Top 10 Home Trends For The New Year

2010 has been exciting uses of bold prints and colors, repurposing interior decor, and maximizing outdoor spaces. In 2011, these trends will continue but also a need for eco-friendly interiors will escalate and interiors will continue to be shared and broadened worldwide. For the top interior home trends for 2011, here are my picks of what the New Year has to offer.

1.)The urban oasis:It was once thought that those who lived in urban environments had to live in lush penthouses to get a comfortable and sophisticated home in the city. With the onset popularity of urban lofts, the desire to live in industrial and chic decor will continue next year. Softer textiles may be brought in to soften hard finishes, while those that enjoy the exposed materials will still enjoy urban living at its finest.

2.)Home getaways:The New Year will bring on new ways to make your current home a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the world. From outdoor oasis areas with lush greenery, to recreating vacation memories in your décor. The trend will be to continue making our homes feel relaxing and serene.

3.)Repurposing will outweigh brand new:With the onset of finding better ways to re-use and re-purpose, being green in 2011 will outweigh buying brand new. While a shiny new glass table may be beautiful, the shift for décor to use glass from a previous purpose will prevail. We will not stop buying new décor, but the satisfaction of repurposing is always a better feeling, and will look great too!

4.)Natural environments:As our world gets busier and busier, the return of home environments giving us a place to escape has been well sought after for years. In the New Year, home owners will find more ways to bring tranquility to their interior and exterior environments. The use of natural materials and finishes will always be a trend that doesn’t go out of style.

5.)Family conversation areas:As families grow and the years move on, there is a steady incline of increasing family conversation areas and spaces. Kitchens now incorporate an eating island area so kids can do homework and watch mom cook. Living spaces are becoming more open to engage members of the family in different rooms. In the New Year, look for more ways for engaging in our interiors.

6.)Bold colors and strong patterns:This year we saw the return of bold colors and strong patterns. The appeal of turning a wall into one large mural of vibrancy is huge, and I think it will continue into 2011. Creative murals, stickers, paintable wallpaper will make it easier to achieve bold results, with little effort.

7.)Mix and match of color saturation:In interiors the interplay between dark and light colors is a beautiful trend moving into the New Year. No longer is it uncomfortable to lump drastically light and dramatically dark colors in one space. The interplay of contrasting colors, especially of the same color will be expanded more in 2011. Get the look in your home, its gorgeous!

8.)Bringing the outdoors in:If you look at architecture throughout history, the windows of our homes are getting larger and larger. The appeal of letting in more natural light, enjoying beautiful vistas outdoors, and letting nature be the back drop for our interiors will continue in 2011. While we love to decorate, the outdoors offer an ever changing ambiance that human décor cannot compete with.

9.)Maximizing small spaces:The trend of home buying is going towards smaller homes that are well organized and laid out as opposed to the huge houses of years ago. In 2011, the need for conserving space and taking advantage of every square inch will be imperative for families to live in smaller spaces. New organization methods will evolve for the small home in the New Year.

10.)Innovation and technology:We are a technology driven society and home interiors will not take a back seat! We already can control our lights and security system with a touch of our smart phone. In 2011, the trend will be in more automation, control, and streamlining everyday home products into the next best home invention.