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HOME DESIGN IN 2009
Although the economic outlook is bleak and homeowners are not remodeling or upgrading their existing properties at the same pace as they were two years ago, the home is still a fundamental part of our lives in which we must continually invest.
And with so much uncertainty on the horizon, homeowners are opting to entertain at home instead of going out and they need fresh ideas to make their spaces more comfortable for the family and for entertaining.
To achieve a new level of comfort, homeowners will find inspiration in colors that make the home more welcoming and cheerful in 2009, says interior designer John Loecke.
“Next year, we’ll see a brighter palette overall, with colors such as red and orange, which happens to be a great accent color, along with bolder patterns and floral prints.”
The bright hues and bold patterns can be wonderful accents to both stainless steel and appliances in color, such as the Dacor Preference style, which features glass front panels in subtle tones of Blue Water, Slate Green, Anthracite Gray, Sterling Gray, Titanium Silver and Black.
“The year will also bring more natural products with some texture in terms of grass cloths and things that have a tactile quality. Of course there will be a variety of environmentally friendly home products, but in colors beyond the standard brown, gold and tan.”
And there are easy, cost-effective ways to integrate these trends into every room of the home, including the kitchen. Loecke shares a few ideas that will not require a long-term commitment or a huge investment and will not limit homeowners when thinking about future remodeling.
“To introduce some of the brighter colors of the season, try adding wallpaper with a bold pattern or brighter accent color, instead of installing a fixed item in a bold color, like an orange countertop.”
Now, while orange is one of the colors of the moment, you may not want to risk going too trendy because you may feel the need to redecorate after a few years if the space appears dated, whereas the wallpaper is easy to change if you find that you’re no longer a fan of the color down the line.
Another simple way to bring the new trends into the kitchen is with tableware, linens or cookware.
“We are seeing a lot of floral patterns in dinnerware. If you have a kitchen with a lot of open cabinetry, you can display the plates in the cabinetry and, like the wallpaper, dinnerware is easy and fairly inexpensive to replace.”
For avid cooks, today’s cookware styles also offer another way to showcase the new colors of the year with a variety of options in almost every shade, from orange to blue. You can also take advantage of the eating area and recover the seating on chairs or place settings with environmentally friendly fabrics or patterns that will introduce the new trends to the room in a pleasant manner.
Click here to visit the Dacor Online Design Gallery for additional inspiration on kitchen design.
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