Interior Design, Color and Window Treatment Trends for 2012

If you’re updating your decor, brushing up on interior design trends for 2012 will help you make stylish and timely choices that can add significantly to your home’s overall value. Natural looks and products are making major inroads and figure to form the backbone of the direction of the interior design industry in the coming year.

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Interior Design Trends

Going space by space, here’s a closer look at general trends for 2012:

  • Kitchens. Stainless steel appliances and surfaces continue to be big. Not only are they practical, they’re also functional–they’re easy to clean and disinfect, and they last a long time.
  • Living rooms and bedrooms. In these rooms, wood has become the most popular material, for flooring as well as furnishings. While traditional favorites like bamboo and hardwood continue to enjoy widespread popularity, reclaimed and repurposed wood is also trendy and offers you a way to save some money.
  • Outdoors. Again, nature and conservation rule: more and more people are building decks and patios from natural stone, and gardening trends are promoting habitat-like environments that sustain and support insects and birds rather than keeping them away. Landscape designs are making widespread use of grasses and plants that don’t require a lot of watering.

Color Trends

Not surprisingly, color trends for 2012 are moving towards natural hues and colors that are emblematic of nature. In addition to timeless neutral shades of beige and brown, bright sky blues and deep forest greens are big right now. If you want to make bolder choices, include warm sun-like yellows, sunset-like oranges and rich teals. Choosing paints with natural pigments and low or no VOCs is also recommended.

Window Treatment Trends

Bamboo shades are one of the top interior design trends of 2012, as far as window treatments are concerned; bamboo is one of the most ecologically friendly products on the home improvement market. As an alternative, you can also consider organic or reclaimed wood for your blinds–these materials have been staging a major comeback for several years, a trend that is showing no signs of slowing down.

Also, according to Marie and Kathie at Custom House Draperies in Holliston, MA: “The trends we are seeing seem to include roman shades and draperies. People are gravitating toward textiles and neutral, soothing colors. When they want color, purple and orange are abundant. Large bold prints are also popular.”

Working with a professional interior designer, or at least consulting one, will help you gain a better grasp of ways you can apply these trends to your home’s unique spaces. As ecological consciousness becomes increasingly prominent in contemporary culture, your home makeover will resonate and add value for years to come.