TRENDS
trendy (tren’dê) adj. In step with current fashion; vougish
I feel that my design style is not “Trendy” but there are some current trends in home furnishings that I draw inspiration from and helps to influence my style. I believe that one can go overboard with a style trend so much so that a client will become bored and tired of it in a short period of time. I will use “trends” as starting point for inspiration and then interpret it in a way that will give the room warmth, comfort and longevity, not locking into one specific look or feel. A lot of clients will use the word eclectic when discussing what they want in their home, I believe that just about all interiors today are eclectic, deriving their look, warmth and appeal from many styles, periods and trends. Some of the current trends that inspire me are:
“Mid-Century Modern”
Mid-century modern style reappeared on our radar screens more than a decade ago, but the wildly popular show Mad Men has pushed it even farther into the limelight. Just as the name implies, it spanned a period of roughly two and a half decades in the middle of the 20th century, from the mid-1940s to 1970. Its uncomplicated, fresh aesthetic arose from a desire to propel postwar America into the modern era and recast design through a bold new lens.
Mid-century modern’s emphasis on pared-down forms, contemporary patterns, natural materials and a seamless flow between indoors and out create a medley of functional comfort and chic style. The look bridges the organic and the man-made, with one foot in the natural world and the other in brave new territory that still has the power to surprise us today.
It may sound quaint now, but back in the ’50s, the idea of indoor-outdoor living was revolutionary for the average American. Mid-century modern homes took advantage of the new passion for bringing the indoors out and vice versa: wide windows, sliding doors, patios. The idea was to create a connection with the natural world that worked equally well with a book in your lap during a quiet moment or a cocktail in your hand at a party.
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” British Colonial “
I have been inspired by this look for a long time, some clients have asked for the “Tommy Bahama” look which I feel has been overdone quite a bit these days. My take on it is to go back to its roots, when the British colonized the West Indies. They brought the traditional style of England and infused the tropical feel and aesthetic of the the West Indies. The end result is a traditional, timeless look with the casualness and relaxed feel of island living.
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“American Coastal “
This style trend has several names, ranging from New American Country to Hampton’s Cottage, I call it American Coastal. Deriving its looks from coastal living, with American folk art, sea shells and sometimes Asian influences. Because of it’s eclectic mix of styles it is casual and very comfortable.
“Contemporary”
The “new” contemporary trend takes a lot of it’s direction from classic traditional styling, with a cleaner and more updated look. Contemporary furnishings tend to be trendy and usually go out of style rather quickly, but the new contemporary, with it roots in traditional style with prove to be timeless.
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“CASUAL”
Casual also known as transitional is just that, a transition between contemporary and traditional. It is probably one of the most used design trends today. It is stylish, comfortable and easy to live with.
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*Donald B. Lane Interiors
Long Beach, Ca.
(562) 599-9532
dblinlb1@gmail.com
Photos courtesy of: DBL Interiors / WS Home / Baker