At home: what’s trending now?

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • September 5, 2020

We love checking out the latest trends.

It’s not so much that we are going to repaint our white, two-year-old kitchen cabinets the popular color of the moment, but more that, it’s fun to know what’s new and fresh.

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I always caution clients against following trends. Instead, I suggest that we take a favorite trend and find a way to work some version of it into your current décor without an expensive renovation. And I recommend that you always ask yourself if you will still love it in five years. The goal: classic and timeless. With a little fun included in the mix.

Kitchen cabinets and island painted in Sherwin Williams Pewter Green (SW6208). Pottery Barn’s Rory pendants in burnished brass shades. Fenton leather bar and counter stools. Available at www.potterybarn.com. Photo: Pottery Barn.

Not a normal year for trends

High Point Market, the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world, with over 10 million square feet and 2000 exhibitors throughout 180 buildings, takes place in the fall and spring. It’s where designers meet with suppliers and seek out the newest and most beautiful trends in the industry. It’s where it all happens. Walt Disney World for designers.

This past spring, the show was canceled because of COVID-19 and like in the fashion industry, there was no real excitement around design. We were all at home (and still are for the most part) trying to survive a pandemic. The usually flurry of articles and photos with the latest trends did not happen.

So, when a client recently asked me for trends, I thought it was time to take a look at what has come about in the past six months or so while we have all been at home and isolated.

Comfort and function

My go-to for the pulse of the industry is Kravet, the industry leader in to-the-trade home furnishings. The fifth generation family business offers a one-stop shopping venue for designers looking for fabrics, furniture, wall coverings, trimmings, carpets and accessories.

Naples showroom manager, Amy Jimenez, says “comfort” is key to current trends.

“After spending so much time at home, homeowners are looking for comfort, function and performance. Creating a cozy space with a modern feel at home is what’s important.”

Also important, according to Jimenez, is color. Blues, greens, soft shades and dark teals.

What’s trending now?

Kitchens

We are now using them for working at home, school work, entertaining, dining. Trends: Larger islands. Open layouts. Upgraded appliances. Bronze and brass hardware and lighting are hugely popular. Color for cabinets and islands. Think: sage green and navy blue.

Nooks/office space

With everyone working at home, zoom rooms have become a necessity. Okay, you really don’t need a whole room. A wall or a nook will do. But the point is that you need a background for your zoom meetings and a quiet space with privacy. A wall with a piece of art or a countertop with flowers. Lighting is important. A little creativity makes this one easy.

Reconfigure a guest bedroom so it can be used as an office. Rework a laundry room for crafts and a small desk area.

A calm home

This means a lot of neutral colors, open spaces, elements from outdoors, soft indirect light in public spaces, plants to purify the air, chemical-free household products.

Color

Wild and eco-friendly, dried grasses look like you just came back from a walk down a country road. These beautiful arrangements are easy and maintenance-free. Available at www.potterybarn.com. Photo: Pottery Barn

This is the one change that everyone can make with a minimum of expense. And most of my clients have been repainting. It lifts the mood and refreshes the space, almost instantly.

Trends: Neutrals like white, grey, beige are still popular because anything can be used to accent a color palette. Black is now considered a neutral. Blues work everywhere and navy is so popular. All shades of green for walls and fabric. Afraid to commit to a color in a room? Go with neutral walls and paint the ceiling a beautiful color that you have always wanted to try. Worried about imperfections in the wall? Use a matte finish.

Vintage

The days of cheap, fast furniture as a temporary fix have slipped away. Thankfully. Using what’s already here not only honors the skills of craftsmen of the past but it embraces quality that lasts. And vintage pieces will not end up in a landfill. There is a renewed love for vintage and antique pieces and new ideas for using them in your home.

Trends: Incorporate a rare and unique vintage piece. New paint and modern upholstery will give a collectible new life and provide an accent for your room.

Boho chic vibe

This is a look that is fun and provides a lot of comfort.

Trend: Rattan, cane and wicker. All new, this retro style of chairs and tables mixes with your sofas for an affordable, light style.

Bedrooms

Paint a dark wall behind the bed in midnight blue or charcoal. It’s a dramatic backdrop for artwork and photos. Sacrifice a fan for a gorgeous chandelier. As one of my favorite clients says, “we have air conditioning.”

Dried grasses

Wild and eco-friendly, dried grasses look like you just came back from a walk down a country road. Beautiful arrangements are easy and maintenance-free.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog