Posts Tagged ‘Trends’
Top ten home decor trends in 2011
When it comes to decorating a home, everyone wants a stylish, trendy and functional look without burning a hole in one’s pocket. Whether it’s a new home or refurbishing an existing one, style it a la mode. Here are the top trends for 2011.
Go Green
With climate change weighing down on our planet, becoming eco- friendly is the mantra for the coming year. Furniture made from re-used wood is in vogue; it could come from a discarded shipping boat or simply an old door. The colours and ‘imperfections’ in the furniture reflect the previous life of the wood before it was made into a dining table, shelf or lamp, giving it a distinct character of its own.
Say it with Plants
You can go green literally too. Leafy friends add that x-factor to your décor. Go for big indoor plants like palms, ferns or smaller trees. Or clump small potted plants together in a basket and cover them with pebbles to create a chic look. Cactus or plants with colourful foliage look great indoors. Also with Chinese New Year just around the corner, bring bamboos into your home, and enjoy the luck, serenity and positive energy they bring.
Mix and Mash styles
Classic antique ornate pieces work very well against modern clean cut furniture pieces, creating depth with contrasting elements. Play with artefacts’ – a classic pot can be enhanced by metallic handles or a traditional chandelier can be coloured unexpectedly. Eclectic styling, seen particularly in the revival of colonial furniture in Singapore and a mixing of periods, allows for a home to convey the personality of the owner. Hang an antique door as artwork in your otherwise contemporarily styled room to give it an edge. Furniture and accessories, which incorporate metal, ceramics, wood, iron and brass will be in vogue in the coming year as will furniture with a raw look.
Just pure Vintage
If mix-n-match is not your style, you can go pure vintage. It’s timeless and always in vogue. Nostalgia and old world designs from both the east and the west will be the rage in 2011. Antique furniture pieces can be given a new lease of life with modern re-upholstery. So whether it is antique cabinets or armchairs, go splurge.
Space Savers
Spacious bungalows are passé, and with property prices rising year on year, studio apartments have come to be in vogue. Space is of the essence, and the furniture in your home can reflect that. Go in for that sofa-cum bed, or a sofa-cum-massage chair, a coffee table with in-built cabinets, a bar which doubles as a dining area, or an L-shaped cabinet for the corners which will help maximise your living space while being stylish at the same time.
Metallica
Furniture with an industrial look made its mark in 2010, and is here to stay. This furniture fits in with most room schemes, whether its minimalist, modern, traditional or luxuriously detailed settings. Wrought iron furniture is most popular in this category. It’s fancy, cost effective, and can give character to your drawing room as well as your terrace garden. Whether it’s a gold coloured coffee table, an ornate bed, or a chandelier with leaf motifs, these wrought iron products can add that class your living room was missing. You can even style your outdoors with wire garden chairs, tables or gazebos.
Invest in Art
Gone are the days when one cluttered the walls with tiny paintings and artefacts. Today a huge, stand-alone painting can be the mainstay of your living room. It’s time to invest in an expensive piece of art, even if you don’t understand it. Not only will it adorn your wall for decades to come, it will also appreciate in value and can be a nice gift to pass on to your kids.
A Splash of Colour
Just repainting your house can give it a new dimension. Mix colours in a room or contrast the wall colour with the furniture. A light, airy, citrus yellow will be in vogue in 2011. Vintage wine is also a good option when paired with leather couches or wood finishes. Or try a deep brown base with a hint of smoky violet to make your home look magnificent.
Go Wicker
Woven wicker furniture gained immense popularity earlier this year and promises to be a hit in 2011 as well. Couches and coffee tables made out of woven wicker are low maintenance and UV- Resistant. They look stylish indoors and are practical for the outdoors as well.
Rugs
An intricately hand woven or Persian carpet, can do wonders to your room. Put it in your living room to add vibrancy to those couches or use it to sit on in your study. Cotton or sheep skin rugs come in different sizes and are perfect to lounge on, and you can mount some colourful cushions on it to add some character.
Angelo Tan
Your Choice Singapore Real Estate Property Guru
Article from articlesbase.com
Popular Trends in Home Furnishing
Our homes are a great place to express our personality. Nowadays, homemakers describe their style as “eclectic”, because they are happy to mix different styles, as well as combining expensive items with more affordable ones. Popular trends in home furnishing include mixing old and new, classic and contemporary. If you are not lucky enough to have any antique furniture, you can easily get hold of beautiful reproduction furniture. Then, combine it with contemporary items. You can also achieve a great eclectic look by combining different styles, such as the ever so popular gold French furniture – rich in gold leaf and silk fabric – together with simple and lovely Venetian furniture. Mirrored furniture is so chic!
Furniture makers have been very responsive to this fashion, so now it’s easier than ever to purchase fine reproductions of vintage furniture, such as Louis, Rococo, Baroque and art-deco styles. Manufacturers are making sure that these reproductions are made following the techniques that French artisans used back in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries techniques handed down over the years from craftsman to craftsman.
Gold French furniture is nowadays usually finished in genuine gold leaf, and artisans make sure to give a distressing look to those areas where most natural wear would have occurred. The result is magnificent: gorgeous antique reproductions that retain the authentic look of the original!
The white painted chateau furniture usually undergoes a multi-stage finishing process that includes hand sanding, filling, sealing, painting and antique ageing.
Rich Rococo pieces, such as beds and chests of drawers are hand-carved, again, following the methods used hundreds of years ago.
Interior designers are also taking their inspiration from vintage styles and adding personal touches. They are able to do that by visiting every antique store and old French Chateau they can find, copying some features from them, and adding modern items to achieve a look that more and more people call “classic with a twist”.
As a result, Rococo furniture and chateau style furniture are becoming more fashionable. These are sumptuous and opulent styles, so you can tone down the whole look using neutral colours for the upholstered pieces – a beige velvet chaise longue, cream dining chairs – painting your walls white and using natural rugs, such as cowhides. Let’s be honest, Versailles style is way over the top, but using a few rococo and baroque style items, such as a reproduction chateau de Versailles chandelier or a beautiful gilt mirror will give a glamorous look to your contemporary home.
There is an increased use of mirrored furniture too. The simple and pure Venetian furniture items look great with classic mahogany furniture as well as slick and modern furniture. If you want something more exotic, choose a couple of items from a popular silver embossed range and mix them with white painted chateau furniture.
If you love a style, there is no reason why you couldn’t replicate it in your home. You don’t need to copy the Louis XV style exactly, but breaking down a lavish look into its basic elements – a mirror, a chandelier and one piece of furniture – and a bit of imagination, anything is possible!
Ivory Pearl Interiors is an online shop that sells French furniture and home accessories. Explore this adorable yet affordable range of painted furniture, delightful chandeliers and mirrors, shabby chic furniture and mirrored furniture. You will fall in love with this fabulous range. For More Information Visit: – http://www.ivorypearlinteriors.com/
Article from articlesbase.com
Change is critical to the growth and development of any individual or environment. An atmosphere that remains stagnant is an atmosphere that remains drab. These areas can turn into places that suck the energy out of both the environment and its inhabitants. Infusing new colors, styles, furniture, décor, and home accessories into your most highly trafficked rooms can provide fresh perspectives as well as enhance the overall mood within these spaces. Perk up your home for 2009 and you’ll likely be the proud recipient of renewed vitality.
Color is an extremely critical element to consider when determining how to design or reinvent the room or space in question. Your color scheme will ultimately dictate the mood experienced within the designated area. 2009 calls for lively colors combined with neutrals and grounded hues. The combination can create a vibrantly soothing atmosphere inspiring good cheer and positivity. Some of these colors include fuchsia red, palace blue, and vibrant green among a plethora of others. Utilizing color as a foundation for the ambiance that you hope to project within a specific room is a brilliant way to begin your redesign.
Determining styles and patterns to incorporate within your space is essential to unifying the theme and feel of your room. Mixing and matching contemporary designs with traditional selections can easily jazz up an otherwise lacking space. Infusing new styles into your atmosphere will easily provide new energy and a fresh outlook within your redesigned area.
In addition to colors and styles, you will need to seek furniture and other home décor items to complement your space. Finding functional furniture that boasts extreme comfort is no longer a significant challenge in today’s retail world. Designers and consumers alike crave home furnishings items that evoke feelings of peace and create soothing sensations. Coming home to a well-designed sanctuary is something that we all deserve after a long day or week.
If your next project is your bedroom, then considering adding a more natural color base may be an easy way to give yourself an inviting atmosphere. The kitchen is a space that can always use extra pieces of home décor flair to make it a more artistic area. From canister sets to wall art to matching oven mitts and chair pads, there are a plethora of home accessories available for your redecorating quest. Let’s say that your bathroom is in dire need of attention. Adding matching bathroom accessories can easily elevate the mood within your space. Changing your shower curtain can also help to brighten the mood and infuse a different ambiance into your bathroom.
Leveraging 2009 home décor trends can help to easily transform and elevate the mood and atmosphere within your desired space. Remaining aware of popular color schemes, newly designed patterns, and updated home décor and accessories can provide you with a simple way to reinvent and redesign any room within your home. Give yourself the bright and cheery space that you need, or an area with neutral colors that can help you to focus or meditate. Whatever your designing and decorating pleasure, know that you have the power to make it happen!
Popular Home Collections is committed to providing its customers with superior service and quality products. Suz C brings 4+ years of knowledge and experience in the home furnishings, retail, and e-commerce industries to the team.
Fashion trends no longer dictate the way we dress or decorate our homes. Eclecticism and contrasting style directions reign in home design. More and more people develop a taste of mixing contradictory furniture trends in their home decor, combining contemporary furniture with vintage finds and exotic art pieces.
Uncertain economy, the rise of natural disasters, persistent war conflicts and terrorist threats has resulted in the further insulation of people within their home cocoons. This cocoon lifestyle has given a boom to houseware and furniture industry, since more and more people turn to home entertainment and dinner parties instead of “going out.”
The “cocoon boom,” which originally started after September 11, 2001, transformed the modern home into a family sanctuary and hideaway. Casual living remains as the major theme with contemporary furniture today, with an emphasis on home entertaining and informal dining.
From modern furniture to accessories and dinnerware, people look for items that possess a strong sense of personal style. The casual living trend in modern furniture translates into multi-functional furniture with clear non-cluttered design and extended seating furniture pieces such as extra-long and curved couches and sofas.
Modern furniture today encourages family values, promotes quality family entertainment, supports traditional values and generally helps people connect. Another noticeable trend in home décor is a return to ‘formal’ for special occasions. People tend to make a greater effort preparing for special occasions or dinner parties and spend more time selecting dinnerware, candles, photo albums, seasonal decorations and table linen. Another important modern furniture trend is sensuality which means luscious fabrics, soft warm colors and simple shapes.
Many furniture items are adjusted for use for the targeted group of single men. This means sleek minimalist design and an emphasis on the use of multi-media applications. Flat screen TV’s are accommodated in hi-tech entertainment centers, and flat loudspeakers are incorporated into lean, spacious sofas, covered with dark trendy upholstery fabrics. This trend is also reflected in one-of-a-kind furniture items, such as art pieces having a functional meaning. Wide use of LED lighting technology helps transform a coffee table into a futuristic object that will change colors depending on a situation.
Speaking of materials used in modern furniture today, light woods still dominate. Oak, cherry, and birch are the most popular woods, with rattan and bamboo on the rise. Many woods are artificially stained to resemble exquisite tropical woods, for example, zebrano, mahogany, or palisander. A varnished solid front is often combined with a veneered body. Stainless steel, polished or brushed, and aluminum are used widely, often combined with innovative satin glass and boldly colored fiberglass.
In the upholstery, modern furniture designers favor refined large abstract patterns or sophisticated monochrome surfaces. Stripes and checks, as well as floral patterns are slightly out of fashion. The most popular materials are wool, cotton and leather, with wool felt gaining popularity.
The main characteristic feature of modern furniture is its understatement. Giorgio Armani, a couturier turned furniture designer says, that a subtle richness, not an obvious beauty, is most important in contemporary furniture design. Like a beautiful woman, furniture today reveals itself over time.
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Fashion trends no longer dictate the way we dress or decorate our homes. Eclecticism and contrasting style directions reign in home design. More and more people develop a taste of mixing contradictory furniture trends in their home decor, combining contemporary furniture with vintage finds and exotic art pieces.
Uncertain economy, the rise of natural disasters, persistent war conflicts and terrorist threats has resulted in the further insulation of people within their home cocoons. This cocoon lifestyle has given a boom to houseware and furniture industry, since more and more people turn to home entertainment and dinner parties instead of “going out.”
The “cocoon boom,” which originally started after September 11, 2001, transformed the modern home into a family sanctuary and hideaway. Casual living remains as the major theme with contemporary furniture today, with an emphasis on home entertaining and informal dining.
From modern furniture to accessories and dinnerware, people look for items that possess a strong sense of personal style. The casual living trend in modern furniture translates into multi-functional furniture with clear non-cluttered design and extended seating furniture pieces such as extra-long and curved couches and sofas.
Modern furniture today encourages family values, promotes quality family entertainment, supports traditional values and generally helps people connect. Another noticeable trend in home décor is a return to ‘formal’ for special occasions. People tend to make a greater effort preparing for special occasions or dinner parties and spend more time selecting dinnerware, candles, photo albums, seasonal decorations and table linen. Another important modern furniture trend is sensuality which means luscious fabrics, soft warm colors and simple shapes.
Many furniture items are adjusted for use for the targeted group of single men. This means sleek minimalist design and an emphasis on the use of multi-media applications. Flat screen TV’s are accommodated in hi-tech entertainment centers, and flat loudspeakers are incorporated into lean, spacious sofas, covered with dark trendy upholstery fabrics. This trend is also reflected in one-of-a-kind furniture items, such as art pieces having a functional meaning. Wide use of LED lighting technology helps transform a coffee table into a futuristic object that will change colors depending on a situation.
Speaking of materials used in modern furniture today, light woods still dominate. Oak, cherry, and birch are the most popular woods, with rattan and bamboo on the rise. Many woods are artificially stained to resemble exquisite tropical woods, for example, zebrano, mahogany, or palisander. A varnished solid front is often combined with a veneered body. Stainless steel, polished or brushed, and aluminum are used widely, often combined with innovative satin glass and boldly colored fiberglass.
In the upholstery, modern furniture designers favor refined large abstract patterns or sophisticated monochrome surfaces. Stripes and checks, as well as floral patterns are slightly out of fashion. The most popular materials are wool, cotton and leather, with wool felt gaining popularity.
The main characteristic feature of modern furniture is its understatement. Giorgio Armani, a couturier turned furniture designer says, that a subtle richness, not an obvious beauty, is most important in contemporary furniture design. Like a beautiful woman, furniture today reveals itself over time.
For more information about comtemporary furniture please visit the Comtemporary furniture and home furnishings blog.