interior design 63

COLORS

According to the Pantone Fashion Color Reports, the French Roast, Honey Gold, Pink Flambé, Ultramarine Green and other fall colors of the year of Tangerine Tango, will give way to the soft hues of spring 2013: Dusk Blue, Tender Shoots, Lemon Zest, Linen, Poppy Red, Grayed Jade, African Violet, Monaco Blue, Nectarine; it will be the year of Emerald! Click here to read more.

 

Pantone 2013 Colors

IN THE KITCHEN

In recent years, New England and the NYC metro area styles, when it comes to kitchens, have been drawing more and more on the modern European look, a blend of the classic, and a less is more approach. For example, fewer cabinets with doors and more open shelving.

Along the same lines, open concept kitchens are still steadily gaining popularity, not only for those who need to be creative with limited space, but also for many people looking to add modern touches to older homes. With that, islands, prep stations, and peninsular countertops continue to steadily gain popularity over the tradition kitchen and dining room lay-out.

 

 Kitchen of the Year

 

This past year, we saw a lot of marble countertops and glass backsplashes offsetting, and lightening up, the heavier ambiances set by a growing frequency to use dark stains with natural woodwork. Two-tone kitchens are on the rise, further advancing this masculine/feminine feng shui.

We expect kitchen trends, like most in early 2013, to be informed by buyers looking for smart, economic, long-lasting solutions. We’ll continue to see designers blend the modern sleek with the traditional, even country look for kitchens. Open layouts will develop more social, integrated designs.

LED will remain king in the kitchen, as will natural wood – and dark stains are likely here to stay, at least for another year.

 

LIGHTING

 

Lamps continued to see big influences from the mid-century modern (read: Mad Men) and Arabesque this year. Black chromes, burnished metallics, and natural woods dominated the stand-alone fixture scene, while floral patterns, mellow hues, and antique references reigned supreme in the world of more traditional lighting pieces. Lamps, hanging fixtures, and high-hats continue to integrate into an increasingly two-fold lightening strategy made up of indirect light from out-or-sight sources and carefully chosen retro or modern lightening pieces.

Some of the largest shifts in the lightening world are in the technical arena where smarter, more efficient, safer bulbs and LEDs are steadily taking over where the soon-to-be-nostalgic incandescent bulb left off.

2013 will be a turning point in the wide adoption of newer lightening technologies, and we may even start to see technological elements fused into the designs to create transitional-style aesthetics. The wide proliferation of light emitting diodes will grow, the will be omnidirectional, organic and all manner of amazing, while the leg lamp will continue to be a decidedly unpopular choice (though fun for the holidays).

Living Rooms of 2013

PRECIOUS METALS

Jewelers, graphic artists and interior designers have been sharing a love for metals and woods together, and they’ll be carrying that strongly into the New Year. Gilded, burnished, hammered, plated, faceted: these will be terms readily heard in 2013 alongside the names of old standards like gold and bronze, as well as sophisticated relative newcomers like gun metal, oxidized silver, polished natural copper and rose gold, which are rapidly growing in popularity.

 

INTO THE WOODS

 

There are a host of reasons that raw materials, upcycling, and natural looks are gaining mass traction right now. These include everything from the Frankenstorm to the fiscal cliff. But most importantly, the interior designs sourcing natural and recycled materials are often beautiful, elegant, well integrated, and lend a synergistic touch of the natural, clever, and sophisticated. There will be a massive uptick in the frequency of these design strategies moving into 2013.

On the flip side, cherry wood took a hit in 2012. So did maple.

The trend in natural wood staining was dark dark dark, and will continue to be, but alongside unmanufactured elements such as driftwood, stone or recycled metal.

    Furniture of 2013

FURNITURE

Designers will find a lot of this reclaimed (or imitation reclaimed) wood, making its way into furniture pieces alongside other natural elements, and mixed with modern styles.

 

Trends in furniture which show no sign of letting up from this year to next include the eternal search for better mattresses, clearer TVs, and accent furniture. We saw a lot of social furniture immerging in popularity this year including larger gathering tables (it even applies to coffee tables) and sectional couches.

 

Who knows, 2013 may even see the end of those last few CD stands remaining in the houses of beloved, but stubborn friends… we can only hope!

 

FLOORS

 

It’s back to wood again when it comes to flooring, including repurposed or reclaimed materials and imitations like porcelain tiles and vinyl. Around that, we predict rugs and carpeting with patterns to make a big showing. Expect to hear more about going green when talking floors in 2013, and to start to see the evidence of recycled elements lingering with the outward style.

 

WRAP-UP

 

The emerald year of 2013 will be the year of the old and the natural mingling with the new and the modern, both in terms of materials and design.

Designers this year will distinguish themselves by merging styles in sophisticated, economic, and sustainable ways. It won’t be uncommon to see technologies from 2013 displayed in concert along those from1913, or for designers to draw from stylistic pallets of modern and antique periods, as well as a wide array of influences, to create a new synergistic, conglomerate style.

In this way, our art and our interior design will reflect our generation’s character and zeitgeist by trying to keep the best accouterment of our rich tradition and history, while embracing the new trends and possibilities of the future.