2011 Home Decor Trends - Underfoot…but not underrated

M. Grace Sielaff of M. Grace Designs, Inc. envisions rich-looking herringbone-patterned hardwood floors in an ebony oak finish – paying attention to board thickness and giving special consideration to products that meet industry LEED requirements. For a green touch, Jase Frederick suggests hardwood flooring from reclaimed wood or sustainably grown and harvested sources. To add warmth, Marta Cullen of Dream Interiors suggests round rugs – the bigger, the better.

2011 Home Decor Trends - You’re gotta have heart

The kitchen remains the “heart of the home” according to Andrea Vollf of Andrea Vollf Interiors. Consumers interest in remodeling their kitchens should consider a well-designed, open, airy layout that integrates the kitchen into the rest of their homes. Jeff Dross also suggests new countertop materials in lieu of granite, such as quartz stone or binding, crushed recyclable glass underneath a solid smooth surface for those seeking green alternatives.

2011 Home Decor Trends - There’s nothing bland about Neutrals

In a recent video posted on her website, Michelle Lamb – co-founder and chairman of Minneapolis-based Marketing Directions, Inc. and editorial director of “The Trend Curve – spoke about a resurgence in neutrals in 2011. These more complex “chameleon” neutrals will have more color, and will shift and change based on the light and whatever’s around them. Lamb claims that these neutrals will be “the likes of which we haven’t seen in 20 years or more.”

2011 Home Decor Trends - Illuminating Insights

As living green becomes more ingrained in our lives, LED lighting will continue to light the way, according to Jeff Dross, senior product manager of Kichler Lighting, who will introduce several new under-cabinet systems and landscape products with an ultra-efficient technology next year. For a casual, contemporary twist, Dross also suggests hanging chandeliers in new areas such as bathrooms, bedrooms and closets, and embracing today’s art glass applications, which are much more chic and casual than the Tiffany lamps of the past.