Interior Design Trends for 2014

Home design trends, like clothing fashion, change quite frequently.  Many times there are simple updates you can make to keep your home looking fresh and modern.  Here we will give you advice on current styles as well as common mistakes to avoid when updating your home.  Use the following list as your guide and you are sure to impress friends and family with your latest updates.

HOT:

Blue, blue and more blue!  Not only is the color blue hot on the runways this year, it’s hugely popular in home decor and design. Using shades of blue is definitely one of the most noteworthy trends of 2014.  We are seeing every color and pairing of blue from turquoise to azure and anything in between.  You don’t even need to worry about mixing and matching different shades of blue within one room.  In fact, the most exciting way to update with blue this year seems to be combining a myriad of different shades.  This can be done with wall color, furniture, pillows, any number of accent pieces or all of the above.  This is essentially the easiest and most foolproof way to add a fresh update to your home.

NOT HOT:

Overly matching furniture, accent pieces and patterns is out!  We are way past the 1950’s, my friends.  In our modern era, we know that perfection is not only unattainable, but the appearance of perfection is quite uninviting.  A room with different yet complementary colors, patterns and textures has character and warmth.  We are moving further and further away from the days of formal sitting rooms that shout “Don’t touch!” and “Keep out!”  We want our family and guests to feel welcome in our homes and to also get a sense of who we are based on personal style.   

We could label this a move toward a more eclectic design sense.  But really, over-matching (more than one couch in the same color, two of everything, and repeated colors and fabrics) has been a thing of the past for a long time.  Show your personal style in your home. Mix and match varying yet complementary tones, textures and patterns.  The key is knowing the difference between “matching” and “coordinating.” 

HOT:

Ethnic prints and accent pieces are way in this year.  Varying prints inspired by exotic locals and fair-trade decor items add character and conversation starters to any room.  This is also a fantastic way to showcase your travel souvenirs.  This trend was born through the ever-growing importance of travel for our younger generations and also the uniting fair trade movement to help third world indigenous people.  Bright, bold prints especially on pillows and rugs give rooms a well-traveled, bohemian vibe.  This is a fun way to bring plain colored couches to life and draw the eye away from boring vanilla walls.  We encourage you to buy fair trade items as much as possible.  Not only will you be adding a significant update to your home, but you will also be doing your part to help those in need. 

NOT HOT:

Keeping furniture against walls may seem like the best way to arrange a room, but this is one of the most common mistakes you can make.  A room needs to have a sense of intimacy and proper flow.  This means that couches, chairs or tables (any main pieces of furniture) should be the central point of a room, inviting guests to sit or dine.  

The space between furniture and walls should vary according to the size of the room.  If the room is quite large, any furniture butted up against walls will be easily dwarfed by the space.  You don’t want your guests to be sitting and staring out at a big empty space, you want them to feel like they are gathered together sharing in an intimate environment.  You want your family and your guests to be the center of any room.  So when you are arranging furniture in your house, think about what would inspire comfort and intimacy.


HOT:

Natural and outdoor elements brought indoors.  This is one of the bolder trends for 2014 but we are confident that it will continue into 2015 and possibly beyond.  There are varying extremes of this concept from actually incorporating live plants, rocks, and branches into design elements to furniture and decor in nature inspired shapes.  The idea is to create the serene feeling of being in a garden or forest. 

Depending on your taste, this could be as simple as a few new plants or as extravagant and unique as a chandelier made of branches.  This design element plays well with the ethnic prints and patterns that are also en vogue for 2014.


NOT HOT:

Too much is never in style, whether it be too much clutter, too much pattern, or too many contrasting colors.  We want to emphasize this especially with some of the more eclectic looks that are coming into style.  If you have lots of travel souvenirs you want to display, be careful not to crowd them all into one space.  

Grouping everything together can be overwhelming on the eye and draw attention away from other elements in the room.  Your collections can be displayed throughout the house without detracting from their conversational value.  Similarly, accenting a room with exciting patterns can be executed beautifully, but you must not overdo it or you will have a dizzying effect and the room will lose its comfortable appeal.

HOT:

This final section is dedicated to some of the less extravagant, yet still noteworthy trends of 2014. Corduroy is hot in fabric, especially for couches and chairs.  The use of brass has become popular recently as well.  

However, this must be done right or can appear quite tacky.  Mainly we are seeing stately brass elements in upscale kitchens and bathrooms.  Lighter colored woods are being seen throughout the design world.  We are seeing a move away from the rich dark stained woods of the past to a lighter, fresh, even beachy look.  Lighter woods give an open airy feel and can make a room look much larger.

Along these same lines, we see the use of sheer window dressing is big this year.  Again, this gives a lighter, airy feel to the interior and allows for more light to enter a room.  Overall, the general movement of 2014 design trends lean toward unique, personalized spaces with inviting atmospheres and elements of peaceful relaxation.  Have fun making this your year for change!