Houzz editor Mitchell Parker has shared his trend predictions for the year ahead, which range from brightly coloured kitchens and bold floral wallpaper through to concrete furniture.
Novelty sinks will be a hot way to make a splash in the year ahead as consumers tire of bland, traditional kitchens and look for something a bit more quirky to impress their friends and stand out from the crowd. To really work this trend Mitchell suggests home owners replace their old stainless steel or white sinks with one made of copper, stone, concrete or granite.
If a full-on colour-spectrum kitchen is too much for you, Mitchells recommends painting one cupboard in your favourite colour to make a striking accent in the busiest room in the house.
He also spells the demise of stark, cool neutrals and the long-running monochrome trend and says neutrals will be warming up in 2018. Warm grey tones with rich, earthy hues of camel, tobacco, brown-black, rust, burnt yellow and russet red will form the backdrop for home décor in the year to come, for what he calls “a more decadent look.”
Florals will be big in 2018, with the focus on oversized blooms and boldly contrasting colours, especially on wallpaper.
Just as concrete takes centre stage in the realms of sinks and bathrooms, it will now start appearing in other guises, including furniture, wallcoverings, countertops, tiles and decorative accessories, effectively warming up cold spaces.
Meanwhile the founder of Decorum Interior Design, Victoria Grimson, has advised that the single quickest and easiest way to upscale your home for potential buyers is to incorporate the fool-proof colour ivory as a base for walls.
She points out that ivory serves as a blank canvas for furniture, artwork and home accessories, and also gives the illusion of space and freshness. The fail safe neutral can be even more effective and luxurious looking when contrasted with a bold accent colour, suggesting decorators: “ ‘Try white walls with a velvet sofa in a rich, jewel like shade such as indigo, which will act as an anchor to the room.’
Mixing shades of white and cream together is also acceptable in Victoria’s interior design book, as it helps avoid a contrived ‘everything-matching’ sort of look, appearing more fresh and contemporary.
