You want your home to be stylish, but you don't want it to be so "trendy" that you have to re-do everything as soon as today's fads become yesterday's news. Never fear - there are some general decorating trends that you can build a long-lasting decor around.
- Environmental Decorating. You've conserved, you've recycled, you've "gone back to nature" - all in the interest of preserving the environment. That interest in the environment extends to interior home fashions. Colors are "of the earth"; wallcovering and fabric patterns feature florals, fruits and vegetables; natural wood flooring and wood blinds are all the rage; faux textures that emulate stone, marble and granite continue to be popular.
- Cocooning Leads to Casual Living. People are entertaining their guests and themselves in their homes these days. Credit the growth in DVDs, video games, personal computers and home entertainment centers for that phenomenon. As part of that trend, people are favoring cozy, casual, informal decors - overstuffed sofas and chairs, easy-to-care-for carpeting and vinyl floors. People want comfortable surroundings - homes they can really live in.
- Rooms You Use. Remember that living room that looked like a museum exhibit in your mother's or grandmother's home? The only thing missing was a rope with a sign saying "do not touch" hanging from it. Not so today. Today, living rooms are for living, dining rooms are for dining. Space is at a premium in homes today, so these rooms are actually being used. Great rooms contribute to a flow of traffic in the living room, dining room, kitchen and family room. Homes are much more dynamic than ever before.
- "Sophisticated" Country. American Country has splintered into the gentility of English Country, the light-heartedness of French Country, the freshness of Scandinavian Country and the rustic look of the American West.
- Opulence. Though casual living is "in," opulence remains. You'll see beautiful layers of fabric at the window. Sumptuous top treatments and side panels add richness and elegance to many a room.
- Coordinating Fashion. You can have a room that looks very "put together" with coordinating wallcoverings, window treatments, table rounds, bedspreads, comforters and pillow shams. The look is very custom, but it can be easily achieved by shopping at a full-line decorating center (or paint and wallcovering shop). Be sure to visit an independently owned shop near you for advice and guidance.
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