Ethnic Chic
Ethnic chic is a style that involves
using design materials and colors that are not necessarily common to your own culture. From the strong lines and quiet earth tones of Japanese Zen to the rough weaves and vibrant colors of African Safari style, more and more homeowners are incorporating global touches into their interior decorating.
New Colors
Lavender: Lavender is being touted as the hot new color for 2010. Some designers are also calling for strong amethyst and deep purple shades to become popular, but others believe that they may be too strong to have staying power.
Grey: Grey emerged in recent years as the color replacing earth tones as the new neutral, and this trend appears to be going strong. In 2010 you may see darker shades of grey, from slate to charcoal.
Yellow: Yellow is seen as a reassuring color, so it's not surprising to see it listed as one of the top colors for 2010. Many designers think that bright yellow will be popular, but you can stay on the safer side by keeping it toned down.
Green: The recently popular sage green is giving way to a stronger, mossy green. You'll also see lighter, vibrant tones of green with more yellow mixed in.
Art Deco
Shades of the past are gaining ground as touches of Art Deco style are incorporated into home interior design. Expect to see black and white in the kitchen, often with bold accent touches of red.
Wondering how Art Deco actually fits in with today's home? The HGTV website has a great collection of before and after shots showing rooms redone in Art Deco style.
Link to the HGTV Art Deco Page. More Shimmer People still love the naturally distressed look when it comes to metals, but designers are noticing
an overall trend towards a less matte finish than before. Homes decorated in the Art Deco or contemporary styles will use lacquered or polished wood, plastic, or glass for a glossy finish.
Space for a Flat Screen TV 
Gone are the days when an alcove over the fireplace sufficed as the TV nook. Instead, one of the first questions prospective home buyers now ask when they enter a home is, "Where would we put the flat screen television?" If you are not able to provide
a well-oriented wall or space that would fit at least a 48-inch flat screen TV (and remember, many people have screens that are much wider), you could lose out on potential future resale value.
Space-Saving Functionality
Skyrocketing gas prices over the past few years sparked an overall trend away from the suburbs and towards homes located closer to main city centers. As usual, the trade-off is size for proximity, and space-saving
design elements that allow you to live in less square footage without losing functionality are appearing.
For an extreme example, take a look at the
circle kitchens featured on the Decodir website. Built like a Lazy Susan, the entire kitchen rotates a full 180 degrees and occupies just 1.8 square meters!
Eco-Friendly Flooring
Wood is still in high demand for flooring, and more consumers are asking for
eco-friendly options such as bamboo and strand bamboo. Wider planks are also becoming popular.
Cork flooring is an interesting alternative that offers a wide range of looks. To see examples, take a look at the CorkFloor.com website's impressive photo gallery showing their customers' cork floors.
Link to the cork floor photo gallery.
Shag Carpet
It's back!
Shag-style carpet is experiencing a boost in popularity. While it's true that plush, thick carpeting looks luxurious and feels wonderful on bare feet, shag is a style that reminds many people of an outdated design period, so it pays to approach it with caution. You can stay on the safer side by choosing neutral colors that are not likely to fall out of favor in a few years.
It's also popular to have flecks of darker color in carpet to create a more textured, three-dimensional look. Just remember that while the base color of carpet will usually look lighter when it's laid down in large areas, the flecks remain dark, so
the contrast you see in a swatch at the store will be magnified in your home.
Open Floor Plans
Roy Rogers said it best when he sang "Don't Fence Me In!" The trend towards
floor plans that allow people to interact easily from one room to the other is still going strong. With the kitchen typically acting as the hub of today's home and entertaining styles becoming less formal, it's especially important to create an open flow between the kitchen and a gathering room such as a family room whenever possible.
Granite Countertops (Yes, still!)
Some interior designers have been predicting the demise of granite as a countertop material for years, but it remains consistently popular. Why? It boils down to the fact that it's hard to argue with what works!
Granite is extremely durable, comes in a huge variety of patterns and colors, and these days is still cost-effective. While it may have lost a bit of the rock star appeal it had earlier, those desirable characteristics mean that it's likely to remain a respectable choice as a countertop material for years to come.
Glass is becoming an increasingly popular design element, whether it's used as an entire countertop or simply as embedded accent pieces in a countertop or backsplash.
Update on Home Buyer Tax Credits
The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit has been extended to include home purchases that go into contract by April 30, 2010 and that close by June 30, 2010. In addition, income limits have been raised, and there is a new $6,500 tax credit for move-up home buyers.
Here are the quick links to more information:
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* What the lawyers make us say... This information is not presented as professional legal or financial advice, and is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Please consult with a qualified professional regarding any decisions involving these topics
