Much like we can expect from the American people in next year’s election, the votes among the nation’s top interior designers and manufacturers are split when it comes to forecasting what will be “hot” in home decor in 2008.
The good news is that there’s no mudslinging or veto power. In fact, design bipartisanship is encouraged, as it results in a myriad of choices for today’s style- and value-conscious consumers.
Here are the top 10 trends on the ballot for 2008:
1. The Incumbent – Wall murals are always a hot ticket, particularly those produced by Hopkins, Minn.-based Murals Your Way (www.muralsyourway.com), the industry leader in the production of decorative wall murals for more than 35 years. “Personalization is the key driver in mural selection,” says Todd Imholte, president of Environmental Graphics, the company that operates Murals Your Way. “We are finding more and more people choosing a mural that fits their personality.” With a gallery of more than 5,000 wall mural images, as well as the ability to create a custom mural from a personal photo or artwork, the possibilities are truly endless. Some of Hollywood’s celebrities are using the murals from Murals Your Way like Madonna, Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson. (more…)
Sometimes, markets are where you find them. And if you can find a niche in that new market, your opportunities may be boundless.
That’s been the driving force behind Geneva Cabinet Company, which has forged a new path catering to the growing second-home market in the popular resort area of Lake Geneva, located some 50 miles northwest of Chicago.
The company boasts a state-of-the-art showroom geared to a high-end clientele. And, because the location has increasingly become known for being a great community for a second home, Geneva has targeted these high-end homeowners who want to turn those homes into showplaces of modern kitchen and bath design.
“Whether it’s their first home or a second home, the goal is the same,” says Peggy Helgeson, the company’s general manager. “It is to make their space just right for them.” (more…)
Home decorating trends for 2007 continue to be off the “a la carte” menu, says Davis Remignanti, lead design consultant at Furniture.com.
“Well-designed rooms are about finding the ‘wow factor’ in combining seemingly disparate styles, materials and textures in new ways,” notes Remignanti. “No matter what the overall style goal — from the most formally traditional through ultra modern — the surest way to have a room that looks ’so 20th Century’ is to rely on overly matched and overly symmetrical interiors.”
(more…)
