Interior Design Style and Trend Predictions for 2015

BARRY DARR DIXON

 

 

Styles come and go both in fashion and interior design. There are some trends we love, and some we don’t but despite what you think of modern retro sixties style chairs or rustic Tuscan inspired paint finishes, you can be sure in ten years from now, designers and manufacturers will be onto the next big thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victorian, Italian, shabby chic, French country: these are styles that have enjoyed their popularity over the years. And once a popular style has worn out its welcome it looks plain dated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via THE GIFTS OF LIFE tumblr

 

 

 

2015 will see gray paint and bleached woods gradually decline. They’ve had a tremendous surge over the past five years and are at the height of their popularity. That means they have about another three years and then will gradually wane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAILEY McCARTHY

 

 

Bold Kelly Green, Tangerine, Citrine Yellow and Turquoise are saturated colors that make big statements. They’ve been going strong for several years. We will be seeing more of them but eventually they will be on smaller surfaces like lamps and pillows rather than whole sofas or sideboards.

 

 

 

 

 

via ATLANTA HOMES AND LIFESTYLES

 

 

Pattern in fabrics and wallpaper continues to be very popular. Well-designed patterned textiles (generally in a price range of $75-$130 yd.) like grids, quatrefoils, and floral and animal prints stand the test of time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via BENEATH MY HEART

 

 

Painted furniture has been quite popular, but wood finishes less so. Once current espresso stains are beginning to look dated while timeless mahogany still appears fresh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via BRABOURNE FARM BlogSpot

 

 

 

We will be seeing less oversized and more “right sized” furnishings. Antiques are not thought of today as stylish with the thirty and forty something’s but over fifty consumers still feel a strong connection with them. Antiques in general never really go out of style as they are often considered investment pieces, but some are more aesthetically pleasing than others. And mixing antiques with current fabrics and pieces infers an updated appearance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PETER DUNHAM

 

 

Mixing styles like Aero Saarinen pedestal tables with wingback chairs or other traditional seating will continue to gain popularity once style conscious consumers get tired of replacing their décor all at once.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATLANTA HOMES AND LIFESTYLES

 

 

Sectional sofas, while often cumbersome and overused in design will continue to be in demand. Modern table and floor lamps are still going strong, while cheap Italian imitations are thankfully on their way out. Media rooms, wine cellar/tasting rooms and smart phone home systems are now common place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Color is the most obvious of all design trends. Colors themselves like red, blue, yellow or green don’t really date. It’s the variation of the color that comes and goes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some color and style evolutions you might recognize.

 

Out: mauve. In: magenta.

Out: Dijon. In: Citrus yellow.

Out: terra cotta. In: Tangerine.

Out: Verdigris. In: Kelly Green.

Out: Sage green. In: Aqua.

Out: Taupe. In: White.

Out: Mediterranean. In: modern French.

Out: Theme related décor. In: Personal mixes.

Out: Country. In: Transitional.

Out: ornate. In: clean lines.

Out: sterile or sparse décor.

In: comfortable, evolved, interesting, well-furnished homes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via HOUZZ

 

 

Come to think of it, aren’t the latter always in vogue? I’ve noticed as people age, they are less concerned with what’s in or out of style. There is a certain amount of self confidence in ignoring fashion. Your home can be “fashionable” or current without being a slave to the design industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via NUMBER NINETEEN blogspot

 

 

 

Other trends, more pertaining to the economy rather than aesthetics will be multi-generational residences, high end luxury rentals, and flexible/multi-use furniture. These trends are gaining momentum because even with four year college degrees, many graduates are not able to purchase homes. This is one of the largest non-home owning generations we’ve ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via SOUTH SHORE DECORATING blog

 

 

Some things never seem to go out of style. Navy, black, white. Glass, mirror. Wool, cotton, cashmere. Wingbacks, settees. Mahogany. Books. Original art. Persian rugs. Rather than emulating any one style, try to develop your own “look” from a variety of styles with a strong common denominator like color or fabric to pull it together.


As the oft quoted Diana Vreeland once said, “People who have style share one thing in common. Originality”.   

 

 

 

via THE AESTATE tumblr

 

 

 

 

via THE UNDOMESTIC BRIDE

Hiring an Interior Designer: Great Questions to Ask...and Answer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DELCOR

 

 

“Successful people ask better questions” says life coach, author and consultant Tony Robbins, “and as a result they get better answers”. Whatever you do, whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, accountant or retired teacher much of your success in life relies on the “quality” of your questions. I experience this myself every day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was recently looking for a doctor specializing in the holistic care of arthritis. Should I call an allopath or an osteopath? I’ve been working on my marketing plans for 2015 and need a way to organize its many facets. Do I create a “flow chart”, a narrative report or a spreadsheet? In 2007, an accountant suggested to a friend that she invest her life savings in second mortgages for a 10 per cent return. Certain it was too good to be true, she got a second opinion from someone who said that if those homeowners she loaned money to defaulted on the mortgages, she would be stuck with the properties. She declined the first accountant’s suggestion and ten months later, the bottom fell out of the real estate market. Without “quality” questions, questions that are already somewhat informed, you’re like a ship at sea without a compass. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASHLEY WHITAKER

 

 

Occasionally someone will call and say “I’ve worked with a designer before and I’d like you to help me with….chairs and window coverings” or something equally precise. But usually calls come from people who haven’t a clue what they need. They don’t know the right questions and they are relying on me, someone they’ve never met, to essentially tell them which ones to ask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via BENEATH MY HEART

 

Questions to Ask Your Designer  

 

How can I be sure you’ll understand my tastes and lifestyle? How can I be sure you won’t try and sell me something I don’t need? Can we start out slowly, till I gain a comfort level with working with a designer? How do you charge for your time? How will I be able to “envision” the changes you’re suggesting for my home? How do you know I’ll like the changes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KELLEY PROXMIRE

 

 

The answers to these questions exist in a transparent, give and take conversation between client and designer. There’s nothing wrong with asking questions. If the person you’re entrusting is trustworthy, they will “want” to reassure you. If they’re not, you’re better off without them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In answer to the above, the designer will ask you questions about what you like and dislike in your home currently, how you live in it now versus how you’d prefer to live in it, and based upon your input, he or she will build a variety of optional design schemes for your approval. In your first consultations with the designer you’ll be able to tell if she is self-serving or client-serving. One clue that she’s serving your best needs is she will ask a lot of questions as opposed to pushing products without getting enough information from you. Visual aids in the form of pictures, 3d floor plans and drawings, and oversized fabric swatches will help ascertain you get the right things for “you”. On presentation day, you’ll be able to envision the plans from these aids. If the schemes are right for you, something usually clicks. The possibilities of the design schemes and visual aids will excite you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DESPIRE TO INSPIRE

 

Ask quality questions again on presentation day such as “are the sofa cushions good quality”; “do the curtains allow enough daylight”; “will my napping dog damage the fabric for the chairs”; and “does the dining room table have leaves.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via DESIGN SPONGE

 

Questions Your Designer Will Ask You

 

What do you love about your current home? What do you dislike about it? Do you get a lot of sun in this room? Will you be doing any entertaining? How many children or grandchildren do you have? Any pets? What colors are you drawn to? What’s your budget? Do you have any deadlines? What do you use this room for? Can we work around this antique table or do I have to omit it from the plans? Any rooms you don’t use in the home? Do you like your home to feel formal, casual or a little of both? Do you like pattern and color? Any physical disabilities or challenges?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via ELEMENTS OF STYLE

 

 

The questions may not seem vital but a designer uses many of them as perimeters for myriad decisions from planning furniture layouts to choosing fabrics and window covering styles to lighting plans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via PALOMA81blogspot

 

 

Good questions and answers are only as good as your designer’s listening and communication skills. If you don’t understand something, stop the conversation ASAP and ask for clarification. If you or the designer are jotting down notes while the other person is speaking, stop writing, and ask the person to repeat themselves. If you or the designer is writing or thinking about what they’re going to say next, they’re not really listening. Take copious notes. Clarify uncertainties. All of these are key in good communication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WINDOW SMITH

 

Shiree’s Style File

 

Start out slow the first time you work with a designer till you get comfortable. As your project proceeds from initial consultation to proposals, design schemes, orders, fabrications and installations you will become more familiar with how designers work and charge for their time.

 

It helps to have at least some idea of what you like and dislike. Designers can gain a lot of knowledge from some of the simplest visual aids- pictures of things you like; swatches of fabric; or even a painting can act as a catalyst in your project.

 

The aesthetic quality of the project will be evident in the designer’s presentation. Look for outstanding fabric combinations that are pulled together yet not too matchey-matchey; plans that have a little flexibility; tear sheets of beautiful, high quality furnishings; well written plans that evolve around your architecture, the things you love and at least some  of your existing furniture; and professional, clean looking estimates and budgets with branded logos and signature fonts and colors.

 

 

Look for designers who have workrooms with at least fifteen years of experience. I have seen many otherwise beautiful projects look amateurish and silly because of poorly crafted upholstery and window treatments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via DECORISTA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MICHAEL GRAYDON

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via LOBSTER AND SWAN