Design Trends 2011 - Trend #2 Vintage, Vintage, Vintage

Not just furniture but art, accessories, dishes, and fabrics too.  Give the new life to old treasures.  If you are lucky you have pieces you have inherited from your grandparents and great grandparents, pieces that you may think are dated or out of style but sometimes just adding a coat of paint and repurposing your treasure is all you need to not only have a conversation piece but also bring some history and maybe even childhood memories into your home. The green buffet shown to the right was my grandmother's.  She actually painted it herself in 1970's (hence the olive green finish) but it fits perfectly into my turquoise and green color scheme, plus people ask me about it all the time, which is great way to remind me of  how special she was to our family!

If you aren’t lucky enough to have family heirlooms, go to flea markets and estate sales.  Look at the shape and lines of the piece not the finish or the fabric, those can be changed.  Not only is it green to buy and reuse vintage furniture but they are usually built better, made of solid wood and much sturdier (I am not sure they knew what particle board was back then!).

Don’t store you grandma’s dishes and only get them out once a year for that prefect occasion, use them, enjoy them, hey if they are really cool, hang them on the wall.  If you have some really unique vintage fabric but don’t have much, have accent pillows made for the sofa or placemats for the dining table. If you have at least 3 yards, you could have an accent chair recovered for your room. 

A lot of the time old artwork looks terrible because it is framed terribly, but don’t let that deter, trash the old frame and pick a frame that is more fitting to the piece of art.  Be creative, think outside the box and if you can’t, let me know and I will do it for you!

Design Trends 2011 - Trend #1 Creating Personal Style

Now that everyone is settling in to 2011, the kids are back in school, you’ve returned to work, you’re holiday décor is put away (hopefully) and everyone is getting back into the swing of things you are probably feeling not only a sense of peace but also a little restlessness. For most people the start of a new year means new beginnings, refreshed work-out schedules and meal plans, and a dedication to realigning yourself, whatever that may mean to you…to me that means looking at my home and giving it a fresh new look. So starting today 1-11-11 and continuing on for the next 11 days I will bring to you the latest trends for 2011 in hopes that it jump starts you to energize yourself with your surroundings…make your home a reflection of you and your family!

Trend #1 - Creating “Personal Style”

As a designer, people always ask me, “What is your style?” and I always answer with, “A little bit of everything…” In 2011 design is pulling away from specific styles like “Rustic”, “Old World”, and “Modern”, and style is becoming much more personalized. Your home shouldn’t look like you went to a furniture store and pointed to a display “room” and said, “I’ll take that whole room!” Your home should consist of treasures collected over time, items handed down, great random finds, and collections from your travels as well as new purchases. The true trick is finding the balance. Like in cooking you need to find the right recipe, a whole house of rustic with one modern acrylic chair just won’t make sense. So mix things up a bit…put your great grandfather’s handmade dining table with modern, upholstered dining chairs.

Additionally, have your home reflect both masculine and feminine elements, don’t alienate anyone. You should have light and dark, old and new, and have it all in equal amounts.

What is your “personal style”?