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THE BRANDON SUN • YOUR HOME YOUR WAY • SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2023 Home trends to watch for this season BY JILLIAN AUSTIN
that if you don’t want grout lines and you want solid walls, then that would be kind of the way to go.” Bathrooms are also seeing more muted tones and lay- ered lighting. Homeowners are wanting to transform their bathrooms into a spa including features such as steam showers and saunas. “It also stems from COVID where we couldn’t leave [our homes],” she said. “Those sau- nas were popping up every- where. People wanted these areas where they didn’t have to leave the house and still have that experience.” Next is the entryway to your home. People are paying attention to these areas a little bit more, Bauman said. They are focusing on function and opting for built-in storage or cabinets that can store items like shoes and coats if they don’t have a mud room. Lighting can make a huge difference to these areas, and Bauman suggests adding wall sconces or replacing the old ceiling fixture with something more fun. Wall treatments, artwork, tapestry or a mirror and decor are being added to these entry- way areas. Bauman noted she is seeing reeded or fluted wall paneling in this area, too. “Wall paneling adds du- rability, which is a big thing in entrance ways, especially when you come into a landing and you either go up or down stairs,” she said. “Those walls get beat up really bad.” Don’t forget to consider the important component of light- ing in your home, as this can often be overlooked. Bauman recommends layering the light, making sure you have your general illumination, your task areas covered and then your accent or ambient lighting.
Bold. Moody. Earthy. There is a shift happening right now in interior design as people are moving away from white and grey and choosing to bring in darker hues, rich textures and natural materials to create spaces that are warm- er and calming. “It’s almost as if everyone just wants a big hug from the stresses of COVID and every- thing else over the last couple of years,” said Amber Bauman, principal interior designer and owner of Grey Pearl Interior Design. “We really are looking for a cosy space to recharge and be at peace.” Bauman spoke with us about the latest trends in in- terior design but pointed out that sometimes trends are to be ignored, as it all comes down to what clients want, what works for them and their homes. “Homes typically dictate the style of the decor and how we treat that space,” she said. “But having said that, I am really enjoying the shift right now.” As it happens with cloth- ing styles, what was old is new again in interior design. “What I love about design and what I do is we are always looking to the past for inspi- ration, but we never copy, it comes back differently, and we do it differently,” she said. “The nature of trends is that they come from some place and time in history which allows for our modern interpretation.” Bauman said she is see- ing more handmade, natural materials, tapestries, textiles and wall coverings. People are choosing matte finishes over high gloss. “I’m really excited about everything coming up, which kind of started last year but
Kitchen trends are moving toward warmer tones, woods and off-white colour. (Submitted)
it’s really coming into effect now … earth tones, shades of brown, pinks, warm whites, mauve, muted greens and blues.” Monochromatic layers of colours, textures and textiles are also being introduced. For example, a black accent wall with paneling, a black televi- sion, black cabinet and black vases. “Layers of black but in dif- ferent textures and objects,” Bauman said. “Another ex- ample is painting your walls, your trim and your doors all the same colour, which is quite different.” Moving to the kitchen, Bauman said lately the trend there is also “anything but white.” “I still do white kitchens and I will always do white kitch- ens,” she said. “I think white kitchens are always going to be a thing and they will never go out of style. But again, just
going away from stark white. We’re seeing a lot of off-white, oyster, cream, taupe.” Also, wood is appearing more often in the kitchen. While in the past it would be the whole kitchen, Bauman said now it could be just the wood on the base cabinets or an island, and the upper cabi- nets oyster or something softer. Different door styles are popular right now, such as fluted, reeded and face frame. They add dimension to the space along with texture and warmth. Bauman said granite coun- tertops are popular, and for backsplash they are seeing more texture and three-di- mensional tone-on-tone. In the bathrooms, the No. 1 request from Bauman’s clients is: “easy maintenance.” “We’re seeing a lot of large format tile and also slabs. Ob- viously, it does come down to cost, but those are the areas
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