13 Ideas for 2013 Home Decor

As a brand new year is being ushered in, certain home projects are topping the list of upgrades and revamps.  If you’re in the market, here are 13 things to consider for 2013:

1.  Rectangular tile is turning the corner and walking up walls and not just across floors.  Bathroom remodels will be seeing more and more flooring options installed on the walls as well.

2.  Blues, orangey-reds, and light yellows were taking the spring 2013 previews by storm on the runways and catwalks, and home designers were taking notice.  This palette may take some prominence in advertised paint lines and home décor products.

3.  Chevron – the zigzag – pattern is still big and will continue to be.  Sometimes it is one color on a white background, and some chevron prints involve a few colored zigzags.  This remains a popular pattern in fabrics and wall art.

4.  Modern hotel amenities are continuing their way into homes.  Making master bedrooms or guest rooms reflective of elements in nice hotels, like white linens and towels, will gain in popularity.

5.  Urban living concepts like smaller homes, efficient storage, and some degree of minimalistic style may grow out of the national economic climate and embrace “less is more.”

6.  Ceramics get an uptick on the popularity chart in lamps, vases, small statues, and other decorative accent pieces for just about every room of the home. 

7.  Metals – silver, gold, nickel, and brass - will continue to be a warming trend in furniture and accessories and add that mix of hard with soft furnishings. 

8.  Layered textures, like textured wallpaper and a variety of fabrics and upholstered pieces, will stack up to add coziness to a variety of spaces.

9. Neutral rooms – wall color, flooring, and furniture - will be accented with pops of color in smaller accents.  These can be interchanged easily, leaving a classic palette to work against for years to come.

10.  Cultural prints and patterns have gained in popularity, as have repeating animal prints.  Not the typical animal hide prints, but actual animal silhouettes, like dogs, elephants, giraffes, and birds, may show up more frequently in accent pillows, drapery, and art.

11.  Feathers and other soft, feminine touches will line wreaths, lamp shades, pillows, and will fill vases and centerpiece components.

12.  To the contrary, menswear details, like gray pinstripes and the use of black will increase in upholstery, bedding, and furnishings.     

13.  1940s glam will have a place with enthusiasts for a classy throwback for themes in furniture, tableware, and dressy accents. 

As always, the best trend is to fill your home with things you love, whether they tickle the fancy of the mainstream or not.  If you love it, use it, share it, and be proud of your home in the New Year and always.  Happy decorating in 2013!   

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 30th.

 

 

 

      

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Memories

Amidst the pomp and circumstance of the holiday season, it’s nice to ensure you really savor the meaning of Christmas and the opportunity to come together as family and friends in celebration.  Instead of rushing through, find ways to slow down and appreciate the little moments that make Christmas special.

If your Christmas tree is displaying sentimental ornaments that have a history, point them out and talk about them as a family.  Your kids might learn something new about their grandparents, you as a child, or enjoy showing off a school craft projects from the past.  Talk about the sentimental value of your Christmas dishes, China, or any recipes if they were passed down to your family.  If there is a funny story tied to a holiday memory, be sure to tell it again. 

If you don’t already have a “movie moment” tradition in your household, consider starting one.  I don’t think they’re cheesy; I think they can be sweet memories for adults and kids alike.  Drive around town Christmas Eve looking at Christmas lights and tote to-go coffee cups with hot chocolate while listening to Christmas music.  I can also remember lying on the living room floor in my pajamas as a child looking up at the Christmas tree lights.  From that angle, I just thought the tree looked so magical. 

We enjoy looking at the photos of friends and family on the Christmas cards we receive.  Take a little time Christmas Day to look them over all at once.  Being thankful for the people in your life is not relegated to Thanksgiving Day; use that moment to give thanks for the relationships that surround you all year long.  You can also punch holes in the side of each and string them together with a strand of ribbon off of a gift.  That way you have a flip book of sorts to put away with your decorations and look at again next year. 

Gather the kids together and tell the story of how Jesus was born and placed in a manger after Mary and Joseph made their way into Bethlehem.  Reflect on the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior, and make that an essential part of the Christmas history you pass down to the next generation. 

Whether you sit around with some hot apple cider and visit, start a fire in the fireplace if it happens to get cold or in the backyard for some toasted marshmallows if it doesn’t, purposefully create some Christmas moments that can carry traditions forward for your family.          

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 23rd.

 

 

On the 10th Day of Christmas . . .

In the go-go-go of the holiday season, it can be calming to stop, assess, and organize to help ensure a smooth and efficient week prior to Christmas Day.  If you feel like you have much left to do, taking the time to make a good list – or lists, plural – can be just the boost you need to continue on strongly with a proactive plan in mind.

Write out a list of all of your gift recipients, maybe even jotting down quick notes about what you have to give them.  For your children, this can be a time to make sure their gift count is about even.  For family and others, take a moment to make sure you have all your bases covered and you have not left someone out you intended to give to, of course according to how your family approaches gift giving.  If you have shopping left to do, remember that it is “the thought that counts.”  Acknowledging someone with something simple, thoughtful, and in your budget is more important than overdoing it on what you think is perceived as the latest and greatest.  Then highlight any gifts on your list that still need to be wrapped at this point.  Take a quick inventory of your wrapping paper, tape, ribbon, bows, and gift tags to make sure you have what you need to finish up, and then make like Santa and wrap.

If you have not already done so, make a final grocery list for anything you need to complete your holiday recipes for your Christmas dinner.  Factor in ingredients if you plan to make cookie batches to give away, take dessert or another dish to a holiday party, or are having company stay a few days.  In that case, you will benefit greatly from a meal plan of what you will be serving your guests during their time with your family.  Chart out options for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and shop accordingly.   

The other big task to tackle is making a plan of how to get your home company-ready.  If you can factor in the help of your spouse or older children, assign cleaning tasks to each individual, and set a deadline for the completion of everything, leaving time between “all clean” the first door bell ring.  It can be helpful to write out each chore so you can cross things off the list as you complete them and see progress on paper as well.  Instead of writing “clean guest room,” break down the tasks into things like “dust, vacuum, wash sheets, fold towels, clean bathroom,” and so forth. 

In 10 days, Christmas morning will be upon us.  Use this time leading up to “Ho, Ho, Ho,” and go, go, go after a productive, effective week of getting your checklists completed in a timely, organized manner.  Feeling spread thin and overrun takes away from your joy of this season.  Focus on being able to spend time with family then by ensuring you have worked like a little elf yourself in advance.

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 16th.      

 

    

Thoughtful Gifts Unwrapped

What to buy, what to buy.  Being Santa can be a lot of work when we search out the best finds for our family and friends and nestle them beneath the tree in anticipation of the great unwrapping of 2012.  If you feel like you’re in a gift rut or just cannot seem to come up with applicable gifts even for the next gift exchange or as a hostess gift during this holiday party season, here are some thoughts that are all ready for wrapping.

Keep an eye out for items that would be put to use in the home of your gift recipients.  A nice set of glasses, whether flutes in a unique shape or juice glasses with a little flair, could make their next party or even breakfast a little more festive.  Small decorations like candlesticks, bookends, ceramic bowls, and metallic vases or candle holders would surely find a sweet spot on a shelf or tabletop.  Soften their sitting area with a plush throw blanket or embellished accent pillow.  Guest soaps, a set of coasters, a wine bottle bag, or serving utensils for cheese, pie, or salad could be just the thing to bring a little holiday cheer to a hostess who is graciously serving up Christmas dishes. 

For the tech savvy, there is a slew of small and simple and yet desirable products to fill gift boxes and stockings alike.  Small portable speakers that attach to smart phones and music players can help their tunes travel.  There are other little stands and cushions that attach to devices to give them a lift while in hands-free use.  Universal adaptors and chargers can keep the multi-unit owner running on full power. 

The kitchen guru would likely love to receive a special set of olive oils or syrups.  Fancy kitchen hand soaps of the pump bottle variety would surely stay on display.  A designer pitcher or carafe, set of appetizer plates, or set of 4 modern coffee mugs would take their place among the kitchen accessories. 

For the active gift recipient, travel books or fun fact books can be appealing.  A retro game of the board or card variety or some other tabletop activity could pull a crowd together for plenty of laughter and fun over trivia or word games to guess or solve.  A travel clock or sound machine could offer more than sweet dreams.   

Personalizing a simple gift with a mix of your knowledge of your gift recipient and your own personality can illicit “oohhs” and “aahhs” when pretty packages are unwrapped and revealed.  Christmas gifts are not about the pretty penny you could spend; they are a thoughtful token to acknowledge that you care and you remembered at this time of year and always. 

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 9th.

 

 

The Hostess Diary: Filling Up a Different Kind of Stocking

In the busyness that will envelop your home in the next few weeks, the more shortcuts and pre-prep, the merrier.  Keep your important tools and supplies on hand and easily within reach to cut time and save some sanity during the holidays.

Your trusty sidekick this time of year can easily be your scissors.  Between wrapping gift after gift and opening that frustrating plastic packaging so many items come encased in, you can feel strapping on a hip holster is the only way to keep that one pair of good scissors from disappearing.  If that sounds like you, it could be time to multiply your supply.  Buy a few pair of scissors and add them to key kitchen and bathroom drawers, a home office supply caddy, a gift wrapping bin of supplies, and a slot in your knife block.  Why try to keep track of just one main pair?  The same goes for good gift wrap tape dispensers to ensure you have enough well within easy reach. 

Having company can multiple your loads of laundry and keep your machines running repeatedly.  To keep things moving, load up on extra detergent, laundry additive, fabric softener, and dryer sheets to avoid running out or running low and having loads stack up on you.  Keep small laundry bags for delicates in the bottom of the hampers or dirty clothes baskets.  When you sort your laundry, they will be right there, ready for immediate use, saving you from digging in a laundry room cabinet. 

If you don’t already, add a plastic supply caddy under each sink for applicable cleaning supplies.  It is easier to keep cleaners stored away in each room you use them in, instead of lugging one set from bathroom to bathroom.  This is especially quick and easy for cleaning up on the spot, like a little toothpaste left in the sink. 

Take an end-of-the-year inventory of other household supplies and plan to restock where needed to make sure you have enough to carry your home well into the New Year.  Look into your light bulbs, batteries, paper towels, toilet paper, paper napkins, and the like.  As many trips as you will make to stores for groceries and gifts, relegating those types of home supplies to a trip of their own lightens your regular load.  

Determine not to dig, hunt, or scramble to keep things in line and running smoothly around your home this Christmas.  Whether you will be entertaining a houseful or just settling in with the family, a little planning and preparation can be all it takes to take the “bah humbug” out of being a relaxed holiday hostess who really knows how to fill the household stockings. 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 2nd.