What’s new? Home Design Trend Forecast 2012

Trends for 2012 will reflect a world striving for better balance. Searching for a form of beauty, honesty, respect, innocence, and commitment, and a demand for genuine emotion. We will see this in the form of honesty of natural materials and design. A better commitment to recycled materials, reclaimed woods, experimentation of color mixing and style with a relevance to the "Now". An easy comfortable style that begs to make us smile. A more sophisticated relationship between the worn and friendly and futuristic fantasy. A kettle that elegantly mixes the new, the old, with a freedom to enjoy unique and new color combinations that allow us an open canvas.

One of the freshest themes in home design will be one we refer to as "Easy Elegance". This trend brings a cozy comfort, a design with function. We are seeing a freedom to mix color and pattern in unique combinations, color blocking, and graduated color palettes. Fabrics that are warm and luxurious. Exotic materials in shades of chili red pepper, warm browns, and corals will lead the way. This trend represents a re-evaluation of lifestyle, a look toward products we can build emotional attachment to.

A minimalist trend has surfaced. A movement toward simplicity and an interest in products that are multifunctional. Sleek lines, muted colors, stainless, wood and lots of glass! A reach for a simpler time, an easy pared down look that reflects a more controlled and orderly life. New colors in this family will find you pairing yellows, soft gold's, and turquoise with grey. Whites with bright accents will also be popular as well as Shimmering metallics with matt blacks. Many simple yet luxurious fabrics will be front stage!

And inspired by world travel we see a trend we call "Time Honored Style". Beautiful combinations of traditional and exotic treasures. Materials and various ethnic influences inspired by African, Asian, and Middle Eastern countries have this trend offering warm, cheerful interiors. Warm dark colors with an emphasis on golden yellows, coffee browns, and deep colors of natural precious stones. Emeralds, Ruby, Amethyst, Sapphire. People are choosing exotic materials that exemplify a new freedom to mix bright and dark colors for a pleasing and unusual palette.

Eco decorating will continue as we settle into a new consumer landscape characterized by quality, longevity, sustainability, and significance. We see a comeback and research of forgotten skills of traditional craftsmanship. There is a greater desire for the consumer to know more about the manufacturers of the products they choose to purchase. Quality craftsmanship will be sought out. We will see textures with a rugged, nostalgic appeal. Fabrics with texture and natural fibers, weathered woods, slates and beach glass accents. Stone, organic material, cork, bamboo, and organic shapes will be prominent but with a contemporary edge. Hand-made artisan objects will be admired. Colors and patterns will be inspired by nature. Coffee brown, deep teal, cedar green, and phlox purple will be important in 2012.

2012 wraps up to be a mélange of warm and comfortable materials and luxurious finishes mixed to intrigue. A time to celebrate your personality. 2012 is a year to think out of the box. Bring all that you love together and make it work!