2018 Design Trends Wrap-Up and Look Ahead

​I can’t believe this is my 60th blog post since starting this endeavor in June of 2017.  60 posts in 18 months!   So much fun for me, and a nice collection of tips in my archives for you (especially since it’s all searchable). This week I’m taking a look at the decorating trends of 2018 and making some crystal ball predictions about which trends will last through 2019 and beyond.  I’ve got my decorating compass and GPS strapped on - are you ready?

Fabrics for Décor Items—What were the 2018 trends?
Let’s first discuss fabrics, soft goods and décor items which are short-term, usually inexpensive and can afford to be trendy.  Items such as pillows, throws and table runners are easily replaced after 2-3 years of use and enjoyment as the styles change.  Plus, you shouldn’t really mind if your family actually uses the pillows on the sofa for comfort and back support - that’s what they’re there for.  You all know I am a total fabric hound, so it’s natural that I would start my trends discussion with fabrics. All the rage for trendy pillows now are geometrics, textures, metallics, and even some with jute and macramé accents.  But if you are looking for pillow, bedding, and drapery fabrics which will endure a bit longer, here are some of my favorite fabrics that were introduced in 2018 and will surely endure in 2019 and beyond.  

​I love these fabrics because they all have a sense of organic movement to them, and with the exception of the fun red paisley, have a sense of harmony too.  Velvet and textural chenilles have also been popular for upholstery and pillows in the last few years, and I believe they will always be a stylish and luxurious choice if your climate and usage is compatible. Plus, many of my vendors carry Crypton upholstery fabrics in tweeds, chenille, and velvets. Crypton is a finish which makes liquids (especially those that stain like red wine, tomato sauce, and juice) bead up when in contact with the fabric. With the wide choice of Crypton fabrics which came out in 2018, you can enjoy the soft and lush feel of an upholstery fabric (very different than the stiffer and flatter Sunbrella) and have easy care with kids and pets.  Ask me to order you some samples if you want to do some testing on your own.  
 
As far as fabric trends that have run their course, I believe animal prints and Suzanis fall into this category.  Maybe small plaids too, but there will always be a need for small plaids. Animal prints have been all the rage for 10+ years now, and I think it’s time to let them go (a little bit) in adult spaces.  Kids and animal prints are a natural pairing, so do keep them in the mix for youthful spaces. Large scale Suzanis like the fabric below in the middle still popular, and I still like them for pillows. But Suzanis have been used frequently in upholstery in the last few years, and they will date your interior as such.  The Frankie chair on the right is currently available from Pier 1, and it is indeed quite handsome - but you would need a lot of neutral elsewhere in the room to have it happily coexist.  If you love the ethnic and organic feel of a Suzani, I believe that it’s better to use it in a pillow or throw from now on. 

As for other prominent 2018 design items besides fabrics, here is my somewhat random wrap-up of 2018 trends and whether they will endure in the foreseeable future. This is my version of the “Love it or Lose it” exercise I did in Post #2 of my blog way back in June 2017. Just for fun, you might want to review that blog to see where we were 18 months ago.

Love It:

• Herringbone - pattern in tile, flooring, backsplashes, carpets, fabrics – timeless

• Woven wood shades and natural fibers in rugs and furniture - always a classic, but don’t overdo with everything in the room

• Drum shade chandelier lighting – fresh, modern, easy on the eyes, especially over the dining or kitchen table

• White kitchens and subway tile - but maybe mix it up with a darker island or darker countertops—stark all-white everything in a kitchen is on its way out

• Accent wall - now done very successfully in wallpaper, an accent wall can be a wonderful focal point for many years into the future

• Wallpaper – has been back for a few years now, and will remain a decorating staple forever.  Choose one with an updated pattern or multiple properties, like the Phillip Jeffries wallcovering Bohemia (below) which is a print over a natural grasscloth ground.

• Antiques - making a comeback. An antique piece here or there in your décor mixes up the space and makes it incredibly interesting.  Put an unconventional choice of fabric on an antique chair, chaise, or sofa, and you have a new classic. 
• New crop of floral prints – 2018 brought a host of oversized painterly, Asian-inspired and wood-block type of florals.  The number of colors on any current floral paper or fabric seems to be limited to just a 3 or 4.  Tone on tone is in for florals, like the wallpaper shown above.
• Chinoiserie and fretwork furniture. The Asian-inspired trend is here to stay.  Forever, I’m happy to report.  Here is a beautiful stool by Kathy Kuo Home: 
  • https://www.kathykuohome.com/Product/Detail/12933-Crain-Hollywood-Regency-Beige-Bamboo-Fret-Oak-Counter-Stool

Let It Go (unless YOU love it – since that’s what really matters):

• Large diameter drapery poles - (anything over 1.5” in diameter).  These have been out for a few years now, and slimmer metal poles have replaced the heavy wood pole look.  Actually, if you are looking to update your interiors and want to keep your perfectly good draperies, but the poles make the whole treatment look heavy, just update the poles.  I can totally help you with that.
• Boldly patterned backsplashes - of variegated and mosaic tile.  I’m not a kitchen designer, but I do sometimes recommend the tile for the new kitchen backsplash.  The variegated look of many colors of small rectangular tiles (you know the one, it makes your eye kind of sway from side to side) is a look that is going out of style, IMHO.
• Tassel trim - unless it’s super fun and funky for a modern vibe.  Now, I’m a drapery person, and have enjoyed using trim on many projects over the years.  However, the only trim I am really recommending these days is a tape or braid on the leading edge of draperies or an accent on pillows.  In my opinion welting is still a must for any custom pillow, but the welting should be fairly petite.  Fringe on pillows is also on its way out. 
• Cool grays - enough with the totally gray and monochromatic trend already!  I prefer warmer grays, grieges, and the like, and the counterpoint of actual color in an environment, even if it is only green plants.  Cool gray has been a strong trend 7 years now, and I am seeing signs everywhere that the tide is turning.
• Shiplap - I think shiplap had its peak in 2018 and will not be so ubiquitous in 2019.  I guess it depends on what Joanna and Chip Gaines do in TV from here and which part of the country you live in. If you’re in an area where homes were once built with shiplap, then the trend to expose this feature might remain strong.
• Dark hardwood floors - About 10 years ago, everyone who was refinishing their floors was choosing dark walnut or espresso stains.  I believe that trend is over, and new hardwood flooring is gravitating toward a medium-toned non-orange brown, a grayish brown, or a lighter neutral blonde wood.  Dark floors show lots of dirt and dust, and who has time to look at, and deal with, that every day?

 
Well, that’s the wrap-up on my opinions on which 2018 trends will endure and which may (and should) fall away.  I would love to hear your opinions and questions on these design trends and others - please contact me here.

My very best wishes to you for a Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Wonderful Holiday Season!