The holidays give us some well-deserved time to take a break, spend time with friends and family — and perhaps mull over house projects for the coming year. We consulted design professionals and industry trade shows to get a feel for what the new year will bring.
1. Farmhouse Style
Whether driven by nostalgia for a simpler time, or the appeal of clean lines and straightforward shape, the traditional farmhouse is having a moment. Farmhouse plans are among the most popular at Houseplans.com, and fancy farmhouses are showing up all over town. With a standing-seam metal roof and durable cement-board siding, the new farmhouse is also built to last.
This contemporary farmhouse by Tim Brown Architecture of Austin, Texas, has deep overhangs to promote natural cooling. Photography by Casey Fry.
2. Moving Outside
What can we look forward to at January's Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS)? An emphasis on products for outdoor living. "It’s no longer about what grill are people buying for their backyard, it's about bringing the entire kitchen experience outdoors. Everything from weatherproof cabinets to dishwashers, refrigerators, and
even pizza ovens,” says Brian Pagel, vice president of the kitchen and bath group at Emerald Expositions. Furniture manufacturers have also taken note: the newest collections are trim and elegant enough to work indoors.
Pieces in the Island Estate Veranda line by Tommy Bahama look like they're made from bamboo, but the frames are actually weather-resistant aluminum.
Pieces in the Island Estate Veranda line by Tommy Bahama look like they're made from bamboo, but the frames are actually weather-resistant aluminum.
3. Into the Woods
Since today's residential architecture emphasizes a lot of natural light, there's less of a need to paint everything white to make a space feel brighter. "The pendulum swings back and forth," says certified kitchen-and-bath designer Mary Jo Camp, who is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. "In cabinetry, we're seeing furniture-quality woods like walnut and mahogany, as well as darker stains."
A transitional kitchen by Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry of Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, features walnut cabinetry with milk-glass inserts.
A transitional kitchen by Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry of Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, features walnut cabinetry with milk-glass inserts.
4. Multitasking Sinks
Given all the work that happens here, can the kitchen sink ever be too big? Taking the sink to the next level is a Tulsa, Oklahoma company called The Galley Sink. Originally designed to create more workspace in a small kitchen, these sink "workstations" have two tiers of cutting boards, drying racks, colanders and other
accessories that slide back and forth, letting you reconfigure the sink for whatever you need to do.
The Galley Sink workstations can go from prep station into serving buffet, thanks to removable condiment trays and ice bin-dividers.
The Galley Sink workstations can go from prep station into serving buffet, thanks to removable condiment trays and ice bin-dividers.
5. The Expanding Shower
Reflecting how often we use it, the shower is getting proportionally bigger in the modern bathroom. Even though it's larger, a curbless shower without a door keeps the space relatively open and uninterrupted. If you have room, a sculptural freestanding tub is a wonderful addition, but those large built-in tubs are going by the wayside. Meanwhile, wall-hung toilets are increasingly popular because they take up less space and make cleaning easier.
Berkeley, California-based designer Lori Pepe-Lunché removed a built-in tub to create a spacious shower tiled in Carrara marble. Photography by Muffy Kibbey.
6. Looking Good from All Angles
When homes have open floor plans and great rooms, furniture often needs to do double-duty as room dividers, points out Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based interior decorator Arianne Bellizaire. Plan ahead and choose pieces that have flexibility and don't have to be positioned against a wall. Look for chairs and sofas with interesting details that break up their mass, and desks that work in the center of a space.
The midcentury-inspired Raleigh sofa from Design Within Reach has an exposed wood frame that gives it visual appeal from the back.
7. Handcrafted Accessories
7. Handcrafted Accessories
A counterpoint to the vast number of mass-produced items in our lives, objects that represent traditional craft and handiwork have more resonance than ever. Consider tied-dyed and wool-felt textiles; stools and end tables made of hammered metal or carved out of wood or stone; and hand-glazed ceramics and woven baskets.
Atlanta, Georgia-based Currey & Company's bestselling Fête table lamp is ceramic with an organic blue glaze.
Atlanta, Georgia-based Currey & Company's bestselling Fête table lamp is ceramic with an organic blue glaze.
