What's in Store for 2011

We are ending 2010 with a guest post from Design Shuffle.  They are going to give a look into what is in store for 2011 in the world of design!
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Predicting interior design trends and what the public will embrace has long been the main focus of IMM Cologne’s expert committee of the international trend board. Each year the committee researches and assesses what consumers are up to and what is on their minds. When predicting trends for 2011, the experts determined people were doing a little questioning of their own when it came to interior design ideas. SO just what is on the buying public’s minds? They’re figuring out what it takes to live comfortably, looking for innovation and personalization in products, and finding a localized balance in an increasingly globalized world. So how does this translate into the interior design trends headed our way for 2011?
Jackie Jordan, Sherwin-William's director of color marketing, sums it up.  "We're celebrating our individuality, embracing what has personal meaning and shedding what doesn't." So with Jordan’s translation in mind, these are the top interior design trends of 2011—a few new, and few brought with us from 2010.
Bold Design Decisions
The strong interest in all things ethnic, handmade and meaningful finds interiors with bolder designs such as heavy texture, geometric and nature prints, and natural materials on window treatments and home décor accessories. Artisan pieces, such as those made by National Geographic’s Novica artists are found for every room of the home. Colors are bold and natural with Pantone’s Honeysuckle in the forefront, its reddish base and pink finish the exact match for the flower. Designers are totally on board for the new trends, with New York interior designers helping their clients find their own style.

Coxy Interior/ Bold Design (Credit)

Mixing It Up
Simplicity is at the forefront as the formal and traditional are stripped down and replaced by mixing pattern, texture and layering materials. Casual feel good prints and fabrics paired with warm distressed woods and finishes mix it up and basically, eclectic rules as we get to choose what goes where. Design that is personalized and reflects individual character is tops for 2011.

High Fashion Home/ Mixing It Up (Credit)

Natural Materials & Texture
Hyper-sensitivity to the environment continues as we look to natural materials in all aspects of the home. Organic and natural fabrics, non-toxic paints and finishes are resplendent. Furniture shows natural aging distressed by usage with rust, water marks, nicks and dings. With use of natural materials comes texture and lots of it, everywhere. Heavy woven and nubby fabrics, rough metals and distressed wood are all sources of the abundant texture.

Luxury Culture/Natural Materials (Credit)

Living Etc. (Credit)

Layering

The Telegraph (Credit)

Overlapping flooring and wallpapers make for wonderful layers of color, texture and bold design. Putting a vividly woven rug atop an existing printed carpet or using differing wallpapers in the same room are examples of the layering being seen. Some are even putting printed wallpaper on the ceiling while having an entirely different, even clashing, print on the walls. Modern colors, bold geometrics and large florals are all part of the layering movement. San Francisco interior designers in particular are embracing this trend in particular with many layered designs being seen in the shelter magazines.
Content provided by Design Shuffle which is a social media site filled with interior design ideas from top tier design talent around the world. Best of all, registration is completely free.
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Thank you Design Shuffle for all the great information!  Don't forget to link your inspiration boards for 2011 in the 2011 inspiration post.  I want to see what YOU think is in store for 2011.

2011 Inspiration

Here is what is inspiring me for the upcoming year:

I noticed that I have a little more drama going on from my last inspiration board.  Grays and peacock colors have been replaced for deep chocolates and glossy blacks with bright splashes of pinks and purples A combination of modern and old world mixed with a bit of glitz.  And as far as the "peace love and chocolate", how can one imagine a future without some yummy chocolate in it?  Well, I guess it could apply to chocolate colors as well.

So now it's your turn to show your inspiration for the next year.  It may turn out to be inspiring to others as well as yourself.  Please provide a link to your posting of your inspiration board below.  If you don't have a blog where you posted it on, I think it will work for linking to a image on facebook or any site you can post an image.  I can't wait to see them!

Inspiration To Come

This last week of the year is always one full of reflection and hope for the new year.  I thought it was about time for a new inspiration board.  You may remember the one I posted earlier this year:

As I'm working on my inspiration board to show you later this week, I would love to see some of your inspiration boards or any inspirations for 2011.  When I post my board this week I will provide a linky link to let you link to your post of your own inspiration.  Be thinking about it!

Last Minute

Much to my relief, I am all finished with my Christmas shopping.  I know that some of you are deciding to brave the crowds today and tomorrow to find that perfect gift.  Well, in case you didn't get an email this morning from Z Gallery announcing their sale of up to 70% off great gift items, I'm telling you this place seems like a one stop shop!  I found all kinds of deals that I wouldn't mind Santa leaving under my tree.  Take a look:

I thought this floor screen with votives was so unique:

So fly over to your closest Z Gallerie or shop online to snag these great deals! No need to thank me for finding the solution to your shopping stress :)  Merry Christmas!

Images from Z Gallerie

A Bright New Year

My new clients that I presented to today are fast becoming favorites.  I proposed a neutral palette for their Living Room, Dining Room and Study with splashes of bright berry colors.  The scheme actually goes along well with the new Pantone Color of the Year, Honeysuckle. 

These clients made my job easy; gushing over every fabric and piece of furniture I showed them, not wanting to change a thing.  They can't wait to get started, and neither can I!  This refreshing project will be a great way to start the new year!

Ruby Splash and Orange Crush

Today I'm in the land of bright fabrics.  I'm surrounded by names like Volcano, Tobasco, Poppy and Red Pepper while narrowing down my choices for the project I'm working on.  So many options and great fabrics, so little things to apply them to.  Thanks goodness for throw pillows since they allow me to keep a few more of the fun fabrics in the loop. 

My current project is bringing together contemporary and old world, antique furniture and modern color and patterns.  It's been really fun bringing it all together.  These two books have a been a great source of inspiration:

Glamour from Met Home

and New Classic Style from Better Homes and Garden. 

(You can find these in my amazon bookstore).

I'll be presenting the project next week to the client so I'm sure you will be getting a glimpse of the presentation board when it's done.  Have a great weekend!

Photos by Rebecca Ward

Color of the Year for 2011

I'm here to announce the color of the year for 2011 as announced by Pantone today:

It's called honeysuckle and I think it an appropriately cheery color for the current economical struggles!  Go forth and be cheered!

Quotables

Quotes can be fun and yet they are a little curious to me.  If someone quotes you making a statement, it can last forever and then people you don't even know are judging you purely on your one statement.  It would be nice if we could hand select our quotes for others to take and present them like ornaments on a tree.  Here are some quotes I picked about interior design you are free to judge and discuss:

"Good design is a renaissance attitude that combines technology, cognitive science, human need and beauty to produce something that the world didn't know was missing." - Paola Antonelli, curator of the Museum of Modern Art

"Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever out of style." - Billy Baldwin

"It is just as disastrous to have the wrong accessories in your room as it is to wear sport shoes with an evening dress" - Dorothy Draper

"Decor must have sentimental value. A house must tell a story" - Mark Hampton, Harper's Bazaar, June 1989

"A decorator should...be blessed with a sixth sense - a kind of artistic alchemy which endows the articles of furniture with that elusive quality of livableness which transforms houses into homes." - Michael Taylor, The Finest Rooms

Photo by Rebecca Ward.  
Quotes from Icon Magazine and interiordesignquotes.com

What's Your Favorite?

I found a great new blog tool when I visited Heartfire At Home's Blog.  It's called Linky Tools and allows readers to post links in my blog post.  She varies the topic each month and this month she asked for submissions of favorite blog posts from the month of November.

I thought for my first linky party I would do a similar theme and ask for you submission of your favorite blog post from October or November.  This can be your own blog or one you like to follow,or even from Design R.  What a great way to discover or rediscover new blogs!

My submission was the More Victorian post I did in November.  I had fun specifying the colors.  I got an update from the painter that the house is coming along great and looks fabulous!  I will be sure to post photos when it's finished.

So what's your favorite post from the last 2 months?




Image from Heartfire At Home