Staying abreast of the latest rends in home decor helps you extend the life span of your next remodeling project. Here are some of the top trends for 2014 in home remodeling and redecorating:
Kitchen Trends
Kitchens featuring black countertops, open shelves or glass-front cabinets and darker paint tones are popular with homeowners, according to Zillow Digs’ Home Design Trend Report for 2014.
Elle Decor predicts jewel tones and rich colors will dominate kitchen design in the year ahead.
If you can afford to update again in a few years, you can take the risk of putting in trendy countertops that look like malachite, agate or other stones.
But, if you’re going to have to live with your kitchen for many years or you plan to sell in a few years and don’t want to have to remodel again, stick with neutrals for countertops, walls, flooring and cabinetry. Save the bolder patterns for easily replaced accents like curtains, rugs and pillows.
Industrial Accents
Sophisticated industrial revolution accents will remain strong next year, according to the Delta Faucet design team. This trend includes unique materials that look like they came from an architectural salvage yard.
To build this look on a budget keep the accents in their simplest form. Light fixtures stripped down to nothing more than sockets and wires, open metal shelving stacked with cast iron cookware and reclaimed wood elements can easily reinforce this look with minimal cost.
Navy Blue or Radiant Orchid?
House Beautiful says the most popular color for home décor in 2014 is blue. “From rich, saturated colors like navy and indigo to bright, vibrant shades like peacock blue and cobalt, blue will continue to reign supreme in the coming year,” design blogger Paloma Contreras told the magazine.
The color experts at Pantone disagree and choose Radiant Orchid as the official color of the year. Can’t make up your mind which you like? Get them both with York Wallpaper’s Martini print.
USB Sockets
With so many devices to charge, homeowners are replacing a few of their home’s traditional electric outlets with outlets that pair one regular outlet and two USB ports to power cell phones, gaming devices and computers, say the design experts at Neil Kelly Remodeling in Portland.
Swapping a regular electric outlet for a USB outlet (get them at any hardware store) is simple for a do-it-yourselfer who understands home electric wiring. Neil Kelly recommends looking for a socket that has a smart sensor to shut off the power when your device is fully charged.
Small, Efficient Bathrooms
The downsizing trend isn’t just influencing homes, it’s also showing up in the bathrooms inside those homes, says Remodeling blogger Lauren Hunter. Manufacturers have responded to the desire to right-size homes by coming out with smaller-scale bathroom fixtures.
Green living has inspired water-saving fixtures that don’t sacrifice performance. And an increasing number of multigenerational families are fueling a trend toward ageless bathroom design to ensure everyone can use a bathroom for years to come.
