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WHAT'S NEW FOR THREE STYLES OF INTERIOR HOME DECOR
| Saturday, Jan 13 2007 7:30 PM
Last Updated: Saturday, Jan 13 2007 9:03 PM
ome decor trends for 2007 are notable less for what they are than what they are not: heavy, cluttered, busy.
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In this photo provided by Keith Lapinski Studio, these pillows, sheets and covers, in chocolate, rust and wheat, along with the dust ruffle, wall art, lamp and jug, are from the Nate Berkus-designed "Kenya Bedding" line sold at Linens 'n Things.
"I just think we're getting away from the heavy look," said Carolyn E. Bryant, a Bakersfield interior designer. A lighter look is surfacing, replacing "ponderous furniture" she said.
Connie Taylor, a decorator and owner of Taylor & Taylor Interiors in Bakersfield, said our busy lives make us crave serenity and simplicity at home.
The good news if you're looking to tone things down: No matter what style you prefer -- traditional, transitional, contemporary -- you can streamline and declutter, local interior designers say.
What's your style?
Taylor and Kathleen Davis, a decorator from Taylor & Taylor Interiors, forecast transitional and traditional styles in 2007. A traditional look is "timeless. It's not overdone one way or the other," Davis said. "It's classic," Taylor added. A transitional style falls somewhere between contemporary and traditional. It incorporates linens and natural fabrics, similar to the look found at Pottery Barn. "People are going to casual elegance," Taylor said.
Instead of a heavy Tuscan style, the look is lighter, more French. "No big, heavy stuff," Davis said.
Tina James, an interior designer at Beladagio on Stockdale Highway, says the look of the year is "crisp, casual, comfortable and modern. We're seeing more streamlined furniture. The lines are simpler." It's less opulent, with fewer curved lines, she said.
At the home furnishings and accessories retailer Pier 1, "We have a lot of modern mixed with antique looks coming out," said Ken Richmond, who manages a Pier 1 Imports store in northeast Bakersfield. Customers will find Asian interpretations mixed with modern elements, he said. Or they may find a six-drawer chest with clean, straight lines and antique-like wood.
The contemporary look is a natural for the understated touch.
Susan Marwin, an interior designer at Suzie Interiors, said styles from the 1960s and 1970s have been updated. But don't mistake contemporary for modern, Marwin said. Contemporary isn't cold.
What's new
Color
• Colors are “not so deep, not so muddy” as the Tuscan yellows, golds and reds that have been popular, Bryant said. Today’s colors are “cleaner. They’re crisper.” She pointed to turquoise, chocolate brown, Tiffany blue and shades of red as stylish choices.
• High-end whites, smokey blues and ginkgo will be popular next year, Richmond said. Colors are softer than in the past, but they’re not pastels.
• Raspberries and bright reds are out, Taylor and Davis said. Softer colors, like paprika, are in.
• Purple is supposed to be big in 2007, Davis said. Reds will be influenced by Central America, India and the 2008 Olympics, to be held in Beijing. “They’re leaning toward orange,” Davis said.
• Within the contemporary realm, you will find “all kinds of bright colors,” Marwin said. That includes lime greens, oranges, yellows and purples. She suggests keeping the walls of a room neutral and adding color with pillows, blankets and artwork.
Patterns
• The expected popularity of the global look will prompt “more mixing of patterns, of modern and traditional,” James said. Damask, a classic pattern, and polka dots will be popular. You’ll see fewer florals, more geometric shapes.
• Contemporary patterns with stripes and geometric shapes such as circles and squares will be popular, according to several local designers. The style is reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s.
Fabrics
• Natural fabrics are being combined with leather, Taylor said.
• Chenilles and silks are big, according to Marwin.