21Oct/100

New Home Decorating Trends Add Wow Factor

Whether you like nesting at home or throwing big parties, you want your house to look its best and make everybody comfortable.

This season's decorating trends allow you to use your home as a blank canvas for self-expression, creating an atmosphere you and your guests will enjoy.

Unexpected Twists

Many homeowners are opting to use traditional home furnishings in unexpected ways. 

For instance, furniture is being incorporated in the bathroom. With the popularity of bowl sinks, homeowners are embracing vanities resembling tables and dressers. If you go this route, think realistically. The old dresser at the antique store is eye-catching, but if you're looking to hide a plumbing system within it, make sure there's enough space inside. 

Lighting, too, is being used in new ways. For its part, the chandelier need not be limited to dining rooms and foyers. Designers are bringing the fixture into bathrooms, bedrooms and even closets. 

Live Green

Green has become ingrained in our lives, and eco-friendly options abound for home decor. But savvy homeowners don't just want to protect the environment; they want to look good doing it, and it's a triple bonus if they can save money. 

"Growing in popularity are stylish LED lighting products that use 70 percent less electricity than traditional incandescent lighting and offer long-term energy and cost savings," says Jeff Dross, senior product manager at Kichler Lighting, which offers a variety of ultra-efficient LED solutions.

"Homeowners don't just want energy savings, however. They want style and flexibility so they can light their spaces their way. We kept this in mind when designing our new Design Pro LED linear lighting, which features a string of light 'pods' that bend around corners and tight spots to light cabinets, toe kicks, tray ceilings and more," he adds.

Wallpaper is Back

Unlike grandma's floral schemes and duck-patterned bathrooms, today's wallpapers integrate modern textures and textures. Don't be afraid to go bold, but make sure other elements in the room, such as lighting fixtures and furniture patterns, are more subtle.

Chic Casual

Today's homeowners want relaxing spaces without compromising style and sophistication. Materials that were once deemed formal, such as crystal, are finding new life in casual applications. Even traditional Tiffany lighting fixtures are trending casual with art glass applications integrating softer hues in relaxed designs.

On the countertop front, quartz stone is gaining in popularity, incorporating innovative colors and patterns. Some even bind crushed glass within the solid, smooth surfaces.

Embrace Blue

Sea-inspired hues are the colors of the year. While some are designing complete rooms against this scheme, others are implementing the trend through accents, from throw pillows to candles to table lamps. Kichler Lighting, for instance, recently introduced several flirty table lamps centered on sea-inspired palates, including Blue Casade, a collection of lamps combining glossy blue hues in a soft, wispy pattern.

For more home improvement ideas check out hgtv.com and visit kichler.com for home lighting inspiration. And remember, when updating your home, decorating is about expressing yourself and incorporating your own personal style.

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