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Is it time to update your outdoor furniture?

Is It Time to Update Your Outdoor Furniture?

Here are some idea starters from what’s trending now.

Are you looking to spruce up your backyard or outdoor area? Maybe you want to do more entertaining or add a pop of personality to your outdoor spaces. 2023 has arrived with exciting outdoor furniture trends that are stirring excitement. 

From luxurious interior brands taking on the outdoors, using mixed materials, larger dining and seating groups, to bold pops of color, these new furniture styles are perfect for updating or creating a new and exciting space in your backyard or patio. Here’s a look at some top outdoor furniture trends making waves.

Mixed Materials and Collections

Outfitting your outdoor patio with mixed materials and collections is a great way to create a practical and stylish space. This year, we’re seeing the use of complementary mixed materials in outdoor furniture, such as teak wood with aluminum, ipe wood with wicker, rope with aluminum, and natural materials. 

Outfitting your outdoor patio with mixed materials and collections is a great way to create a practical and stylish space

Don’t be shy about mixing outdoor collections as well. Integrating different colors, accent tables, and chairs from various collections provides an eclectic designer look.

Lighter Frame Colors

Lighter frame colors with neutral, natural finishes give your outdoor space a modern and breezy feel with a touch of sophistication.

Lighter frame colors with neutral, natural finishes are another hot trend that gives your outdoor space a modern and breezy feel while adding a touch of sophistication. Light gray, off-white, and taupe are all popular tones for outdoor furniture frames that are perfect for making both small and large furniture groupings look chic and inviting. These lighter colors are an excellent backdrop for vibrant outdoor accessories like cushions and pillows while taking cues from the natural environment.

Interior Styles and Brands are Moving Outdoors

Interior brands are expanding their collections for outdoor environments.

Luxury interior brands are expanding their collections for outdoor environments, allowing consumers to bring the same looks and styles they have inside of their homes outside as well. Bernhardt, Vanguard, and Lexington are just a few higher-level brands offering outdoor collections that boast quality, durability, and longevity. With these luxury outdoor collections, you can seamlessly extend your interior design into your outdoor spaces for an inviting space that truly reflects your personal style.

Larger Dining and Seating Groups

Larger dining and seating groups accommodate more entertaining outdoors.

Now that gathering and socializing are back in full swing, we are seeing larger dining and seating groups as a hot trend to accommodate more entertaining outdoors.

With more socializing lately, larger dining and seating groups accommodate more entertaining outdoors.

Larger dining and seating groups accommodate more outdoor entertaining.

Make your outdoor living area comfortable and inviting with chaise lounges for extra seating around the pool, rockers by the fire pit, extra-large or modular outdoor sectional sofas, and counter-table height bar stools for outdoor kitchen areas.

Bold Pops of Color

Bold pops of color are trending in outdoor furniture.

Outdoor furniture is moving away from traditional all-grey or neutral schemes to bold and brightly-colored choices for cushions, pillows, rugs, and accessories.

Bold and brightly-colored choices for cushions, pillows, rugs, and accessories.

Bold, brightly-colored patterns, stripes and geometrics for cushions, pillows, rugs, and accessories.

Geometric shapes, abstract designs, and stripes on umbrellas and pillows add more pizzazz, especially in tropical Florida.

Modular and Stacking Furniture

Modular outdoor furniture is gaining popularity as more people look to optimize comfort and convenience.

Modular outdoor furniture is gaining popularity as more people look to optimize comfort and convenience. This creative design approach gives you versatility and functionality as pieces can be rearranged and styled with multiple seating options, interchangeable components, and optional custom pieces to fit your needs and accommodate guests.

Quality and Warranty Guarantees

Manufacturers are prioritizing quality and warranty guarantees.

The outdoor furniture industry has moved to prioritize quality and warranty guarantees. Since more and more customers are investing more in high-quality, durable outdoor furniture made to last, we are also seeing an increase in the use of maintenance care products and replacement cushions due to the longevity of frames.

Sustainably-Made Furniture

Marine-grade polymer material, known for its strength and durability. is an example of a more sustainable approach to outdoor furniture materials.

For outdoor furniture connoisseurs looking for reliable and luxurious pieces to add to their outdoor living space, sustainably-made furniture is a trend worth keeping an eye on. Brands are now utilizing marine-grade polymer material—known for its strength and durability—as a more sustainable approach to outdoor furniture.

EnviroWood® is an example of sustainable furniture material.

Take Seaside Casual furniture, for example, created from EnviroWood®, an all-weather marine grade recycled HDPE polymer composed of the same material used to construct milk jugs.

Are You Ready for Some Elegant Outdoor Living?

What’s currently happening in the outdoor furniture market is providing us with high-quality, durable, sustainable, and eclectic designs that are made to fit your space and style. 

If you’re ready to incorporate some of these exciting trends into your outdoor living area, let me know, and I can help you determine what will work best for your outdoor spaces, situation, and needs.

I’m easy to reach – you can choose a contact method right below this blog post. You can also click this “contact” link, or you can email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And, of course, you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.

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Area rug trends for 2023.

Area Rug Trends That Will Freshen Up Your Floors

An area rug can pull together a room’s design elements, ground the space, and give it a cohesive look. A quality rug can be a big investment, though, so it’s important that you find ones that best suit your style and space. Before you commit to purchasing a trending look, be sure to read my other article, “How to Choose the Right Rug” to get some smart rug ideas.

The Right Area Rug Can Complete Your Space

Whether you’re looking for the perfect area rug to finish off a room, or just want to know what’s trending for 2023, I’ve got your back. Here is a sampling of five rug trends that will set your space apart in the new year.

Rug Trend #1: Vintage-Style Rugs

Whether it’s a hand-me-down from your grandmother or just made to look that way, vintage-inspired rugs are still in style and trending strong. Their traditional patterns, intricate designs, and soft florals lend a warmth that makes any room feel homey.

Area rug trends for 2023.

Just because it has a vintage look doesn’t mean it has to be stuffy. Pair your favorite vintage style rugs with contemporary furniture for a traditional-meets-modern look that infuses your home with cozy, chic style.

Rug trend #1: vintage-style area rugs

A new take on this repeat trend features distressed rugs in monochrome palettes that have varying hues of all one color, or shades that are similar to each other like blues and purples, orange and reds, or even shades of gray. New vintage-inspired rugs can even have modern, abstract or geometric patterns, but will have a well-worn patina and/or distressed look.

Rug Trend #2: 70s Shag Style

The 70s are having a heyday in fashion, with everything from shaggy haircuts to crochet tops becoming popular again. This resurgence in the 1970s aesthetic has influenced home design trends too, by inspiring interior designers to use materials with interesting textures, earthy hues, and even curved furniture and decor. Perhaps none of these trends are more quintessentially 70s than the shag carpet.

Rug Trend #2: Shag-Style Area Rugs

Named after its shaggy rug piles, this ultra plush carpet is often seen in vibrant colors, but looks great in neutrals too. Once the disdain of new homeowners, shag carpeting has gone in and out of popularity over the years. Now, it’s back, but with a modern look and more palatable color options. Whether bold or neutral, shag rugs will infuse your home with personality and a lush look.

Shag area rug in neutral setting.

Rather than wall-to-wall shag, try strategically placing shag rugs in lower-traffic areas like bedrooms and offices for a pop of irresistible texture. They’ll last longer and are less likely to trap unwanted dirt and objects in their snag-able pile. Also, look for shag rugs made of natural fibers like wool rather than synthetic ones. While wool rugs are more expensive, they’ll last longer and keep their fluffy texture better than alternatives.

Rug Trend #3: Mixed Pile Rugs

For transitional areas and multi-functional spaces, a mixed pile rug might be just what you need. This trend is taking off, with more rugs featuring a blend of both high and low piles. They’re great for a variety of uses because they incorporate the coziness of a high pile rug with the clean look – and durability – of a low pile one. With fibers at varying lengths, these rugs add low-key texture and undeniable interest to your space.

Rug trend #3: mixed pile rugs.

For a fresh take, check out the biophilic design trend which is a philosophy that incorporating the outside world into interior decor can increase mental health and decrease stress. This popular trend is slated to continue growing through 2023. Applying a biophilic design approach to area rugs would be as simple as finding rugs made of natural materials and those with textures and designs that mimic organic objects found in nature.

For transitional areas and multi-functional spaces, a mixed pile area rug might be just what you need.

Rug Trend #4: Mismatched and Layered Rugs

Another retro-inspired look that we will see more of in 2023 is the mismatched and layered rug trend. Taking cues from boho and maximalist styles, this trend is all about creating a relaxed yet eclectic vibe in your home. Layering a patchwork of smaller rugs lends great texture and coziness to your space. Group rugs with similar colors together for a toned-down vibe or pair rugs with varying weave, patterns, and colors for a more bold approach.

Rug trend #4: mismatched and layered rugs.

Great for apartments, this look gives you the benefits of all-over carpet while staying fresh and flexible. You can rearrange your rugs with the changing seasons for an updated look. This trend is perfect for those looking for new ways to use their old rugs and works well with the vintage trend too.

Rug trend #4: mismatched and layered area rugs

Trend #5: Rugs in Unexpected Places

This final rug trend for 2023 includes placing rugs in unexpected places, like kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, or unused corners. We’re seeing more designers doing this, as it adds ambiance, comfort, and style to areas that tend to be devoid of personality.

Trend #5: rugs in unexpected places.

This trend makes it easy to carry your style throughout a space, including the oft-ignored and high-traffic areas of your home. Small area rugs work well for this and are often more budget-friendly and easier to refresh or replace as trends change. If you aren’t sure what size rug you need, click the link for a really handy Rug Size Guide.

Freshen Up Your Floors with an Area Rug that’s Perfect for Your Style.

Whether shopping for something completely new for next year or just looking to revive your current decor, take these 2023 area rug ideas and customize your space with a fresh look and beautiful floors that match your favorite aesthetic. And just let me know if you’d like me to help you with that.

It’s easy to reach me! You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some exciting living room decor ideas together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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How to choose the right area rug.

How to Choose the Right Area Rug

Your living room (or any main room) typically isn’t complete without a rug. But with so many options out there, finding the best one can be like trying to solve a puzzle.

The right area rug will pull a room together and is something you can keep for years.

How to choose the right area rug.

For a primary room to feel pulled together, most designers will tell you, it needs a rug.

But area rugs can be expensive. And because a large-scale item like that is going to have a big effect on the way a room looks and feels, choosing one can be intimidating. The right rug may live in your home for decades. The wrong rug will serve as a daily reminder of the money you wasted — and the money you’ll have to spend if you want to replace it.

And getting it wrong is all too easy, given the range of materials, colors, patterns, and sizes available. Finding the ideal rug, observed the New York-based interior designer Celerie Kemble, is a “complicated puzzle.”

To help you solve that puzzle, Ms. Kemble and other designers and rug manufacturers offer good advice.

Use One or a Few

There is no rule that says you have to limit yourself to a single area rug in the living room. Designers often use multiple area rugs in larger rooms to define different areas. So how do you know whether one or a few is best?

A boldly patterned rug can serve as the defining feature of a living area.

A boldly patterned rug can serve as the defining feature of a living area.

Smaller spaces, and living rooms enclosed by walls and doorways, usually benefit from a single large rug.

“I’m often dealing with apartments where the goal is to expand the sense of usable space in a living room,” Ms. Kemble said. In those cases, “I usually want to use one rug, and make it as big as I possibly can.”

Sprawling, open-concept spaces, like lofts, are more likely to benefit from multiple rugs, which help ground disparate groupings of furniture and can be used to separate a living area from a dining or media area, in the absence of walls.

Can’t Decide? Then Layer Them

Another option is to layer rugs on top of each other, with a single large, plain rug on the bottom to cover most of the floor, and smaller decorative rugs on top to anchor different seating areas.

“One of my favorite tricks is to use a very big sisal rug, which is relatively inexpensive, and then layer softer, plusher kilims or dhurries on top at the seating areas,” Ms. Kemble said. “It tells everybody, by the enormity of the sisal, that you’re all at the same party.”

Layering different area rugs creates varying sizes, textures and colors.

For a living room in Wilton, Conn., Carrier and Company layered an antique Persian rug over a larger sisal rug.

Determine the Size

It is important to work around a room’s obstructions when planning a rug purchase.

“We always start with the practical and then get to the decorative, while considering the architecture and mechanics” of a home, said Jesse Carrier, a principal of Carrier and Company, a New York interior design firm. “Are there doorways and door swings to consider? Is there any floor grille for HVAC that you don’t want to cover? Is there a fireplace where you have to deal with a hearth?”

After taking these details into account, consider circulation around the seating areas.

“There’s nothing worse than being forced to walk on the perimeter of a rug,” Ms. Kemble said, with one foot on and one foot off.

Choose a size that either completely covers the walkway or leaves the floor exposed where people need to pass by. Then decide how far beyond the furniture the rug should extend. A common way to size a rug is to ensure that it reaches underneath all four feet of all the furniture.

Or you could use a smaller rug that runs under the front feet of the sofas and chairs, and stops there. Just make sure that smaller objects at the rug’s edges, like end tables and floor lamps, are completely on or off the rug, Mr. Carrier said: “You don’t want unbalanced, rocking end tables every time you put something down.”

What about small rugs that float in the center of a room, untethered by sofa and chair legs? Many experts advise against them.

“Small rugs look a little bit lost and unfinished,” said Susanna Joicey-Cecil, the marketing director for the Rug Company, in London. “It can feel like a postage stamp, which is not so pleasing for the eye.”

Large wool Sandeep rug from Patterson Flynn Martin.

All the living room furniture in a home in Cartagena, Colombia, designed by Richard Mishaan, sits on a large wool Sandeep rug from Patterson Flynn Martin.

Choose a Patterned or Plain Area Rug

A boldly patterned rug can serve as the defining feature of a living area, but because it has so much impact, it’s a choice that requires courage. Deciding whether to go with a graphic statement rug or something more understated comes down to personal preference, as well as your overall design vision and where your home is.

“In the city, oftentimes clients will want to invest in an antique carpet from an auction or one of the great rug vendors as a showpiece,” Mr. Carrier said. But in country homes and beach houses, “we’ll often do some sort of sisal, sea-grass or coir carpet, because it’s a little more informal and rustic.”

If you decide to shop for a patterned rug, there are endless choices available, from free-form contemporary designs to more traditional ones. But if you’d rather keep it simple, there are plenty of opportunities to introduce pattern at a smaller scale.

The Catalyst wool-and-linen rug for Merida is used as a feature element in a home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Celerie Kemble designed the Catalyst wool-and-linen rug for Merida, and used it as a feature element in a home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

“For more laid-back, Zen environments, there are fantastically beautiful sisals with patterns in them, like herringbones and subtle stripes,” said Richard Mishaan, a New York-based interior designer. “To dress them up a bit, add a fabulous binding in leather or suede. It doesn’t increase the price enormously, but it’s very chic and beautiful.”

Pick a Material

Rugs come in many materials, including plant-based fibers like cotton, linen, sisal, jute and allo; downy, natural fibers like wool, silk, and mohair; and synthetic materials like nylon and solution-dyed acrylic. There are also nonwoven rugs made from stitched-together materials like cowhide.

Each offers a different look and feel, with varying characteristics related to how well the materials wear and how easy they are to clean. They also range widely in price.

Rugs made from plant-based materials are often among the most affordable and offer an easy, casual look. But different fibers have different durability: Cotton and linen, for instance, age fairly quickly, while sisal and allo can take more abuse.

“We’ve had some disasters with linen,” Mr. Carrier said, “which is very, very beautiful” — at least when it’s new. But because it is easily damaged by wear and spills, he added, “we’ve had to replace a lot of linen rugs in our time, and now avoid them like the plague.”

Allo, on the other hand, is “very cleanable and doesn’t retain stains,” he said.

A custom-designed wool rug anchors a seating area in a modernist house in New Canaan, Conn.

A custom-designed wool rug anchors a seating area in a modernist house in New Canaan, Conn., with interiors by Carrier and Company.

One of the most popular materials is wool, which can offer a range of looks depending on how it’s handled, from thin, flat weaves to hairy, hand-knotted shags. Wool tends to be more expensive than most plant-based materials, but it is stain resistant, softer underfoot, and durable enough to last for centuries.

“Wool has lanolin in it, which makes it a very cleanable, stain-resistant fiber,” said Bethany Hopf, a sales manager at the House of Tai Ping carpet company, in New York. “When you spill, it sits on top for a little while before it will actually absorb,” which gives you time for cleanup.

Even when a spill soaks in, she said, “we have a lot of success getting stains out.”

The same cannot be said for silk, which is generally more expensive and delicate, but has a softer feel and a lustrous sheen. Some upscale rugs are made entirely from silk, while others combine wool and silk to create various effects.

In patterned rugs, “very often we have a wool background and then highlight the motif with silk, because it helps it pop,” said Ms. Joicey-Cecil, of the Rug Company. “You can have lots of fun playing with those two textures, because the silk has a lot of sheen to it.”

A Brink Ivory wool-and-silk rug by Kelly Wearstler for the Rug Company.

A Brink Ivory wool-and-silk rug by Kelly Wearstler for the Rug Company extends under the front feet of a sofa, while smaller objects, like the end table and floor lamp, sit on the bare wood floor for stability.

But Ms. Kemble cautioned that mixed-fiber rugs can be difficult to clean: “Silk can’t take water, but wool needs water to be cleaned. So when you have silk-and-wool mixes, it creates hard-to-sort problems once there’s a spill.”

Consider Indoor-Outdoor Area Rug Options

If spills and stains from children and pets are a concern, it may be a good idea to choose an indoor-outdoor area rug made from a synthetic material like solution-dyed acrylic, polypropylene or PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which are now often so soft and appealing that they can be hard to distinguish from indoor-only materials.

This wool-and-silk area rug takes center stage in a small sunroom.

The Akimbo I wool-and-silk rug from Edward Fields takes center stage in a small sunroom.

“They’re impenetrable: You can’t stain them; you can’t ruin them,” said Mr. Carrier, who replaced a wool rug with a nylon one in his own home when his children were younger, then switched to sisal when they grew up. “In certain applications, that’s the way to go.”

Don’t Forget the Rug Pad

It’s tempting to bring a rug home and put it down immediately, but there’s a step you shouldn’t skip: putting a nonslip rug pad underneath.

Cut the pad to a size slightly smaller than the carpet. A general rule is that it should be trimmed about an inch shorter than the rug on all sides, to provide maximum grip while preventing a visible change in level where the rug transitions from pad to floor.

Rug pads offer a touch of additional cushioning, Ms. Hopf said. But their real utility is more “about keeping it in place and preserving the life of the carpet,” she said.

In other words, it ensures that your new rug won’t slide like a banana peel

Here are my Pro-Tips on how to choose the perfect area rug:

  1. Measure your space. …
  2. Pick the right style. …
  3. Consider the material. …
  4. Contemplate foot traffic. …
  5. Choose between solid colors or patterns. …
  6. Layer complementary rugs. …
  7. Invest in a rug pad.

Here’s another tip: If at all possible select the rug first then design around it.

Whew. There’s a lot to take in here, and I know it can be overwhelming. If you’d like me to help you choose the right area rug for your environment, please reach out to me – I’m always available for a helpful consultation, and we can take it from there. 

You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some exciting living room decor ideas together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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Shag rugs help anchor a room's design and add a warm, cozy touch.

Shag Rugs Are Back: The Coziest Options for Your Feet

It seems that shag is back, and, while we typically associate the deep-pile carpet with the ’60s and ’70s – hello, Carol and Mike Brady’s living room – the origins of the shag rug are in fact more ancient than vintage.

Berber shag rug.

Referred to by many different names – rya, berber, flokati, tulu – the shag rug has a long and colorful history. In Greece, flokati rugs were popular as early as the 4th century B.C., when Alexander the Great used flokati wool in his tents and clothing during his military campaigns. (Think Colin Farrell in Alexander keeping warm with a shag rug.) Centuries earlier in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, the shepherding Beni Ourain tribes began weaving wool into blankets, and by the mid-20th century had attracted such famed devotees as Le Coubusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Eero Saarinen. Today these Beni Ourain rugs are some of the most highly prized.

Beni Ourain shag rug.

Moroccan Beni Ourain shag rug.

Coming in a variety of colors, materials, and weights, there is sure to be a shag for everybody. So kick off your shoes and get comfortable – here are some shag rugs to keep you cozy all through the house.

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If you’d like to explore a shag area rug for your home (or business) environment but aren’t sure where to start, let me know and I can show you how to find the perfect shag rug for your needs and aesthetic, or I can source it for you. There are a lot of things to consider like size, color(s), texture, and pile, just for starts, and I can definitely help you with all of that.

You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some exciting living room decor ideas together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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The top 10 kitchen trends that will dominate 2023.

The Top 10 Kitchen Trends That Will Dominate 2023

All hail statement stone slabs and perfectly partitioned spice cabinets.

The past year has lent itself to bold new design moments that began with happy hues, flirted with Art Deco, grappled with Barbiecore-meets-home-decor, brought back the mythical furry floor fad, and catapulted into a new maximalism (viva la vita excessive!). And going into 2023, no space is whetting our collective appetite for what will be in vogue, decoratively speaking, more than the kitchen. Witness the rise of fluted cabinets, upholstered banquettes (how precarious!), beveled anything, and statement stone backsplashes – all a refreshing departure from the white-on-white-on-beige look that set Instagram alight for an impressive number of years (RIP). To help with whatever your reason is to be in the know, the industry’s top trend predictors all agree that this year, dining in will be as extravagant as the occasional night out. Here are the top 10 kitchen trends that will command our culinary spaces in 2023. Bon appetite!

Color Will Dominate Our Domiciles

In 2023 kitchen trends, color will dominate our domiciles.

After years of no-show, barely-there white-and-brass backdrops that were becoming a bit depressingly zeitgeisty, a pent-up period of sobriety is closing in on us, supplanted by an unbridled indulgence of color. “The white kitchen is finally over!!” exclaims designer Robert Couturier, who, in a recent project, matched the checked kitchen floor to the red of a cock’s comb. “Gone are all-white Insta-famous kitchens,” adds potter and designer Jonathan Adler. Cue kitchens drenched in full-fat happy hues, peppy prints displayed with irreverent abandon  – even flooring that upends the pieties of Design 101 (can there be too much of a good thing?). Think yellow lacquered kitchen cabinets, flamboyant pendants, and geometric mosaics.

Some interior designers hold that white kitchens are here to stay but with a splash of colorful flourishes. “Designers are getting more creative with adding personal flair through alternate shades of white and pops of color in features like panel-ready appliances, decor, and furniture.” The latest colors du jours? “Deep colors such as greens and blues with metal finishes in stainless and brass options are the big trends that provide long-term appreciation,” says Middleby National Sales Trainer Rick Rasor. Caesarstone’s Lori Shapiro agrees. “In keeping up with the nature-inspired designs, we have seen green become a must-have color in kitchens lately.” Rasor says he’s also seen an uptick in matte black appliances, which provide a sultry contrast to any pop of color.

Statement Stone Backsplashes Are the Slab of Choice

Statement stone backsplashes are a big 2023 kitchen trend.

This year, we’re all about matchy-matchy – but we’re not exactly pairing floral tiles with corresponding curtains à la Grandma Donna. Many recent kitchen designs have seen a lot of slab backsplashes that match the countertop, for a cohesive look. This is a huge shift away from the traditional tile that can break up the look of the space. It’s sleek, it’s minimal, and it’s really gaining popularity.

A boldly-patterned quartz backsplash is a hot item in  2023 kitchen trends.

For both countertops and backsplashes, designers are seeing unique and uncommon colors, along with bold patterns and veining. Calacatta Viola marble, which has beautiful mauve and burgundy coloration, is definitely having a moment. Whether done in the strikingly veined Calacatta marble or a sophisticated “noir” stone slab (or quartz, for that matter), these glamorous unbroken planes (made from a single material) create an ultraluxe look that can make the most logistical of spaces oh-so-elegant.

A Secondary Prep Kitchen Is on Everyone’s Wishlist

Having a secondary prep kitchen is a big 2023 kitchen design trend.

Truth: For today’s homeowners, a self-functioning prep kitchen – even more so than that renovated 1956 Austin-Healey – is the ultimate self-indulgence. It’s an ancillary space, immediately accessible from the main kitchen, that works as an additional work zone for food prep. “From back kitchens to butler’s pantries, alternative workspaces are rising in popularity, adding functionality and allowing consumers to complete separate tasks by serving as a second prep kitchen,” says Jeff Sweet, corporate manager of product marketing at Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove. “With the option of being transitional or closed off behind doors, these secondary spaces can house everything from additional refrigeration and warming drawers to built-in coffee systems, wine storage, dishwashers, and more.”

Having a prep kitchen is a big item in 2023 kitchen trends.

In fact, people are thinking even further outside the traditional kitchen “box” by extending the hearth into other parts of the home. “What were once kitchen-only appliances, like the Sub-Zero under-counter refrigerators, are making their way into bedrooms, home offices, and bathrooms for added convenience,” says Matt. Whether it’s that spacious second prep kitchen for when the mother-in-law visits, a custom cocktail bar moment in the study, an outdoor kitchen, or a drawer fridge in the primary suite, it’s clear that we’re reimagining what it means to dine in.

Fluted Islands Are Making Huge Waves

Fluted detailing is big in 2023 kitchen design trends.

Fluted detailing is all the rage right now. Used on everything from drawer-front motifs to wall paneling, this pleasing repeated scallop-shaped ridge design that harks back to early Egyptian times adds warmth and texture that is bold without being too noisy (with a small dose of Art Deco vibes). Little surprise, then, that designers are having fun with it in culinary spaces. “I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of trends, but when I see a good design idea that shakes things up, I’m all ears—and for me, that new trend has to be fluted kitchen cabinets,” says interior designer Kesha Franklin. “Add in curved edges and you’ve got my attention.” This kitchen cabinet design can be used in natural wood finishes in modern homes or painted in transitional spaces. It adds warmth, depth, and interest to the kitchen, and it’s a definite conversation piece in the heart of the home.

Double Islands Are the New Single Must-Have

Double islands are a big must-have in 2023 kitchen design trends.

There’s always that short-lived trend that survived on pure sensationalism, but the jury’s still out on this truly bespoke fad that has been denounced as excessive. Nevertheless, the case has been made: Why have one island when you could have two? The thinking is, one island is for food preparation and the other for guests to gather around. This appeals to the committed gourmands who view cooking as a performance art and like to entertain. It doesn’t hurt that the storage potential this offers makes a CubeSmart facility look like a dollhouse by comparison. Aesthetically speaking, double islands often create a sight line to an important focal point in the kitchen such as a beautiful range or hood wall. Functionally speaking, family and friends can be close enough to converse, laugh, and feel connected while staying out of the chef’s prep space.

So if you happen to have 145 square feet of unused kitchen space and a gaggle of hungry friends who watch The Great British Bake Off for fun, I have a kitchen remodeling project for you (call me and let me create it for you).

Tailor-Made Storage Is the Hottest Organization Obsession

Tailor-made storage is a big 2023 kitchen design trend.

Customization is the new luxury. Because nothing says “deluxe” quite like a tailored, built-in spice rack. Just ask Cella Jane founder Becky Hillyard. When designing the 328-square-foot kitchen of her newly built home, she opted for white oak built-ins and sliding panels that fit her spice jars and cooking necessities with a precision that would satisfy the most OCD of Home Edit fanatics. “I basically have everything I need for cooking behind those sliding panels,” Hillyard says. “I love that the panels give me the option to have a clean, seamless kitchen but also a highly functioning kitchen.” The luxury storage trend is making waves with many designers, as well as design councils doing trend forecasting. Beautiful exterior cabinetry that serves very specific purposes around the appliances such as hand spice drawers, oil drawers, and technical cabinets is all the rage right now. It can be integrated with the range to create an all-in-one luxury island similar to what a high-end restaurant would have.

Tile Is Having Its Renaissance Moment

Tile is making a big comeback in 2023 kitchen design trends.

For the naysayer who might question the aesthetic charisma of something as prosaic as tile, we’d advise you to keep an open mind as these repeating bibelots are enjoying an artful resurgence. “The top kitchen trends going into 2023 can be summed up in three words: tile, tile, and tile,” says Jonathan Adler, who tells us he’s so turned-on by tile that he launched his own collection this year with Lunada Bay Tile. His advice to the tile-interested? “Embrace your inner hippie and try something organic and craftastic. Pair rich wood cabinets in teak or walnut with a textured tile backsplash and you won’t look back.”

The Statement Appliance Is Back with Flair

Statement appliances are creating loud and proud color accents in 2023 kitchen designs.

When it comes to appliances, people going into 2023 are very polarized on how they want these functional necessities to inhabit a space. Consumers are looking to integrate their appliances seamlessly within their kitchen design, whether that be a sleek modern kitchen with hidden appliances or something more traditional where the appliances make a statement. This is manifested in two very different looks: either an invisible wallflower-like fridge that’s tucked ingeniously behind cabinet panels—or a bold, loud-and-proud, statement fridge that is turning more heads than that piping hot beef Wellington showpiece you just took out of the oven.

In fact, Pinterest searches on “refrigerator art” were up 90 percent this past year, according to Pinterest’s home and design creator management lead, Jeremy Jankowski, who says he doesn’t anticipate this trend will slow down anytime soon. “People are turning a lot of norms on their head and are no longer afraid to take some risks in expressing themselves, especially in the home space, where we’re spending a lot of time in work-from-home life,” he says. “It’s a form of maximalist self-expression that embodies the ’70s but is really its own movement. And so, soulful spaces are emerging with free self-expression.” All hail Barbie-pink food vessels!

Vintage Is the New New

If you seek sustainability, vintage is the new new.

In the photo here, a repurposed carpenter’s workbench with a new zinc countertop functions as a kitchen island in this Mexico City apartment. The cabinet doors were also upcycled from elsewhere in the apartment. All overseen by a vintage star pendant from San Miguel de Allende.

The sustainability-minded kitchen-dwellers of the rising generation are also putting their decorating decisions where their mouths are. People are finding new ways to honor old stuff in their homes. While previous trends dictated that you would remodel and take everything down to the baseboards, we’re seeing that Pinners are rejecting the mass-produced and taking care of an already-owned space with an authentic story behind it. Goodbye, aspirational cabinet overhaul. Hello, inventive cabinet refacing (compliments of Grandpa’s storage shed).

Designers Have a Soft Spot for the Built-In Banquette

Having a built-in banquette is a must-have in 2023 kitchen design trends.

And finally, we’re throwing caution to the wind here and prioritizing our comfort, red wine in hand or not. “The trend of incorporating the kitchen with living and dining continues,” says Robert Couturier. “Lots of banquettes, bookcases, and coziness.” The snug banquette shown here (in a Schumacher Rocky performance velvet) just off the kitchen, it takes little convincing to relate the allure of a comfortable kitchen corner. The trend here is to layer and bring in molding and warm tones and elements of fabric. And who can resist that cozy trend, of having a comfortable nook in your culinary space?

So do you want to fall in love with your kitchen again? I hope these 2023 kitchen design trends have inspired you – some pretty interesting styles are trending! If you’d like me to help you fall in love with your kitchen again, let’s talk. You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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These 7 Colors Will Be Everywhere in 2023

These 7 Colors Will Be Everywhere in 2023

Buckle up for a rainbow renaissance.

“There isn’t a shade or color I’ve ever seen that I haven’t liked,” Mario Buatta, with characteristic wit, observed. The late great decorator, who passed away in 2018, would be pleased, then, to see the spectrum of shades and tints that are poised to dominate our homes in the year ahead. Gone are the days of straight-laced, all-white rooms; instead, as we emerge from three (have I got that right?) years of uncertainty, experts predict a rainbow-bright renaissance in 2023 colors.

“The colors [consumers] choose are reflecting their mood—and they are much freer in how, when, and where they use it on themselves and in their homes,” Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at the trend forecasting agency WGSN, tells us. “Going into 2023, color is reflecting well-being, discovery, acceptance, transformation, comfort, simplicity, and (why not) pleasure.”

While some of these observations might sound like sound bites from your last therapy session, the “It” hues I’ve seen come to the fore these last few years show a collective desire for coziness and a closeness to nature (read: green-everything) and more expressive materials (see one of the year’s biggest trends, bold marble). “One of the most significant themes we’ve identified for the 2023 colors is warmth,” Sherwin-Williams’s Sue Wadden affirms. “People are moving away from the cool grays that defined the past decade and exploring hues that exude kindness, serenity, and empathy.”

There were also some surprises in the mix, according to the color experts we spoke to, namely the emergence of a genre of, literally, out-of-this-world colors: “Near-neons and hyper-brights are also making a comeback, driven by the metaverse, with colors making an impact in both digital and physical realms,” Ribaldi says. That entails vivid, bold hues—especially as Gen Zers begin decorating their first homes.

But if you aren’t entirely ready to paint your bedroom acid green just yet, read on for a list of the seven color trends that will be all the rage in 2023.

Green: Sage is giving way to deeper emerald green in 2023 colors.

Green is a hot 2023 color!

The color experts have said it before and they’re saying it again: Green shows no sign of fading in our homes, and it’s a surefire bet—whether you opt for a soothing sage or a pale pistachio—the hue will remain in fashion for years to come. “We’ve definitely seen an increased interest in greens this year, with that shade representing three of our top six colorways for 2022,” says Natalie Ebel, copresident of direct-to-consumer paint brand Backdrop. But while last year paint companies were predicting dusty verdant variations (for instance, Benjamin Moore’s 2022 Color of the Year, October Mist), Ebel, along with many other experts, predicted an uptick in punchier, truer greens and emeralds.

What makes green, well, evergreen? International color expert and executive director at Pantone’s Color Institute Leatrice Eiseman, makes the case for its beauty as a neutral. “My students hear me lecture over and over and over again about using green as a neutral color,” she says. “Mother Nature uses it ubiquitously in plants and foliage.” Watch for this hue in everything from marble to tile to furnishings in the year ahead.

Cool Lavenders and Lilacs: Lavender and lilac hues are rising in popularity among Gen Zers.

Lavender/lilac is one of the 7 colors that will be everywhere in 2023.

An emerging color trend that demonstrates the power of newly initiated Gen-Z consumers is the rise of soft, dusty shades of lavender and lilac. 1stDibs, the digital antiques marketplace, saw interest in lavender spike in 2022, up to 14 percent over 6 percent approval the previous year. WGSN forecasters, meanwhile, spotted the shade—which they’ve dubbed “Digital Lavender”—everywhere from Jil Sanders collections to Mercedes-Benz concept vehicles to Andrés Reisinger virtual furniture.

Riberti, along with WGSN’s color strategist Clare Smith, predict the color will dominate tabletop and soft furnishings, in addition to our walls. “It’s a sensorial shade that connects to holistic well-being and digital optimism,” they tell us. “This shade poses that much-needed cautious optimism and escapism that people are craving post-pandemic, and even in times of budget crunch, it is imaginative and creative but also speaks of hope and balance.”

It also speaks to nostalgia: Smith and Riberti have noticed it paired with chrome, glass, and other reflective surfaces, an indication that the ’80s are officially back. 1stDibs also saw a correlation between soft powdery pastels and an increase in ’80s-era interest.

Orange: Flame orange is dousing some walls lately.

Flame orange is one of the 7 colors that will be everywhere in 2023.

Orange, as Pantone’s Eiseman pointed out, has consistently remained “at the bottom of the totem pole.” But her team’s research has indicated that the hue is “definitely on board for next year.” It’s a trend also mirrored in WGSN’s reporting: “Saturated tones will return yet in solid color statements, enabling new forms of self-expression,” Riberti says, like fiery orange. And while some designers might opt for saturated versions of the shade on walls, many will use the pigment to add pop to furnishings and accents. “It’s the combination,” Eiseman says. “There are creative opportunities to put colors together that really tax your imagination.” (I’ll add: in a good way)

But homeowners and designers are also drawn to earthier, terra-cotta-tinged shades. In fact, according to 1stDibs’s latest trend research, burnt orange was its third most popular color, behind (you guessed it) emerald and sage green.

Light Brown: Milk chocolate never looked so delectable.

Light brown is one of the 7 colors that will be everywhere in 2023.

Forget gray; brown is 2023’s new neutral. In fact, all varieties of this cozy shade are appearing in the color-forecasting tea leaves. “Light browns, dark browns, and beiges are making a comeback because of their earthiness, meaning they ground us and help us feel more connected to the beauty and restorative properties of nature,” says Wadden of Sherwin-Williams.

Before you start getting flashbacks of generic ’90s tract home dens, consider the versatility of today’s beige: “What we’re seeing with the neutrals is that there are many more nuanced neutrals that seem to have an undertone that really pops out at you,” says Pantone’s Eiseman. ELLE DECOR editors are also spotting a variety of finishes with these trending tints, ranging from lustrous taupe lacquer to textured limewash in spaces from kitchens to bedrooms.

Mustard: For ’70s flare, you might try giving your walls a mustard makeover.

Mustard is one of the 7 colors that will be everywhere in 2023.

Do you prefer honey or dijon? Yellow or hearty whole grain? Whatever your preference for mustard, it’s a go for 2023 colors. In addition to Raspberry Blush, Benjamin Moore named the khaki-colored Savannah Green as part of its forecast for next year. “Almost like gold leaf for your walls, this rich ochre features a balanced undertone of green and yellow,” the hue’s description reads. Chairish, the vintage furniture online marketplace, saw an increase in searches for mustard-colored items on its platform. For our part, we’ve been seeing varieties of mustard everywhere from walls to textured bouclés.

Rose: A lovely, warm unexpected neutral in 2023 colors.

Rose is one of the 7 colors that will be everywhere in 2023.

Next year’s outlook is rosy, according to color forecasters—from bright fuchsias to delicate, neutral-leaning pinks. On the subtle end of the spectrum, Sherwin-Williams inaugurated Redend Point, a serene gray-pink, as its 2023 Color of the Year. “This gorgeous hue tells a story about warmth, exploration, and the importance of self-care, and is the perfect example of the warm, versatile, and unexpected neutrals we expect will become increasingly sought after in 2023,” Wadden tells us.

Pantone, meanwhile, named Viva Magenta! as its frontrunner for 2023 colors – a jubilant purply red that felt in line with the digital-first zeitgeist and “this idea of needing more energy, more vim and more vigor,” Eiseman tells us. Mauve is also making moves, 1stDibs predicts; the company saw a 4 percent increase in interest for mauve in 2022, another indication that the ’80s vibes are in our future.

And there’s more: Benjamin Moore named Raspberry Blush 2008-30 as its color-to-watch of 2023. “We love seeing Raspberry Blush on all four walls to make a bold color statement,” Arianna Cesa, the company’s associate manager of color marketing and development notes. “We particularly love it in a dining room as a modern, blushed update on the classic deep red dining room. For those who want to dip their toe into bold color, it’s great for an accent wall, a ceiling, painted furniture, or trim.”

Powder Blue: A feel-good soft trend that adds balance.

Powder blue is one of the 7 colors that will be everywhere in 2023.

Softness has been trending in a major way across the homefront, ranging from amorphous shapes to fuzzy finishes. It’s also appearing in our homes via pale, powdery blues in particular. Experts say it exemplifies a collective desire for calm in a crazy world: “Luminous powdery sky blues and barely-there pastels will speak to the need for softness and for balance, and help support physical and mental health,” Riberti predicts. Chairish, meanwhile, predicted “French blue,” a pretty cornflower hue, will be appearing increasingly in furnishings and accessories. The sky, apparently, is the limit with this feel-good tint.

Wow, the outlook for a colorful 2023 is bright! I hope you found inspiration in the colors shown here. And that’s the tip of the iceberg. You know I’m here to help you pull it all together and find your best color palette for your personal spaces.

If these 2023 colors have inspired you, just give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399. I’m easy to reach – you can choose a contact method right below this blog post, and we can set up a consultation to explore some lovely, colorful territory together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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2023 bathroom trends.

The Biggest Bathroom Trends for 2023

Hello, wild wallpaper and spacious showers. And that’s just for starts, in 2023 bathroom trends.

While we realize that good design outlasts fads, few among us can resist a good trend prediction. So, I’m here to separate the good from the bad and deliver to you the 2023 bathroom design trends that actually look like they will have legs. 

Although bathrooms often go overlooked, they’re a necessary part of any home – and, as the place where we often begin the day, they should set us up for success. So, let’s take a look at what makes sense for bathrooms in 2023.

Bold Powder Rooms

Small powder rooms are the perfect places to experiment with bold color and pattern. The small square footage of this Manhattan apartment gives a pattern extra drama, and creates a visual surprise for your guests. As wallpaper continues its newfound popularity into next year, there will likely be a steady rise of eye-popping powder baths.

Bold powder rooms are big for 2023 bathroom trends.

Antiques are Finding Their Way into 2023 Bathroom Trends

Spurred by the combined forces of production delays for new furniture and an eye towards sustainability, vintage and antiques are enjoying newfound popularity. Many designers are incorporating them into bathrooms in exciting ways, like what was done here with an antique chest that was retrofitted as a vanity using a vintage sink.

Antiques are part of new bathroom trends for 2023.

Fluted Edges are One of the Biggest Bathroom Trends for 2023

Fluting is one of the biggest trends on many design radars right now, and the look has myriad uses in a bathroom, whether on cabinet drawers like shown here, or with fluted edges on countertops, detailing on backsplashes, and more.

Fluted edges are one of the biggest bathroom (and other design) trends for 2023.

Next-Level Millwork is Making Its Way into Bathroom Design

Speaking of fluting, forecasters are anticipating a rise in millwork details of all kinds. Lately it’s been predicted that we’ll see more detailed cabinetry in kitchens next year, and I’m betting that will move into the bath space too. While you may not go quite as all out as done for this “Library Bath,” take this as a sign to add a little oomph to those plain shaker cabinets.

Next-level millwork is a big bathroom trend for 2023.

Wet Rooms

In this primary bathroom, statement marble (another trend!) and a spacious “wet room” for the shower, provide the feeling of being in a luxury hotel. These extended spaces are notable for many reasons: They tend to be more accessible, making them optimal for aging-in-place, plus they enable the bathroom to be more multifunctional, essentially dividing it into separate rooms without breaking it up visually.

Wet rooms are a big bathroom trend for 2023.

Statement Stone

Bold marble is another look many designers anticipate going strong next year: You’ll note that in this bathroom, when used right, a natural stone surface can act as de-facto wallpaper.

Bold marble is a BIG bathroom trend for 2023.

New Wainscoting

When you hear the word “wainscoting” you may envision a 90s-looking beaded half-wall—but today’s designers are making the look chic again. In this bath, a typical half-paneled wall gets a modern, graphic spin with vertical subway tile.

Wainscoting is chic again in 2023 bathroom designs.

Bidets are Trending Big for 2023 Bathrooms

I hate to break it to you, but If you’re not on Team Bidet yet, you should be. Once mostly regarded by Americans as a European eccentricity, bidets have now become mainstream, with brands like Toto offering them up built into high-tech toilets, or companies like Tushy selling versions you can add onto an existing toilet.

Time to jump on the "bidet bandwagon", a big 2023 bathroom trend.

I hope these 2023 bathroom trends have inspired you! If you’d like to have me bring some of these decor ideas into your bathrooms, let me know. You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore bathroom design ideas together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta!

Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta!

It’s a big day when paint company Pantone announces their Color of the Year. The 2023 Pantone Color of the Year, Viva Magenta, is a color that is already trending in the fashion and beauty world and now it’s making its way into interior design.

Just like in previous years, Pantone’s choices for this year’s trending colors are rooted in nature. But Pantone always chooses a color that has a little more edge than other paint companies.

Last year, Pantone chose Very Peri as their Color of the Year, a daring and carefree blue shade that was certainly bolder than the other blue and green shades that were trending. And this year we see a similar interior color trend, the colors are warmer and in Pantone’s case a lot bolder.

Read on to learn more about Viva Magenta, the Pantone Color of the Year 2023, and how you can use this bold color in your interiors, and sometimes enhanced, or subdued with complimentary color schemes.

Make any space come alive with a pop of Viva Magenta

A Deeper Dive into the Origin, Meaning, and Nuances of Viva Magenta

The story behind Viva Magenta is all about the balance between our digital and physical lives. In recent years, we have responded and reacted with a greater pull toward the natural world, and the Pantone Color of the Year 2023 is chosen to reflect our pull toward natural colors and the movement surrounding sustainability, and ecology.

In recent years, and perhaps as a response to covid and lockdowns, etc., an increased love for nature has also been reflected in our homes, not just with paint colors but also by adding plants, florals (live flowers, prints, and wallcoverings), and living walls to our interiors. And by paying more attention to our outdoor spaces.  

Our current lifestyle trends are at the heart of the Color of the Year selection process. And Pantone feels that Viva Magenta is the perfect rich shade for these times. The origin of Viva Magenta comes from the cochineal beetle. This insect produces carmine dye, one of the most precious, strongest, and brightest colors of the natural dye family.

This year’s color merges the richness, warmth, and strength of the natural world with the rich, open horizons of the digital world. The result is a red shade that celebrates life, Viva Magenta is a bold shade that also adds a fun touch to your home.

Viva Magenta adds fun pops of color to your spaces.

How Viva Magenta Can Be Used In Your Home

For a bold statement, you can opt for a magenta feature wall or sofa. But it can also be added as an accenting pop of color through curtains, rugs, pillows, or flowers. Viva Magenta certainly adds a warm and dramatic tone to any room of the house.

Living Rooms are a Great Place to Start

One interior photo shows how you can test the waters with one or two pieces of furniture. Sure, it’s a bit of a commitment, but it also makes a lovely bold statement.

Testing the waters with Viva Magenta furniture.

This living room shows a neutral base with white walls, shelves, and furniture that is spruced up with a bold pink rug.

Viva Magenta bold pink rug.

If pink walls are a bridge too far for you, consider painting the ceiling. Ceilings are often a forgotten component, but you can add such an impactful colorful statement to any room by painting the ceiling as you can see in this photo of a home library crowned with a hot pink ceiling.

Viva Magenta on the ceiling? Of course!

Pink on pink in this home. The living room walls are painted in an earthy pink shade which is complimented by a hot pink sofa in a traditional style.

Earthy pink walls, Viva Magenta sofa.

A bold pink shade creates a stunning feature wall in the living room.

A Viva Magenta accent wall showcases artwork.

And this living area mixes up color quite nicely.

Mixing up color nicely in the living area with Viva Magenta.

Viva Magenta in Kitchens

This home is festooned with colorful wallpapers. But their love for color continues with this hot pink kitchen. The boldness of these rich pink kitchen cabinets looks pretty stunning.

Viva Magenta in the kitchen.

Another room where two pink shades have been combined. Soft pastel pink cabinets and walls are combined with a hot pink tablecloth for a bold color accent in a colorful apartment. This is a very simple way to anchor a deep richness into this kitchen space.

A Viva Magenta tablecloth anchors a deep richness with the lighter pink cabinetry.

This family home is packed with color and in the kitchen/dining area they placed a hot pink rug on the floor for visual impact, warmth, and depth.

Another easy test of the color of Viva Magenta is to use a dining area rug.

This kitchen in a midcentury home combines green cabinets and walls with deep pink tiles. It shows that green and pink are a great color combination together.

Viva Magenta backsplash kitchen tile.

Detouring from the kitchen, and going back to the living room, here is another green and pink example showing a playful pop of color in a more traditional sofa setting.

Viva Magenta pillows and a throw mix it up with green in a traditional living room setting.

You can add bold color accents with textiles, decor, and art but why not make a statement with furniture? These built-in cabinets add a vibrant pink color touch to a blue and white kitchen.

Viva Magenta built in kitchen area cabinets.

This Bold Color in Bedrooms

To make a bold pink like Pantone’s Viva Magenta truly pop you can combine it with darker color tones. This moody gray bedroom shows exactly that, the walls and floor are painted in a dark shade but with a pink throw and rug, you add a joyful pop to the room.

A pink throw and rug add playful pop to this moody bedroom.

Again, a room where two shades of pink are combined. This pink bedroom in a colorful family home combined a plaster pink shade with a bold pink/reddish rug.

This pink bedroom in a colorful family home combined a plaster pink shade with a bold Viva Magenta rug.

We’ve already seen hot pink as an accent color in the bedroom but you can paint the walls as well as this attic bedroom shows.

You can paint the walls Viva Magenta for a bright colorful effect, as this attic bedroom shows.

Pantone’s Viva Magenta Color Palette

Pantone has also released a color palette with complimentary shades for Viva Magenta. This color palette mainly features light, neutral, natural shades that will make the Pantone Color of the Year 2023 stand out.

Pantone's complementary color palette for Viva Magenta.

top row: Pale Dogwood – Gray Sand – Gray Lilac – Viva Magenta
bottom row: Pale Khaki – Fields of Rye – Agate Gray – Plein Air

Besides these neutral color tones, you may have noticed other color combinations in the images here. For a natural look, you can combine Viva Magenta with green and blue. If you want the 2023 color to really stand out you can combine it with dark gray. Or you can go for a full pink look, where dusty pink tones form the neutral base of your room with magenta color accents.

Viva Magenta adds the right amount of pop in this already colorful bathroom. It's very much at home with the rich blue and other accent colors.

How do you feel about the Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta? Do you enjoy the bold color, or is it too much for you? Truth be told, I’m still forming my opinion, but some of you will have immediate gut reactions to it. Let me know your thoughts, especially if you’d like to explore using this color in your spaces – I can help you test the waters.

If this bold rich magenta color for 2023 has inspired you, and you’d like to see how to incorporate it into your spaces, I’m always available for consultations. Choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.

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Living room trends that will be huge next year.

Living Room Trends That Will Be Huge Next Year

Will 2023 be the year of fluted details or muted tones in living room trends? (spoiler alert: BOTH!)

As 2022 winds down, of course, we’re already looking ahead at what’s trending next for the design world. And, as one of the central gathering spaces in any house, the living room is at the heart of my focus. 2022 proved to be the year of bold wallpaper, warm woods, and a resurgence of antiques—all of which are still going strong. But what’s on the other side of the calendar? The good news? The prognosis is great, with warmth, style, and details galore.

Rich, Muted Tones

If a few years ago saw the heydey of Millennial Pink and the last few years were all about verdant shades, 2023 is shaping up to be all about rich, vibrant colors in muted tones. The feeling evoked in this room portrays that, with a burgundy velvet sofa, deep sage lime-washed walls, and pillows that are the sexier cousin to teal. 2022 also saw designers leaning into deep, dark palettes to evoke warmth and comfort, and that may continue to carry over into 2023 living room trends.

Rich, muted tones in living room trends.

Warmer Neutrals

In terms of neutrals, warm, earth tones complement those rich hues well. Some designers see a trend in 2023 toward warm, non-intrusive, neutral tones and materials, which provide comfort and security. Raw, organic materials, and tones such as brown ocher, offer a cozy-yet-modern grounding base. The living room shown here proves how well the rich hues and warm neutrals pair.

Warmer neutrals in living room trends.

Multifunctionality

Let’s hear it for 2023 being the year we…actually use our living rooms. Now that we know better than ever how we use our homes, they’re adapting to better serve those needs. The single room shown here is designed with areas for reading, napping, drinking, entertaining, and even stargazing.

Multifunctionality is a big living room trend for 2023.

Fluted Details

This is trending really big now. Fluted and reeded pieces in neutral spaces are especially huge right now. While the look was once reserved for small detail areas, design forecasters predict next year will see it expand into living spaces.

Fluted details are a big living room trend for 2023.

Next-Level Media Experiences

With new binge-worthy shows launching weekly and the desire for increased comfort in staying in more, 2023 will likely be the year many homeowners splurge for an upgraded media experience, whether in the form of a large-scale TV or custom sound system.

Next-level media experiences are big living room trends.

Meaningful Collections

It’s been said that the objects we fill our homes with hold the most power to ease our anxieties. Maybe it’s your grandfather’s collection of fly fishing lures, or maybe you’re zealous for antique maps—whatever it is that brings your truest self to your living space is on trend. For example, here, in a New Jersey home for a recently-widowed art collector, the space was designed to showcase the owner’s collection of art and souvenirs.

Meaningful collections will be a big living room trend in 2023 home decor.

Daybeds

Maybe it’s their multifunctionality, maybe it’s their element of nostalgia, but we’re seeing a big return to daybeds in large living spaces. Here, a Serena & Lily daybed divides the large living area without blocking the sculptural window. Covered in a Sanderson fabric, it gets a custom look.

Daybeds are trending in 2023 living room decor.

Outdoor Living

Living rooms in 2023 will push beyond the house, as outdoor entertaining proves to have real staying power. After all, when you devise your outdoor space with living areas as good as your interiors, do you even need to go inside?

Outdoor living is a living room trend continuing for 2023.

I hope these 2023 living room trends have piqued your interest and inspired you! If you’d like to have me bring some of these living room decor ideas into your home, let me know. You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some exciting living room decor ideas together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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Easy and Inspiring Winter Decor Ideas for 2022

Easy and Inspiring Winter Decor Ideas for 2022

Cozy! That’s the word that best defines winter decor. I’ll bet you want your home to be cozy and offer a warm welcome to family and friends, especially at holiday time.

You don’t need to do major renovations or spend a small fortune. Simple little changes to your spaces add that extra feeling of comfort and warmth.

Here are some simple ways to create cozy winter decor:

Cozy winter decor means blankets everywhere

Cozy, warm winter decor means lots of blankets.

Winter always provides a great opportunity to pull out more blankets and have them all around the home, doing double duty, adding a nice casual style, along with providing actual warmth when needed.

Lots of blankets for color, warmth and texture in winter decor

Blankets are an inviting way to make your house more cozy and comfortable. You can use blankets on the sofa, on office furniture, over an armchair, on the porch bench, or anywhere you might want to add a little extra color and texture, and yes, warmth.

Switch out the rugs

Time to put away the sisal rugs and pull out some high and fluffy rugs. In summer, natural fiber rugs are the best choice because they are cooler, in winter it is the opposite.

Thicker, warmer rugs will introduce "cozy" to your winter decor.

This season, look for high-pile rugs…remember that key word: cozy.

Invest in pillows

Cushions give you such a great option to introduce colors and textures, as well as comfort. All three qualities together definitely make for a cozy environment. Carry the idea of “warm” throughout your decor upgrades at holiday time.

For color, texture and warmth, investing in pillows for cozy winter decor makes good sense.

Here’s another tip: in the wintertime, use pillows with warm. tactile fabric covers, such as textured cloth, crochet, and velvet. Leave the satin covers for the summer.

winter decor ideas - blankets

Add some coziness with warm lighting

The color of the lamps also has a lot of relevance in winter decoration. The yellowish tones, considered warm, refer to fire, fireplaces and bonfires.

A lantern adds a lot of warmth and color to your wintry decor.

The warm colors that lamps and candles can introduce definitely enhances a mood of coziness. Yellowish, warm tones link to fireplaces and the hearth.

Easy and Inspiring Winter Decor Ideas for 2022

Light fixtures, lamps, and ceiling spots can easily convey warm tones of light that let you relax into the wintertime with family and friends.

Keep the whiter lights for places where focus and concentration are needed, such as the kitchen, office, and study.

Plants have their own lush warmth to add to your winter decor

Imagine plants like that yummy hug. Your house is more intimate, welcoming, and comfortable with them. They nicely pull a room together.

A warm bulb in a fixture can warm up an otherwise cool room

Plants are great for any room, whether bringing life and color into the living room, spreading vases around multiple rooms (vases also introduce variety with warm colors, textures, and natural tones), or even plants in the bathroom (they love the moist “hothouse” air).

Bring in the green with plants for your winter decor.

Do be careful with your selection of plants. Remember that each of them requires a different light level. Research what works best in each location ahead of time.

Scatter candles to warm up your winter decor

Candles are the best! They decorate, illuminate and add warmth. That description is exactly what winter decoration is all about.

Scatter candles everywhere for warm cozy winter decor.

For safety reasons, it’s best to place candles in holders of some kind, preventing fires. Glass and mirrors tend to bounce the light all around, adding a nice touch, and metal support bases can add another dimension of warm color into the room.

Also, be mindful of where the candle will be lit. Avoid locations near flammable objects, such as curtains, or dry, papery decor.

Light up that fireplace (or bring one inside)

Winter is also the ideal time to put away the fan and light up that fireplace, of course.

Light up that fireplace for cozy warm winter decor.

You don’t need to have a masonry fireplace in your living room. Nowadays there are very efficient, portable fireplaces that add that extra warmth for a cozy winter environment.

I hope these winter decor ideas help you find simple cost-effective ways to dress up your home for a wintry, cozy mood this holiday season! If you’d like to have me bring some holiday styling to your home or office, contact me. You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some lovely winter holiday decor ideas together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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