4 Home Trends to Look Out For

A few new trends are coming around, or coming back, in the world of home decor..

The first being anything that is "Made in America." These items reflect handmade, hand tooling details containing the all-American quality.

The second is the color blue, in any shade. Any store you walk into right now containing home decor seems to really be catching on this trend. The color is everywhere, blue is the color of the year for home furniture and accessories. 

Next is nature. Needless to say, nature is a timeless trend that can always be used. It is proven that people work and feel better in spaces that contain inspiration and aspects from nature. 

Lastly, the forth trend is metallic. Metallic finishes and threading are very in right now, especially gold, silver, pewter, and bronze. Metallics add elegance and drama to any space. 

Taking inspiration from the Pro's!

I constantly find myself being the typical twentysomething devoting countless hours to Pinterest. Sometimes, however, I do find that it pays off. Recently I stumbled upon a number of Interior Design related quotes, that were just the motivation I needed going into my last project of my last semester at Purdue.

When you don't know what to "google"

Sometimes as Interior Design students, we run out of options for specifying items, and constantly find ourselves using the same manufacturers, project after project. I often find myself challenged with not knowing where to look for specific items. I was recently introduced to the website "4specs.com," which reminds me of Google, but for the design industry. You can search things as generic as "lighting," or something more specific and have your eyes opened to a whole new world!

The Power of Feng Shui

Hong Kong is a city famous for its vertical architecture and ultra contemporary building designs. A lack of space within the city has created a need for compact and rapid development. As futuristic as the city is, however, few of Hong Kong’s residential or commercial buildings have been constructed without the use of the ancient discipline of Feng Shui. At least 90% of businesses in Hong Kong have a full time Feng Shui consultant on staff.

Thousands of years old, Feng Shui is a system of mathematical, geographical, psychological and aesthetic rules to manage the flow of energy in a room, as to be harmonious with the environment. Feng Shui is based on traditional Chinese medicine, which is built on the foundation of Yin & Yang and the five elements- water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.

Countless corporations use Feng Shui to increase the potential of the company and protect their assets. Feng Shui-surpporters include Coca Cola, Disneyland,  McDonalds, Virgin Mobile and leaders such as Bill Gates and Donald Trump.

In conclusion, Feng Shui may seem like a cheesy cliché, but in other parts of the world, designers wouldn’t think to create a space without using it.

Design Tips to keep in Mind

#1: Personalize your space.
Your space should reflect who you are. The best way to achieve this is by including accessories that reveal your hobbies and interests that express who you are. What colors are you drawn to? Do you prefer mod or modern? Use your taste in clothing as a style guide for your home and other aspects of design.

#2: Work with your surroundings.
It’s important to understand your design limitations. Be familiar with the size and scale of your space. Also, consider your environment and respond to it to help you narrow choices down based on your space.

#3: Keep comfort in mind.
Comfort is key. Try to pick furniture and key components that are aesthetically pleasing but also functional and comfortable to use. Although some furniture may look cool they may not be practical to use.

#4: Stick with the classics.
Incorporating pieces that have withstood the test of time gives you the freedom to interpret them as your design style advances. Using classic furniture, prints, and fabrics offers you with a basic foundation to build on with trendy or personalized accessories and finishes .The possibilities are endless when it comes to updating a classic piece.

#5 Less is more.
As Mies Van De Rohe states this famous quote. We may fail to use this in design as we get caught up in all the possibilities we can do! We can sometimes forget to keep it simple. You don’t want to overcrowd your space. If you edit the items in each room to create a balance. 

Why we Should Organize by Color-Coding

Everyone likes to be organized, or at least try to be, but sometimes being organized gets a little hard. We don't always have time to organize our books by genre or our shirts by size. We want our belongings and our spaces to look clean and thought-out, but what is a simple way to achieve this feel? Color-coding! 

For starters, color-coding any type of collection automatically has an obvious, visible sense of organization. This simple method of organization doesn't require too much thought and establishes a sense of cohesiveness throughout an otherwise cluttered space. The look can be taken to another level by strategically placing complementary tones together and breaking away from the classic gradient color-coding look. Displaying a monochrome collection instills a continuous flow within the decor of a space. This simple organizational method is also very easy to maintain! 

Color-coding brings an aesthetically-pleasing essence to a space with minimal effort, perfect for a little change up in your everyday spaces. 

The White Room

In the design field, often times the color white is underrated. It is seen as a blank canvas or a project not yet finished. The concept of The White Room utilizes the simplicity of blank surfaces as though-evoking areas. The only thing that fills the room is ideas. There are three main concepts to consider when creating The White Room:

1. Unlimited Writable Surfaces
You can never install too many surfaces to scribble on. Dry erase paint and whiteboard surfaces can provide a piece of scrap paper in the size of an entire wall. But don't limit yourself to simply vertical surfaces. Utilize ceilings, floors, and even furniture. In this case, more is more.

2. Reduce Furniture
The White Room should be a space of movement and activity. Cramming the room with seating limits the amount of action that can take place. Stools are ideal, as they are casual and encourage upright active postures. Other pieces of soft-seating can also be added for comfort.

3. Compact Spaces
Small rooms allow teams to utilize the potential of The White Rooms. If the space is too large, ideas get lost. Tighter rooms make sure solutions and theories are easily approached and re-visited. An ideal White Room would be about 10' x 14' or even 8' by 10'.

Special Thanks to Make Space by Scott Doorley & Scott Witthoft