Trends '09: Nesting, in colour
December 31, 2008
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Jennifer Wilson-Speedy
EDITOR, YOURHOME.CA
After the economic roller-coaster of 2008, design aficionados will be working to make their existing spaces cozier in 2009.
This move toward nesting, which was called cocooning during the last recession and dubbed “anchoring” by trendsetters this time around, doesn’t mean that spaces will be boring. On the contrary, bright pops of colour and embellishments have appeared on the scene.
“I think the home is going to be a really important place” in 2009, says interior designer Nadia Geller, from TLC’s While You Were Out and Date My House in a phone interview.
“There will be more family dinners, more friends over to entertain,” she adds. In these troubled economic times, “one thing we can make happy in our lives is our house.”
Shauna Levy, the vice-president of MMPI Canada and co-founder of the Interior Design Show echoes this moving inside trend.
“What we’re seeing and feeling and hearing, based on previous recessions, [is that] when times get tough, people go in,” she explains. “I think it’s all about reinvesting in your home, keeping your nest cozy to guard against what’s going on [in the economy.]”
She expects higher levels of renovations in 2009, such as adding a floor or finishing a basement, rather than moving, as well as a renewed focus on garden design to help “extend your environment outdoors.”
As well, she says, with more people spending time and entertaining at home, there will be “an increase of technology in the home,” such as home entertainment systems.
Geller says tough times also mean creative times, with a new focus on details, reusing or repurposing existing furniture and a “handmade kind of vibe.”
“I see people looking at what they have and embellishing upon it,” she says, for example by repainting or reupholstering current pieces. Geller adds that she purchased swan bathroom fixture accessories for towels and hooks, which she will have dipped in a new finish before using to add a touch of whimsy to a bathroom.
Both women say they expect a focus on quality furniture pieces. Levy says purchases will be less “but they’re more specific. Less mass, more quality.”
She adds that consumers will be drawn to limited edition and quality furniture, as “they’re putting a lot of care and thought into what they are buying.”
Geller adds that she expects to see more mixing and matching, for example, pairing antique pieces with modern classics for a whole new look.
People “don’t have to completely stick with a style. They can mix and match and have a cohesive space,” she says.
This mixing and matching will also apply to walls and colours, she says, explaining that wallpaper will continue to be a great option, as will “pretty natural tones” such as linens, wood and white, complemented by pops of bold hues such as purple, rust, teal and metallics gold and bronze.
“Stronger neutrals,” such as gold and soft yellow, will be hitting the palettes in the new year, says Johanna McLellan, assistant brand manager with PARA paints. She says PARA is also forecasting a lot of blues and greens, such as a “deeper, more smouldering” navy, an offshoot of the cobalt blue trend from two years ago, and a natural “mossy green” for those who aren’t ready to embrace hues such as “lime soda.”
“We’re still saying ‘try colour,'” she adds, noting that while they look to home decor and fashion for colour inspiration, “I don’t think Canadians are ready to go as deep as they are in the runways.” For example, she cites the company’s “Gift of the gab”, which she describes as a fun purple that blends the deep plums of the runways and the neutrals.
“Canadians are going back to the use of great colour,” Levy agrees. “My theory is when things are not always so positive, I think people are looking for that kind of positive energy in their environment.”
She describes purple, which is the chosen hue for this year’s interior design show, as “a happy colour” and adds that soda green “is going to be hot this summer. It’s a happy, fresh vibrant kind of colour.”
“It’s all about being happy.”
McLellan says that homeowners should look at 2009 as a chance to let their paint and colour choices reflect their own style and personality.
“Instead of taking one colour throughout the entire house, let each room showcase your own runway,” she says. “Every room can have a different look, if that’s what you want.”
She, like Geller, also sees opportunities for adding details in 2009.
We saw “a lot of embellishments in fashion in 2009, we’re encouraging consumers to also consider embellishments in the home,” she says.
And when the economy’s tight, she says, “we want to brighten up our lives. Paint is the cheapest and easiest way to do it. It’s something you can do on your own.”
“People are looking for ways to not spend as much going into next year, so maybe you buy two gallons of paint to do that rather than picking up more expensive art or a new lamp,” she says. “You’re creating the depth and interest through the paint itself.”
For example, she suggests painting a wall in a matte finish, then take a gloss in the same colour to create a wide stripe. Another option for embellishment, she says, is to paint a matte on the wall to hang a picture over. She says “it’s a good way to test the water with colour if you’re not ready to take the plunge.”