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Set a design goal this year, stick with it
It's January again-- can you believe it? Time for
New Year's resolutions, setting goals and starting
fresh. Every year at this time I get the urge to clean
and organize so that I can start the year off on the
right foot. Along those lines, I cleaned out my desk
drawers, recycled outdated catalogs to make room for
new ones, and made a master to-do list with my business
goals for the year.
For my home, this is the year that I will get my laundry
room in ship-shape. I'd like to design some cabinetry
to maximize storage and create a counter area for folding
clothes. And I've given myself a very simple and achievable
New Year's resolution (in addition to the ever-present
desire to lose ten pounds, which is much harder for
me to achieve!) This year I resolve to make my bed
every morning so that my bedroom will always look neat
and attractive. I admit I am a bit lax in this area,
but at the end of a busy day, a master bedroom should
be a haven, a place to relax and unwind. Seeing a pretty
bed is much more relaxing than seeing a disheveled
bed.
Lots of you will embark on decorating projects this
year. There are myriad ways to improve the look and
feel of your home, from rearranging the furniture to
painting; from buying new furniture to grand remodeling
projects. For those of you wondering what is new in
home decor for 2007, consider the following trends,
as they might provide some design inspiration.
If you are in the market for new furniture, you will
see hand crafted pieces with details such as metal
scrollwork, carvings, and hand-done finishes that bring
out the character in the wood. You will also notice
sofas and chairs upholstered in interesting combinations
of leather and fabrics, which can bring a lot of texture
into your room.
For those of you with smaller homes, you will be happy
to know that smaller scale furniture such as narrower
sofas, coffee tables and dining tables will be much
easier to find. And definitely trendy are those counter
height bistro tables that can be seen almost everywhere.
They are really cute in casual dining areas.
The global influence is still very prevalent in home
decor. With the Internet and retail stores like Cost
Plus and Pier One, incorporating well-chosen accent
pieces into your decor is easier than ever.
Natural elements continue to be very popular because
they bring a feeling of serenity and relaxation into
your home. Examples are woven wood blinds, natural
stone, wood and bamboo. A client of mine recently had
a bamboo floor installed in her master bedroom and
it looks gorgeous.
This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper
Group papers on Jan. 6, 2007.
Go
back to the list of decorating columns.
All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna
Jacoby.
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