The passing of the old year to the new isn’t signified merely by replacing your paper calendar on the bulletin board. This time of year offers homeowners a chance to turn the page on outdated esthetics in their abodes, too. No need to wait for “spring cleaning” season: Now is the ideal time to update obsolete elements and interiors and infuse a fresh new look, without necessarily embarking on an expensive or intrusive remodel, say the pros.
“At the start of a new year, we tend to be aspirational about the upcoming year. We spend time analyzing our lives to see how we can make them better,” says Hillary K. Cohen, owner of hCO INTERIORS in Jersey City, New Jersey. “Looking at your home is a natural place to start. Ask yourself, ‘what design changes can I make that will bring a fresh energy to my home and life?’”
The good news about making minor improvements now is that many experts issue recommended design trends at this time of year to coincide with the change of the calendar. In other words, ’tis the season for fashionable new ideas.
“The new year is always about improvements and fresh starts. And this is traditionally when annual design trends are suggested. These trends provide a source of inspiration so that we can know what will be popular in the coming year and give us a chance to reset our interiors, allowing us to kick off the year in a stylish manner,” Boston-based HGTV design expert Taniya Nayak says.
To spur your home improvement ambitions, and help ensure your residence sports a stylish look in 2019, consider these five trends:
1. The healthy living look.
Many designers have observed a shift toward more eco-friendly and green elements indoors. Having an abundance of real plants can help achieve this. “Bringing the outdoors into your home is not only an esthetic choice, but real plants also provide the benefit of filtering harmful chemicals out of your home,” notes Lee Crowder, design gallery and model home branding manager with Taylor Morrison and Darling Homes in Dallas. “We’re also seeing tons of floral patterns inspired by nature being prominent in 2019. And more homeowners are choosing natural over man-made materials, like hardwood floors.”
2. Curved sofas.
Rounded-back sofas “add to the eclectic feel that’s becoming so popular,” says Cohen. “They’re perfect for a more formal living room because they’re all about the interesting shape and style.” Just be sure your curved sofa has a lot of empty space around it to show off its shape as much as possible.
3. Feminine and free.
Nayak notes this movement is all about embracing a pastel palette with hues like blue, cream and pale blue to fashion a romantic/glam look. “An easy way to realize this is to create a striped, pastel accent wall and alternate different paint finishes — like eggshell and satin — in the same colour to capture a soothing, soft, ethereal feel and create more depth,” says Nayak, who adds that this trend best applies to bedrooms and the living room.
4. Jewel tones.
Erika Woelfel, vice-president of colour and creative services with Behr Paint in Santa Ana, California, says jewel hues cast with an earthy richness will be all the rage in 2019. Deep tones like Ecological (Behr # S380-6) and Amber Autumn (#S290-5) “engage the senses and enhance the personal appeal of any room, especially those for entertaining like a living or dining room,” says Woelfel. Cohen adds that jewel tones work best “when multiple items or finishes in the room have a richness so that the whole room feels balanced.”
5. The clean farmhouse look.
While farmhouse esthetics have been popular for a while, the difference in 2019 is the suggested use of less tchotchkes. “This produces a cleaner look that incorporates only a few decorative trinkets or antiques alongside clean-lined furniture,” says Karen Gray Plaisted, an interior designer with Design Solutions KGP in Warwick, New York. “The antiques give the room character, but the cleaner look employs muted colours that reflect the simpler lifestyle people prefer today.”
Whatever trend you choose to follow, be careful not to overdo it.
“Whether you swap out accessories or merely add a fresh coat of paint, small updates to a space can make you fall in love with it all over again,” Nayak says.
