Laura Stein, Canadian interior decorator, has announced the year's top 10 design trends, based on client requests and showings and the region's trade exhibitions. The list includes what consumers will be seeing in showrooms, retail stores and design magazines for the coming year.
1. Glamor and luxury. There is a desire for glamor and luxury at every price point, and manufacturers are making luxury more accessible. Silver, lavender ad champagne are popular colors. Look for rich fabrics like silk and velvet, attractive polished metals and shiny lacquered furniture.
2. Focus on function. Focus remains on quality, practicality and comfort. Fleeting trends are reported to be out and longevity is in. Contemporary decor is becoming softer, warmer and more comfortable, and there is renewed interest in classic styling.
3. Back to the classics. Classic and traditional decor is seeing a resurgence in popularity, but often includes a modern twist with bold colors, striking patterns and clean lines. Warm woods, classic detailing and traditional fabrics are part of this trend.
4. Metallics. Metals are woven into fabrices, stamped onto wallpapers and painted on walls and woods. Silver remains popular but gold has made a comeback. Pewter, rust and copper are gaining steam. The best use of metal is as an accent. Too much bling is never a good thing.
5. Surrounded in white. The white room is the ultimate in stylishness, offering a clean and tranquil escape from the visual noise experienced every day. A mix of textures and black or red accents are being used to spice things up.
6. Big blue. Blue is the color of the year, from turquoise to deep royal. Blues are showing up in many places, and can coordinate with almost anything, looking right in both a contemporary or classic setting.
7. The tropics. If you can't go to the Caribbean this year, the tropics can come to you with turquoise, fuchsia, tangerine and lime green. These 1980s inspired tropical colors have made a comeback, along with big floral prints, leafy botanicals and bird patterns.
8. Sculptural furniture and lighting. Furniture and lighting style have always been important, but this year the line between traditional form and art has become more blurred. Both furniture and lighting have taken on a sculptural quality that is designed for both function and artwork.
9. Global influence. Some of the best design influences come from exotic places, and this year the role of designs from colonial islands and Africa are helping to create an adverture in your own living room.
10. Sustainability. This has been building for several years and is more than a trend. Green is everywhere and has influenced our design aesthetic to bring nature and nature-inspired themes into homes.
For more information, see Laura M. Stein Interiors.