Here’s a look at 4 design elements that are inspiring me in 2020, including paint colors, decor accessories, furniture and more. See what’s trending in home design right now!
Hey you, can we talk for a minute?
I want to talk about trends.
Design Trends.
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Every year around this time, I start seeing a ton of these design trend posts. Ya know, articles about what’s going to be in style and what’s going to be out of style. Paint companies announce their “color of the year.” Designers start sharing their predictions for the year ahead. Heck, I’m even writing a post on it (this one)!
But it really got me thinking …
Are there really trends in home design?
I know there are periods of time where certain design elements become popular and then almost standard across the board. I think that’s why stainless steel appliances are really the norm nowadays. Plus, most of us tend to know which spaces feel dated and out of touch. Few of us have Brady Bunch kitchens anymore!
But the more I blog about home decor and DIY, the more I question the notion of these design trends. It’s certainly fun to read the predictions, but I like to think of these trends more like inspirations.
A lot of the design improvements we made in our house are based on our own style, which is of course heavily influenced by what we see in magazines and on Instagram and on Pinterest. I think making a house a home is really a loooong process. An evolution, if you will. Is it ever really finished?
My style has certainly evolved over the past few years. But I don’t recycle all the old to bring out the newest trend every single year. And I don’t think many of us do. (Unless we are very inspired by it, which further supports my theory that these are inspirations and not trends.)
So, from now on, I’m going to call these inspirations. Design Inspirations. There. That sounds much better to me.
So, with that, here are some design inspirations I’m embracing this new year. (You can check out last year’s post right here.)
Navy Blues
Sherwin Williams announced their color of the year as Naval. A color that is near and dear to my heart.
Why?
Because we painted our whole house that color!
And it’s just beautiful. A deep blue that is the perfect backdrop to whatever you want to throw in front of it. It definitely brightens up when the sun hits it. But it’s a very rich color otherwise.
Here it’s used in a kitchen …
The prediction is that you will see more blues and navys in homes (and greens, too). Navy has always been one of my favorite colors and I think it’s very easy to decorate with. It’s almost like black. There are few colors that WON’T go with navy. In fact, I don’t even know if I can think of any. Can you?
Kitchens may be going less white and more colorful with this navy trend. But I still find it hard to believe that a beautiful white kitchen would ever go out of style. It seems timeless to me.
Other deep blues to try …
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, Farrow & Ball Scotch Blue and Valspar Royal Navy.
Woven Furniture & Accessories
I love love love woven accessories! Anything with that warm textured look. (This still hasn’t changed from last year!) Caned furniture is definitely something that I’ve started to see more of, and I can’t say I’m upset about it.
Other places it’s popping up?
In wall decor with baskets and in pendant light fixtures too.
These woven materials like rattan add so much texture to your decor. You can keep things neutral and still add interest to your rooms if you incorporate these types of woven design elements.
Tile Styles
If you ask me what my favorite tile is ever, I would say Subway Tiles. I swear that subway tiles never go out of style. They look clean, you can install them in tons of different patterns and you can use different colors of grout to change it up.
But there’s a new tile in town. And its name is Zellige.
Oh man, I am in love. Although I love our vertical shiplap backsplash, I could find many a reason to put up these beautiful Moroccan tiles. Maybe in a bathroom? Hmmm. They make quite the statement. These worldly tiles are glossy and imperfect on purpose. They can even be used on your floor.
But apparently tricky to DIY. If you are in the market to retile something, definitely give these Zellige styles a look.
Vintage Everything?
Speaking of worldly things.
I’m seeing lots and lots of Vintage. And I’m loving the inspiration. Even my husband is on board with this trend! I think the easiest (and least expensive) way to add some vintage charm to your home is either to purchase vintage/vintage-looking art and to lay down a beautiful vintage rug.
Art is a very personal thing, I get that. But a lot of the big designers are using beautiful vintage pieces of art in their designs. I’m currently working on a gallery wall of older prints for our living room. Choose frames with some age, or patina, or intricate designs. If the art looks like you plucked it from your grandmother’s attic, you’re on the right track.
You can also achieve the vintage look through other accessories though, like vases.
Weathered, raw-looking vases are everywhere. And they can be just the thing to add a little vintage flair to a room. I’m trying to figure out a way to DIY one. (stay tuned for that.) These vases are beautiful but the larger ones can be pricey!
So there you have it!
Those are my design inspirations. How do you guys feel about these design trends? Which ones do you hope to incorporate into your homes?
xo Karen
