Design Trends for 2010: Global Harvest

2009 is rapidly drawing to a close and we're busy exploring all the great new design trends we're likely to see in 2010. We've looked at the trend towards fun, lively interiors and the trend towards incorporating "weathered and treasured" items in the home. But those are just the tip of the iceberg.

A number of trends we're seeing for 2010 are likely to take hold in part because they really work together. When designing rooms, we can incorporate two or three trends at once without the room looking weird or overly decorated. In fact, in these cases, two trends are even better than one.

Two of our favorite new design trends offer the perfect example. The first, Global Village, is all about desigining with, well, global themes in mind. Our friends at Sherwin-Williams call this trend "rooted" and describe it this way:

"Rooted," embodies the rich, earthy colors associated with African, Aboriginal, and Native American cultures. Jackie Jordan, the director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, says inspiration comes from members of Ethiopian tribes who paint their bodies with green and red pigments sourced from volcanic ash, as well as weeds, grasses, and shells. The deep teal and ash gray of African wildlife and landscapes, as well as the bright designs of the locals' textiles and beads, also serves a launching point for new designs.

And the San Francisco Chronicle reminds us that a carefully curated "well-traveled" look works on a lot of levels. We like it best when globally-inspired items are mixed and matched with simple and traditional pieces, so the room doesn't look overly "designed." The comfortable sitting room at the top left is a great example of this style working. We might even add a little more color with a Bridgehampton Strip pillow in Ochre, Hampton Blue, and Pumpkin:We love the way the strong colors in the pillow complement the rug, but the simple stripe doesn't overpower the rug's elaborate design or any of the amazing pieces in the room. In fact, it lends a little bit of a preppy edge to the space, keeping it from veering into kitschy territory.

We think Global Village is a match made in heaven with another trend - Harvest. While it sounds a little hokey, this trend really got to us. Here's how the UK publication UpWorld describes "harvest" in the home:

Natural - Innocent - Conservative. Think white linens with attention to detail, restrained but textural, sentimental. Wholesome and innocent, this style will have a slightly sophisticated edge through the use of neutral colours such as beige, ivory, black, taupes and caramels. Formality is mixed with informality. This style is all about family and acknowledges where our food comes from. Think rural, wheat fields in the sunshine, farm houses - abundance of an earthy kind. The current ‘Classic Contemporary’ interior style will evolve into this.

Since we're always designing with family in mind (after all, isn't that who uses our spaces?) this trend appealed to us. We love clean lines and calm colors in comfortable, family-friendly spaces like this one:

And wouldn't this space look great accessorized with a Linoak on Second pendant in Pumpkin, Cream, and Light Hampton Blue?

love the way the warm colors are set off by the cooler shade of blue. Overall, we think it conveys that feeling of home and harvest - in a cool, modern way.

Best of all, of course, would be to mix the two styles. Pepper a room with souvenirs from fabulous family trips, like amazing rugs or framed artwork painted by roadside artists, then accessorize with big cushions and warm throws to encourage family lounging. Add a low table and a bunch of appetizers (inspired by those trips abroad, of course) and you've got yourself the perfect mix of a couple of great design trends.

[Photo credits: Family rooms from Houzz.com. Throw pillow and pendant lamp from Alluminare.]

Design Trends for 2010: Weathered and Treasured

This week and next we're looking at some of our favorite design trends for 2010 (check out "have some fun" right here). Today's trend comes to us courtesy of the design folks at Sherwin-Williams, who have predicted a couple of cool new trends for 2010. Our favorite? They call it "treasured."Here's how they describe the treasured look:

"Treasured" is the third trend, where natural aging and weathering enhance the design. Jordan cites the Rough Luxe Hotel in the United Kingdom, where the original layers of peeling paint and ancient wallpaper are still visible on the walls. This "less-than-perfect aesthetic" also includes the use of distressed leather, vintage tapestries, found objects, and patina.

Pretty cool, right? We love the mix of luxe and rustic, the fading star-Grey Gardens aesthetic.

That's why we fell in love with the kitchen at the top of this post. It's modern in terms of technology- the stainless steel confirms that - but all that rough wood just looks like it has a story behind it. We'd pair it with a pendant lamp in a pretty print that might look old-fashioned, if it weren't for the very current color scheme, like the Suzani pendant in Cream, Blueberry, Light Spring Grass and Gray.

Sometimes we think that Paris has a corner on the "treasured" look. The city does, after all, lay claim to one of the greatest flea markets in the world in La Marche aux Puces. And where better to find items that bear that fabulous patina than at a flea market?

Plus, Paris is home to rambling old decaying mansions with rooms like this one:

The room above is in a Parisian home that's used these days mostly as a movie set. Easy to see why, right? We love the look of faded luxury. It's almost as though you can see the years peeling away from that majestic mantle.

A space like that demands equally regal lighting. Our vote goes to a three-pendant lamp in Silver and Sage Modern Damask:

The treasured look isn't all about rough wood and damp chateaux, either. Consider this antique sugar chest, topped with a vintage cocktail shaker and a very bright, modern (and funny) painting:

The chest has definitely seen its fair share of use, but careful care has helped it retain luster that makes it a good match for bright colors and a fun, Jetsons-like mid-century aesthetic. (We admit, we're a little stuck on this sugar chest, since it's in our own dining room!)

We'd love to see the wall behind the chest papered in something just as bright and fun and with the same retro vibe as the cocktail shaker - something like Maven in Light Spring Grass, Caribbean Sea, Pink Berry, and Sand Dollar:The bedroom is a perfect place for a single piece of furniture that's both treasured and repurposed, like this amazing bed made from antique doors:
The bed is such a showcase piece, we wouldn't want to overwhelm it with lots of accessories. But wouldn't that warm wood, with all its age, look fantastic with a couple of Napa throw pillows in Cream, Hampton Blue, Light Spring Grass, and Dark Goldenrod:

We especially like the way the Dark Goldenrod picks up the warmth of the wood.

What do you think about this trend? Are there any pieces in your homes that fit the "treasured" profile? Please share in the comments!

[Photo Credits: Rustic kitchen from Apartment Therapy. Paris apartment, sugar chest, and wooden bed from Houzz.com. All product photos from Alluminare.]

Design Trends for 2010: Let's Have Some Fun!

It's the end of the year and we all know what that means - lists and predictions. We've seen a million lists predicting all sorts of things for interior design in 2010. Some we agree with, some are no-brainers, some we question. But they all get us thinking.

From now until the end of the year, we'll highlight some of our favorite trend predictions for the design world, starting with this one: 2010 will bring us a lot more focus on fun.

Bright colors, crazy designs, and a devil-may-care attitude will dominate design next year, and the timing couldn't be better. It's tough out there these days, so why not add a little levity to your surroundings?

We'd get the party started with a funky Folk Art pendant lamp, in Caribbean Sea, Coral, Purple and White (at left). The lamp's trippy vibe and cool color scheme would add some peace, love and fun to any space. It reminds us of this energetic space, where pattern and color work together to create a vibrant room perfect for hanging out (whether you're canine or human): Fun need not be confined to the interior either. We love Arakawa + Gins' East Hampton Bioscleave House, an ambitious building, is dedicated to fun both inside and out: We love the Bauhaus elements of the building - it's boxy shape and intense colors. We'd match it with a Commonwealth lamp in Pale Buttercup, Classic Red, and Basil:Strong colors and geometric shapes add up to a fun, modern look.

On the other hand, we're finding decidedly un-Bauhaus inspiration in the stills for Tim Burton's new Alice in Wonderland movie:
The movie, like the story, is sure to have some dark elements, but it also incorporates a twisted shot of fun. We'd recreate it inside with a floral Serendipity throw pillow in pastels (Light Spring Grass, Bab Blue, Pink Berry) with just a touch of shadow (Chocolate Milk):

We like a side of whimsy with our fun, too, which is why we can't get enough of Vanessa de Vargas and her design company, Turquoise (pretty apt name for 2010, too, huh?).

Her spaces are bright and feminine, with cheeky touches, like these fancy silhouettes painted in bright colors on plain white walls. In our house, we'd accessorize with simple, but bright and fun lighting, like the Duo pendant in Pink Berry and Light Spring Grass:

There are a million ways to inject fun into home design - these suggestions are just the beginning. What's your favorite fun design element? Please share in the comments.

[Photo credits: Dogs on sofa from Apartment Therapy, Bioscleave House from Inhabitat, Alice in Wonderland still from Dalliant & Dainty, Vanessa de Vargas rooms from Houzz.com, All lighting and pillow from Alluminare.com.]

Pantone Names Turquoise the Color of 2010

Just last week, we were waxing poetic about color trends - specifically, trends of the past, with a look ahead to what the future holds for blue and brown. Well, the color experts at Pantone must have felt their ears burning because this week they've announced their "color of the year" for 2010: Turquoise!

We're not surprised, of course, and we heartily approve. Turquoise is fun, it's lively, and it's a great foil for so many other shades. We love turquoise mixed and matched with other blues, and with sweet or fiery pinks, purples and reds, as in this pendant lamp in Serendipity in Turquoise, Baby Blue, Twilight Blue, and Pale Lavender:

Turquoise is perfect for a feminine pattern like Serendipity because its girlish, but not terribly saccharine. This particular lamp is perfect in a young girl's bedroom or for a pretty living room or master suite, but the color itself would work nicely in boys' rooms and casual family rooms, as well.

We love turquoise paired with other shades, but we like it on its own, too, or matched with crisp white, for a preppy, beachy feel. Wouldn't the Parkside pendant in Caribbean Blue and white look perfect in any Palm Beach condo? Preferably one decked out in Jonathan Adler furniture, with a splash (or two) of Lilly Pulitzer in the closet, of course.

You can be sure that we'll have our eyes out for any new and innovative ways to use turquoise in the year to come.

What do you think about turquoise? Any favorite spots for the color? Or favorite memories (of that great Caribbean vacation, maybe)? Does Pantone's choice surprise you? Please tell us your turquoise stories in the comments.

Color Trends: A Retrospective

We've had a bit of a color debate going on around Alluminare. Our big question? Brown and blue: hot or not.

But more on that (and other current color trends) later this week. We escaped from our modern day trend debate to take a little trip down memory lane. Today is all about color trends from the past. What they were, what they remind us of, and how they hold up today.

Back in 1999, Serena Fenton published an article called, "Architectural Follies," in which she listed the most popular color combinations in school media centers and libraries from the 1960s through the '90s. As it turns out, those color combinations are good examples of the colors that ruled those decades. We couldn't help but check them out.

It all started in the 1960s, when avocado and harvest gold famously ruled the day, kitchens adopted a look that felt outdated a few years later. But how would it hold up today?

We actually like it. Green and orange feels pretty fresh right now, especially when it's punched up with white accents, like in this Brickell three-cylinder pendant lamp in cream, Army, and Pumpkin:

A few years later, in the early '70s, colors shifted to the primary section of the color wheel, when designers latched onto strong yellows, blues, and reds. We tried the combination out on a Commonwealth two-cylinder pendant in Bright Yellow, Blue Iris, and Classic Red:

The combination is fun for a kid's bedroom or playroom, but we find it a little strong for the kitchen (though using just two of the three colors would look great).

In the mid-70s, the look got a little funkier, with electric blue and Kool-Aid orange energizing interiors. We like the combination now, too. The Linoak pillow (at left) in cream, orange, and Wild Blueberry is a great modern look - fresh and fun and clean.

And then came the 80s - the days of pastel and wine and roses. In the early '80s, Fenton cataloged a great deal of gray with mauve and jade - we can just picture the early '80s wedding parties decked out in those shades.

We've modernized the combo, with a drum pendant in gray, Classic Pink, Tutu, and Forest:

We think the clean stripe saves it from looking overly saccharine, creating a lamp that would work in a variety of modern homes.

Of course, things didn't get any less pastel as the '80s progressed and Miami Vice, with all its linen blazers and candy-colored t-shirts, came on the scene. In fact, Fenton called the late '80s palette "Miami Vice pastels."

Even though the show went out forever ago, we think pastel color combinations never get old, especially not in little girls' rooms or feminine living rooms. The Granted pendant in Light Plum and Light Spring Grass would look just as perfect in any of those spaces today as it did during Don Johnson's heyday:

In the early '90s, girly shades were finally out, when interiors followed fashion with an emphasis on deep earth tones. They're still relevant, too, especially in traditional homes and masculine rooms, like libraries.

We love Beach Vine wallpaper in Rosemary and Ginger (at right) - it's warm and welcoming, and just as relevant today as it was fifteen years ago.




Fenton's research ended in the late '90s, with her assessment that pale citrus shades were all the rage. It's only been a decade, so we thought the combination might look dated, but as it turns out, we still love the look of lighter versions of sunny shades, like this Maven pendant in white, Pale Buttercup, Cantaloupe, and Light Spring Grass:

We think it hits exactly the right spot and is perfect for a sunny kitchen.

What are your favorite eras for color combinations? Any great color memories you've tried to recreate at home? Share with us in the comments.