Yesterday, Things That Inspire, wrote a fabulous post entitled "Trendy Elements that Scream 2000's." In it, she lists design elements that might be likely to date our interiors to the past decade. Things such as oil rubbed bronze, open floor plans, and granite counter tops were listed as possible "of the moment trends."
The truth is, almost everything that we see in magazines today will look dated to our eyes in the next decade. Just open a Southern Accents from 1999 and you may be surprised by how "tired" many of the interiors look to your eyes. Unfortunately, our American culture gets bored easily. The design industry capitalizes on this, and new trends are formed, causing individuals to want "the next great thing."
The question remains, what will be the trends of the 2010's? I am no market expert, but I have a few guesses. We will have to wait and see if any of them come true!
Scale of HomesGiven the current economic climate, I predict that homes that are built in the next decade will be smaller and more intimate. Maybe this is just wishful thinking, but I hope that homes will be designed in a manner that allows families to interact in meaningful ways.
Eco-Friendly The government is mandating that more and more building materials and appliances be environmentally friendly. In many states you can no longer purchase oil based paint because it is harmful for the environment. LED lighting is is improving and more and more builders are using these energy efficient lights.
I predict that in the next decade we will see a large increase in sustainable building and design elements. I also predict that as sustainable materials become more mainstream they will become more aesthetically pleasing and more able to compete with their non-eco-friendly counterparts as well.
Eclectic DecorThis trend has already taken off but I predict that it will continue well into the next decade. No longer does everything need to be "matchy- matchy" or formulaic. Rather interiors are becoming more eclectic: inspired by travel and history. Interiors that reflect one's individual style and tastes rather than following some uniform formula, are the most stylish of all.
Return of BrassI don't know when, but I predict that brass will re-emerge the finish of choice sometime in the next decade. Given the cyclical nature of design, brass is due for a comeback. It may not ever reach the status it did in the 1980's but I am betting it will regain popularity again.
The use of Ceiling Lights Instead of Canned Lighting
I think that canned lighting has seen it's heyday instead of "swiss cheese" ceilings and we will see a return to hanging lanterns and chandeliers to add overhead light to a room.
Readers, I would love to hear from you. What do you think will be the trends that emerge in building and interior design over the next decade?
{images: 1 - via david netto, 2- via small place style; 3- via lee industries; 4- via lonny magazine; 5- via elle decor 6- via cote de texas}
Labels: Interiors
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