Tying Things Together is the Latest Trend in Home Decorating
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There used to be a time when people compartmentalized
their homes. There were definite boundaries, usually
walls, between the living room, dining room, family
room and kitchen. In those with more open floor plans,
floor coverings, paint colors and furniture designs
changed dramatically as you went from room to room.
“Today the trend is to do
the exact opposite,” says Kelley Taylor of Creating
Home Décor.com, a Web site for do-it-yourself
decorators and craft enthusiasts. “Homeowners
want to decorate not just one room but their entire
homes with pieces that tie in to a central theme, and
a good place to start is in the central gathering place
-- the kitchen.”
Among the looks that are hot today,
American Country, which is very modern and updated;
Traditional Old World, which goes along classic lines;
and French or Italian Country, which is very homey with
deep colors and earth tones. Taylor says the latter
is really coming into its own right now.
“Rich reds, burgundies and
Bordeaux, which is almost black, are among the most
popular colors around,” says Taylor. They are
appearing in furniture, wall coverings, fabrics, rugs,
and even kitchen cabinets.
“You used to have to wait
an entire year or more for trendy colors to make their
way to the kitchen industry. Now their appearance is
almost instantaneous,” says Jeff Ptacek, a certified
kitchen designer who works for Fieldstone Cabinetry,
a manufacturer of high-end semi-custom cabinets.
Fieldstone already has a Bordeaux
finish available. “Black finishes on furniture
and cabinetry have been seen throughout design history,”
says Ptacek. “Bordeaux is a timeless look that
will complement everything you have in your house.”
To embrace the feeling of furniture well loved and well
used, Ptacek specified that Fieldstone’s Bordeaux
finish include worn edges and worn areas. In these rub-through
areas, a rich burgundy tone shows through.
Ptacek points out Bordeaux looks
great with all wood species (oak, maple, cherry, pine
and hickory) and is complemented by earth-toned accessories
as baskets, pottery, glass and metal. “Bordeaux
really lends itself to tying things together nicely,”
he adds
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