Trending… Trending… 1, 2, 3…

The year of 2016 is well on it’s way at this point (daylight savings just kicked in, thank you very much!), but there are those who are just beginning to scrape off the rust and turn the wheels on their upcoming projects. We are always curious (and presume that you are as well, if you’re reading this right now) to know the latest trends including styles, colors, and whatever else has started to catch fire or is already ablaze.  For those of you looking for inspiration, here are some insights, suggestions & palettes we are currently working with and noticing within the design-world realm.

Copper and Pastel Pink, anyone… to go with a nice, refreshing flute of champagne rosé, perhaps?  This trend has us buzzing already! 

Come home to this soothing, delightful combination of colors, pour yourself one, and revel in your impeccably well-chosen lifestyle surroundings. 

When coupled with softer shades, we find metallics to exude confidence in a positive yet subtle way.  To go a little bolder and add some pop to the party, go with hot pink and glimmering gold.  Pick any of a number of applications… we love wallpaper, flashy fabrics, lustrous, industrial-strength lighting or pearlescent paint finishes (also, antimonial appliances). And mixing various alchemical elements (brass, stainless steel, etc.) is no longer a faux pas, as long as they are relatable & complimentary. Key words to describe this scene are “reflect” and “recharge”.

Black & White with a Non-Traditional spin. Soon to be, if not already, one of our faves!  Soften those hard edges by injecting some organic elements. Less checkerboard rigidity and more yin & yang varied harmony! Contrast that white marble or black granite fireplace with a furry, cream rug. Couple an interesting bone sculpture with indigenous art. Coordinate lava rock coasters on your reclaimed kauri wood table while lounging on tampa cigar black leather… all whilst listening to a friend playing Tchaikovsky on a wonderful ivory-key Grand Piano!

Indigo & Navy blue… timelessly regal and romantic!

We are utilizing quite a bit of this classic color already this year. A perfect example would include the Bow Ties & Bubbly event (Chesapeake Bay Beach Club) we participated in during January – where, in our Navy Wedding-themed space, dress attire, tablesettings, flowers & other décor were all coordinated around classic blue & white.

[Above Photograph taken by Melissa Grimes-Guy Photography)

(BT&B Garden Room Design Team: Designer: @popthecorkdesigns / Florist: Little House of Flowers / Stationary: @weddings_by_cink.art / Photographer: @annareynal)

This can be attributed to where we reside geographically (trust us, we have lived in Maryland and been surrounded by water long enough to know that blue will never be out of style!) but also international influences such as Asia & Scandinavia. This dovetails nicely with the next point of interest…

Scandinavian design, it seems, has a lot in common with Apple — clean, contemporary, user-friendly and always outsmarting the competition. It is generally hard to get away from “practical”. Mostly because the rooms we decorate have the minor complication of needing to be lived-in! Interior design is our talent and skill-set which we use to help create the vision for your personal space. This space is 3-dimensional, including heighth, width, and depth; perhaps including, but definitely not existing within some 2 ½” deep canvas that can be hung up on the wall. Point is, it cannot be set aside; we must navigate thru it. Once you realize this fact, you can… ummmmm… damn! We just completely lost our spatial/metaphysical train of thought.

I think what we were trying to say is, those ingenious people up north are really good at coming up with stylish and practical stuff for your home, and we like it!

[Natural stone tiles courtesy of AKDO; Dwelling & Design exclusive local dealer.]

Some other interesting items to consider: colorful & textually-varied poufs, woven wall hangings, tile (geometric patterns are always a good call; we also have some very cool alternative faux-wood grain flooring to consider), contemporary abstract art, brightly-colored pillows and books… lots of books! Use them to intellectually catapult a dull conversation or obtain a new drink recipe. (We have some excellent ‘mixology’ reads right now!)

Cheers,

Dwelling & Design