a bad thing; advances in technology allow us to have the most incredible features in our homes. Temperature zones in fridges, steam cleaning and wrinkle removers in washers, dual climate ovens and touchless taps are all available to meet our every need. Life can be breezy with new appliances – if you haven’t updated in awhile it may be time to treat yourself.
I think sometimes it’s okay to be trendy, we all covet certain trends and once in awhile it’s ok to jump into the fray and follow a trend. Or, become a trendsetter which is even better!
Kim Lewis is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre. Contact her at 403-343-7711 ext. 227 or email her at klewis@carpetcolourcentre.com.
