Interior Trends of 2011 – Surprising Empathy

The second of the interior design trends that will be seen this year is 'Surprising Empathy'. The world's interior design gurus say that consumers are no longer satisfied with re-imagined concepts which is forcing interior designers to push the boundaries to create new innovation and products. The trend is characterised by angular structures, with greys and black highlighted with splashes of yellow or orange; which enables us to use bright neons and coral tones which will be taking red and pink to new levels of concentrated use.

It's all in the detailing:
Detailing and your own personality will mean a lot around your home in 2011. You'll need to ditch the high-tech and return to items which are true to your heart – basically anything which has meaningful purpose to you – an heirloom or your own art work will be right on-trend in making your home truly unique. In smaller living spaces, where comfort is the main focus, make sure your interior design ideas are meaningful and have their own story to tell. This doesn't mean you have to turn to fantasy or characters from books, although these won't be snubbed if they're true to your heart.

Image: atticmag

Word.

Sometimes you can find old metal letters from vintage signs but it is often hard to find the right letters to spell an actual word. But if you have something you REALLY need to say...try these letters from Ballard or these zinc letters Anthropologie or these galvanized ones (only spelling "cool") from Pottery Barn. Good ol' PB also has many that are better suited for children's rooms.

~Images: 1) via Pinkwallpaper 2) Designer Morgan Harrison 3) Better Homes & Gardens 4) Home Magazine 5) Coastal Living 6) Pottery Barn

Vintage Wine Jugs

I have always collected old glass bottles which I usually select based on the age, color or even area in which it was produced. Over the last few years, I have started to collect old wine jugs mainly because I love their larger size and shape but also because of their history. Wine was originally stored in stoneware but the taste of the wine was often altered by the container. The invention of glass by the Roman Empire opened up new options for wine storage, allowing it to age and be stored for decades which enabled wine drinkers to enjoy a larger selection of wine. Most of the bottles available today are French originating around the 1930's and sell for $95 and up.

They can even be turned into lamps!

~Images: wine history via http://www.wineintro.com/history/glassware/ 1) via shelter blog 2) Southern Accents July/Aug 2007 3) Unknown 4 and 5) Coastal Living Nov 2007 6) Unknown 7) Unknown 8) sixx design 9) House Beautiful Jan 2009 10 and 11) Tom Scheerer

Sweetgrass Baskets

If you have ever traveled along Highway 17 in Mt. Pleasant or visited the market in downtown Charleston, you have undoubtedly noticed the plenitude of sweetgrass baskets. An art form brought over from slaves in West Africa over 300 hundred years ago, this tradition of basket making has since been passed down from generation to generation. Originally these graceful baskets were used as working baskets on the plantations but now they are mainly coveted souvenirs for tourists.

Once a plentiful grass of the coastal dunes, sweetgrass is now difficult to cultivate due in part to the urbanization of Mt. Pleasant as well as the development of the barrier islands into resort destinations. Sadly, artisans now have to travel to Georgia or Florida to find an ample supply. Technically, sweetgrass baskets are made of several materials including pine needles to provide a contrasting color, black rush to add strength and strips of palm leaves to sew all these materials together.

Buyers Tip: The tightness in the design of the basket equates to the quality. (i.e. the tighter the pattern reflects a higher amount of workmanship involved and thus equals a higher quality basket.)

I try to support this local industry by using sweetgrass baskets when designing for my clients or as house warming gifts for friends and family. I especially like the idea of hanging them on the wall in a graphic pattern as I did here in my own home. Now I will say this is not for everyone as I tried it for a client once and she told me they looked like either dryers from a hair salon or inverted breasts hanging on her wall. Ha! Proof that clients can't always see your vision!

Displaying Books

I am a huge fan of big, fat coffee table books. I have a ton of them, most on interior design, that are scattered throughout my house: on tabletops, under benches, in baskets tucked into nooks and of course, on bookcases. I recently told a client that she needed to buy some coffee table books and she looked at me with a puzzled expression. I defended my statement by saying that I think books are a great way to express your personality. Walking into my house, you can tell instantly that I am into interior design, architecture, Charleston history, art, photography, fashion and cooking (although those books are rather dusty these days). I suggested she spend an hour or so on Amazon researching her favorite subjects. You can oftentimes find slightly used issues at a discounted rate. The bargain table at Barnes & Nobleis another great spot to pick up some good quality books for a steal. Artbook.com is also a great resource for all things design related.

I especially love them stacked on coffee tables like this...

Or use them AS your coffee/end table/nightstand!

Or try one of these creative book displays...

You can get a spine bookcase similar to this from WestElm.

I love the idea of covering them in craft paper or wallpaper for a more unified look.

[I know I have seen them also with the titles handwritten in caligraphy on the spines. Can't for the life of me remember the magazine. Anyone? Anyone?]

Or arrange them by color...

Need some more inspiration? Check out this book by House Beautiful.

~Images: 1) Ruthis Sommers home in Domino Spring/Summer 2005 2) Domino Nov 2005 3) Domino May 2007 4) Courtesy of Apartment Therapy 5) Domino Nov 2006 6) KWID 7) Unknown 8) Ad for Briger & Briger 9) Domino April 2007 10) Domino April 2006

The Art of a Tableau

Select one or two types of items then vary the size

of those items to add interest

Use like items to flank either side of your tableau

to create a sense of balance

Vary items in height, shape and texture

to create a sense of movement

Select a color scheme for your tabletop accessories

Create a grouping of like objects but add a "pop" of

another texture or color to keep it interesting

The final stage of decorating is accessorizing which, in my opinion, is the moment when a space comes alive! While adding on this last layer, it can be difficult to arrange items in a pleasing manner without looking cluttered or haphazard. Design professionals like Kelly Wearstler make this process look effortless. She has the ability to arrange a random assortment of accessories creating a cohesive and dynamic tabletop tableau. A tableau is defined as "a striking or artistic grouping" according to Merriam-Webster dictionary. Here are some attractive tabletop tableau's to inspire you as well as some helpful tips to ensure a harmonious design.

~Images: 1) Unknown 2) Nate Berkus 3 and 4) Kelly Wearstler 5) Tom Scheerer

Displaying Collections

Oftentimes, clients have collectibles that they want me to incorporate into their decor. Sometimes it is easy to fit these items into the style of the room but it can also be really, really difficult to work a collection into a design scheme. Lucky for me, I like a challenge! I also feel that it is super important to use personal items to add character to a home. While perusing my inspiration notebooks, I came across several photos of globe groupings so I thought I would include these images to show you that anything can become a collection! The key is to group all of the items into an interesting display versus scattering them about your home for a much greater impact. (In case my dad is reading this, also try to limit it to ONE collection per room! Love you!) After doing this, you will see that your collectibles have become quite the conversation piece!

~Images: 1) Metropolitan Home Oct 2006 2) BH&G Aug 2007 3) Domino May 2008 4) Designed by Jill Morris

Inject a Riot of Beautiful Colours into a Home

Digital images skilfully designed into a range of cushions by Noodle will inject a riot of beautiful colours into a home. The variety of different images which capture nature at its best are digitally printed onto silk fabric and come complete with a feather insert.

The traditional style square shapes are available in either 16 or 20 inch with the rectangular panel cushions in a generous 11 x 18”, all are machine washable making them extremely functional as well as striking to look at.

Noodle have their own on-line shop with many of their products available ready to buy rather than ordering and waiting for them to be made. The wide choice of traditional favourite flowers in vivid natural colours provide something to suit all colour decors. The stunning effects of the close up images and vibrant colours are perfect for instantaneously injecting colour into a room.

The autumnal leaves and branches in burnt oranges or sunset reds offer a warm appearance just waiting to be snuggled into during the winter months. One of the great advantages of using cushions in a home is the versatility to replace the covers in line with the seasons, alternatively brighten the winter blues by choosing spring or summer flowers reminding us that winter doesn’t last forever!

With Christmas just around the corner, I believe I have found the ideal gift for all horticultural lovers, green-fingered gardeners or those who love nature at its best! With such a vast range available it’s just a matter of selecting which ones to opt for!


Image source: www.noodleonline.com