Trends in the home come and go, though slowly and often at the mercy of outside forces such as the fashion world’s perennial quest for new colors, designs and materials; the restaurants’ and hotels’ desire to promote new foods and new ways to dine and relax; and ecologically attuned experts who want everyone to save a bit more of our planet’s natural resources.
But many hot trends do emanate from design professionals who are looking for ways to fulfill our desires and obsessions, as well as make our lives easier and more interesting.
As is our custom, we asked trendsetters here and around the country to tell us what they believe are cutting-edge developments in their fields, but this time for specific rooms. Some trends apply to more than one room, as is the case with rugs, which are of particular interest to today’s designers and homeowners.
LIVING AREA
Philip Liss, president, Peerless Imported Rugs Inc., Chicago. “Two types of rugs are hot: Tibetan and new rugs that look antique and come from Persia, China or Pakistan. While Tibetans have made rugs for a long time, many of the area’s current weavers work in Nepal where the influences have inspired nubbier, softer rugs with larger knots and hence larger-scale designs. The result is a more contemporary look. Colors are also softer. The new rugs that are made to look old are ‘instantly’ aged in a chemical bath, which makes them more readily available to homeowners.”
Gary Johnston, national brand manager, DuPont Co.’s Stainmaster Carpet, Kennesaw, Ga. “In addition to looking for stain- and soil-resistant carpet, homeowners have decided in recent years that while hard flooring may be durable, it’s not as comfortable underfoot. So we came up with comfortable carpeting that offers both qualities because of a fiber used called Tactesse. Its loop-style construction makes it resemble sisal but it is softer, and it has the aesthetics of wool and the performance of nylon. Colors run throughout the rainbow.”
Lee F. Mindel, partner, Shelton, Mindel & Associates, architects and designers, New York. “People want light and air, and one of our goals is to solve problems so the architecture becomes the vocabulary of the solution. One way we do so, particularly in an urban environment, is to remove part of a floor if the space is two stories and create a two-story area in a corner by a window. We also may use some of the exterior materials indoors to connect the outdoors to the indoors. This solution is a surprise, which always is good.”
Lee Ann Perry, interior designer and owner of LAPD, Chicago. “Cabinetry with built-in light can help illuminate an entire wall rather than just the piece of furniture. One design I like is from Luminaire, which makes a piece called “eo” by Interlubke. The light comes from within the piece and the colors of light can be customized. The piece of furniture is modular, and a variety of cubes can be assembled for specific purposes, such as CD or china storage.”
DINING ROOM
Jeffrey Parsons, furniture designer and owner, Beeken Parsons, Shelburne, Vt. “Furniture from wood whose species aren’t ordinarily found in fine furniture are interesting because the various grains and other random anomalies show through. People like to see the grains’ imperfections to highlight the natural characteristics of wood and add an air of informality. Most of the woods we use-sugar maple, ash, cherry and some elm-also grow in our area or close by and come from larger trees. Consumers may not understand the specifics of forest management, but we do, as do some retailers such as Home Depot. It’s sort of akin to buying organic food. To make the wood’s character show off best, we create simple designs such as a round table with legs instead of a pedestal, and simple chairs. They encourage comfort and conversation.”
Bryan Bilczewski, senior designer, Daniel DuBay Interior Design Inc., Chicago. “A banquette in a dining room or a kitchen. It offers more versatility than chairs, an aesthetic variation and allows owners to incorporate more fabric into a room to warm it up. Kids especially love sitting on a bench. Fabrics selected can be reversible for different seasons.”
Bobby Trendy, owner, Bobby Trendy Designs, Los Angeles. “You can sit, talk, drink there [in the new redefined dining room], but you don’t need to eat. Most people eat out anyway. These are very comfortable spaces, very luxurious, colorful and private. I do them with fabricated ceilings, walls lined in draperies, fabric-covered sectionals, antique consoles and end tables, mirrors and 24-karat gold chandeliers. They’re over-the-top for big homes where clients want the ultimate, including many in the entertainment industry.”
KITCHEN
Paul Zurowski, co-owner, Sawbridge Studios, Chicago. “Look for tables that adjust in height for different needs. The Platman House in Hudson, N.Y., makes an iron and glass table with trestle ends with rungs so the glass top can be placed low for a coffee table, higher for a dining table or still higher for a counter or buffet. It’s collapsible so it can be moved to another room.”
Virginia Gardiner, associate editor, Dwell magazine, Los Angeles. “Recycled materials help the environment and offer an aesthetically exciting look in a home. Ice Stone is a countertop material from recycled beer bottles that can be made in different colors, is strong yet smooth like stone, and reflects light. We’re also seeing recycled blue jean scraps turned into insulation, reclaimed steel belted car tires for roof shingles, and wood mixed with recycled plastic bags for decking.”
FAMILY ROOM/LIBRARY
Paula O’Connell, interior designer, Hufford Furniture Co., Chicago. “Sofas with high backs are different, especially those that have bookcases as part of the frame. You don’t put these against a wall but let them float so you save wall space for art. The cases provide storage for books as well as CDs and accessories. We like a design from Hickory White.”
Tim Smithe, co-owner, Walter E. Smithe Custom Furniture, Itasca. “The ‘Samantha’ sofa is upholstered in eight different fabrics like a collage, and owners get to choose the fabrics. It’s an eclectic, custom look that really allows clients to express themselves.”
Lauren Seaman Enslin, interior designer, Lauren Enslin Design, Chicago. “A floor-to-ceiling wall of bookcases that conceals a powder room, or another adjacent room, is a way to maximize wall space and have the look of one continuous elevation.”
Marsha Cibull, general manager, Jayson Home & Garden, Chicago. “Wardian cases are a small greenhouse-style plant environment for a room. They are named for Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, who performed an experiment in 1829 that led, by accident, to discovering that plants can survive under glass. They were popular during the Victorian era as a way to imitate a greenhouse on a smaller scale. They can stand on their own or rest on a stand or table. We sell new ones that look old and range from 7 inches to 5 feet high. Many garden experts say it’s best to have a display theme such as a tropical forest, marshy bog or Southwestern desert, but it’s also smart to decide, based on the amount of light in the room, where you plan to put it since humidity will vary.”
MASTER BEDROOM/BATHROOM
Luiz Panchihak, director of design, California Closet Co. Inc., San Rafael, Calif. “Small-scale washers and dryers and other equipment help the cleanup in the master bathroom or master bedroom walk-in closet. These units don’t replace a home’s main utility center. Owners need to be sure they have an electrical hookup, some place to place laundry baskets or a place to fold and maybe an ironing board. One example of the type of equipment that can be used is Whirlpool Corp.’s new ‘Personal Valet,’ which reduces trips to the dry cleaner. Its penetrating mist smoothes away wrinkles, eliminates odors and pares ironing.”
Theresa Fatino, vice president, brand design & development, W Hotels, New York (with two hotels in Chicago). “Bedrooms and bathrooms that are almost one. We eliminate the wall between the bedroom and bathroom for a seamless flow between the rooms and so that the bathroom becomes an extension of a bedroom and seems less utilitarian, larger and more glamorous. We build vanities that look like fine furniture from teak, granite, glass, seashells.”
Denise Antonucci and Jerry Sanfilippo, interior designers, ASI Interiors Inc., Chicago. “Using glass and rocks for a more outdoor look. In conjunction with Stuart D. Shayman Associates Architects in Northfield, we installed a glass ceiling, glass wall that looks out on a small brook and back yard, a deep seeping [soaking] tub where water falls from a stone wall with rock formation, and added an Oriental table and long chaise atop a stone and bamboo floor. The colors are all natural to complete the look.”
Bill Schankel, public relations manager, the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Hackettstown, N.J. “Business centers in the master bathroom are in demand so owners can always stay in touch with their work. These rooms have modem hookups for a computer laptop, countertop space to put the laptop, fax machine, printer and anything else they need, and a seating area.
“With more homeowners seeking shower stalls separate from tubs in their master bathrooms, they want those showers to work like an at-home spa and include multiple shower systems or heads for cleanliness and relaxation.”
CHILDREN’S ROOM/PLAYROOM
Lauren Seaman Enslin, interior designer, Lauren Enslin Design, Chicago. “Paint that can be applied to a wall and that dries like a chalkboard surface. The chalk can be wiped or washed off.”
HALLWAY
Sandra Saltzman, interior designer, Sandra Saltzman Interiors, Chicago. “The old-fashioned serving cart is back, and it is being used as a console in a hallway, flanked by chairs and under a mirror or painting. It can be moved to where it’s needed-a kitchen, dining room or lower-level family center. I’m using them in various materials such as bamboo, rattan, woven leather and stainless steel. Baker, Knapp and Tubbs has a cart from McGuire Furniture that I like a lot.”
Stuart Cohen and Julie Hacker, architects, Stuart Cohen & Julie Hacker Architects, Evanston. “Storage cabinets with glass doors on both sides are the next trend in interior architecture. They separate rooms but allow for some visual continuity. We’re using them now on one wall of an entry foyer in an apartment where they also bring in natural light and allow a glimpse of a lake.”
MUDROOM
Wende Cohen, owner, Bungalow furniture store, Westport, Ct. “Look for Old French industrial lockers, which came from train stations, clubs and restaurants. These can be used in place of built-in storage, are more aesthetically interesting because of their colors and patina, and can be used singly, in pairs or in a long row. They’re not inexpensive, however; many range from $2,200 to $3,800.”
SAFE ROOM
Orren Pickell, CEO, Orren Pickell Designers & Builders, Bannockburn. “Safe rooms are an impenetrable place to hide, usually off the master bedroom and sometimes doubling as a walk-in closet. They typically have a steel door with a deadbolt lock so they can’t be bashed in. Sometimes they have drop-down stairs to a lower level or the outdoors. Owners usually leave a cell phone in the space in case a home’s phone lines are cut.”
Keith Fisher, owner, Keyth Security Systems Inc., Highland Park. “Cameras are smaller and less expensive and are Internet-accessible, all of which make them great for checking on what’s going on at home whether you’re at your office, a restaurant or halfway around the world. Many owners put cameras in multiple locations. Cost depends on the camera and installation.”
DECK
Libby Haynes, interior designer, Estancia Home Collection, Dallas. “Stone decks with big fire pits allow owners to have a large fire, cook a lot of food, curl up and get warm, but in a more natural, outdoors way. We add rugged furniture for the total look.”
BASEMENT
Brad McCormick, interior designer, Meebrad Design, Chicago. “Bowling alleys. In a guest house on the North Shore, we updated an old bowling alley for the new owner, who loves to play games. The new regulation alley has lights for ‘cosmic bowling,’ music, computerized scoring and automatic pin setting, a lounge area with white leather seating, a bar, and space for bowling balls and shoes.”
MISCELLANEOUS
Randy Ridless, owner and principal, Randall A. Ridless LLC, New York, which redesigned the Burberry stores. “Think of choosing fabrics from a Web site and getting them delivered overnight. Tapestria, part of Hunter Douglas Group, has created a site (www.tapestria.com) with thousands of fabrics from European mills. Once available only through showrooms, these can be viewed online and in detail so designers and owners can see a fabric close up. The designers can also find out right away if it’s available, how much is in stock, what its price is (they can get it wholesale), and they can receive a free sample the next day. I and some other designers are creating a collection as well for the company. The advantage is that clients save time and money.”
