Overview:
The year 2017 will be a very exciting time for interior design. Here are a few things to watch out for and to consider when decorating.
14.1 Colors and Textures
Each year, the Pantone Color Institute choose a "Color of the Year" based on sweeping surveys of designers, retailers, and manufacturers asking which colors are planned for the coming year. The 2016 choice colors were a gentle pink called rose quartz and a baby blue dubbed serenity. They are intended to convey warmth and tranquility. They are also intended to offer consumers a pleasant and calm escape from the chaos and stress of modern life in the technological age. Decorators have been seeing rose quartz and serenity in rugs, upholstery, and paint, as well as ceramics and glassware. These colors will likely remain popular in 2017.
Pantone predicts that rose quartz and serenity have only just kick started a broader trend towards daydream moods that are weightless and without consequence. In addition to rose quartz and serenity, yellow iris and Nile green will dominate interiors in 2017. These paler shades are not quite pastels but have a dream-like vibrancy and ethereal quality capable of transporting homeowners to another, quieter world.
There are eight more color palettes that Pantone predicts will dominate interior decoration in 2017.
At Ease is the name given to a color palette of cool and warm neutrals paired with muted tones like Zen blue and orchard haze. This sophisticated look will be stunning in any room of the home. Try it in a more formal dining room (another trend for 2017!) and watch as guests naturally relax and conversation moves as smoothly as the colors mix and blend.
Forest Breathing is yet another attempt to retreat from the stresses of modern life. This color palette is composed of greens and blue-green tones, alongside the colors of fallen leaves. To add pops of natural brightness, acid lime and grape kiss will feature as accent colors.
Florabundant is another nature-forward color palette with lavish floral shades like chrysanthemum, Baton Rouge red, and several shades of green. Florabundant will likely be a cause for bold floral patterns to come back to home interiors. Other decorative elements like floral-shaped light fixtures and paper flowers will also feature heavily in 2017.
Graphic Imprint takes black, white, and grey as its base and throws in vibrant accent tones of blazing yellow, fandango pink, and orange popsicle.
Native Instincts is a bold color palette with lots of possibilities for personalization. Native Instincts encourages designers to rummage around for Native American pots, Turkish kilims, and pre-Columbian artifacts that match a homeowner's personality and individual taste. Mixing and matching artifacts from around the globe against the backdrop of bold colors like smoky orchid, Carmine red, and copper tones and mineral hues make Native Instincts a fabulous fun décor trend for 2016. When decorating in the style of Native Instincts, decorators should pick a select number of colors and tones and use the specific color palette to tie together disparate objects, textures, geographies, time periods, and cultures.
While Native Instincts necessarily features natural materials, the style Raw Materials is a lifestyle ruled by the use of raw materials. These organic-looking interiors embrace nature whole-heartedly with shades of faded denim, argyle purple, winter twig, and zephyr pink. Raw Materials is not about boring neutrals, but rather about repurposing materials, wasting nothing, and living a healthy lifestyle.
Acquired Taste references the beer and whiskey trend that has swept across America in recent years. This color palette features warm red and orange tones that one might see in rye whiskey and craft beer. Etruscan red, mulberry, and brandied melon are just some of many tones those decorators with an "acquired taste" will be using in 2017.
Reminiscence as a color palette makes use of familiar tones like maritime blue, sepia tint, and rattan, but gives these older tones an update with the addition of murky martini olive, bird's egg green, and sugar almond. It is a more structured, easy-to-digest palette that gives one the feeling of a flash-black in broad daylight.
Pantone may be among the most revered, but it is not the only, color authority. Paint-company Sherwin-Williams is also known for accurately predicting color trends. Similar to Pantone's focus on nature and daydreaming, Sherwin-Williams predicts 2017 will be marked by a renewed sense of spirituality and escapism. However, in contrast to Pantone's soothing, serene color schemes, Sherwin-Williams aims toward a state of restless energy.
Noir brings back romanticism with rich dark tones like deep sea blues and dark purples balanced against such light colors as soft taupe and golden yellow. Noire is deeply luxurious but kept bright with the use of balancing bright hues. Noir is a melancholic ode to the refuge of the night sky and the awe of sparkling stars.
The Holistic color palette is intended to convey modes of healing, sustainability, and transparency. It is subtle and justly balanced. Arctic neutrals and wild browns feature prominently in the Holistic color palette, as do muted pinks and sage greens. The Holistic color palette promotes healing in personal spaces like bedrooms and encourages the sharing of stories in public rooms like the living room.
Intrepid is Sherwin-Williams' brightly invigorated color palette inspired by a wide variety of yellows, oranges, reds, and pinks, touched by blue-purples, white, and black. Intrepid is meant to inspire and reference the global aesthetic that brings millennials together from around the world in previously impossible collaborations. Intrepid will surely make an appearance in start-up offices, but is also useful to the home decorator wanting to galvanize a kitchen, entranceway, living room, or home office.
Unbounded is Sherwin-William's global-inspired collection. The diverse color palette is full of earth tones that exude a sense of craftsmanship. Freshwater blue, sealskin grey, coral reef pink, saguaro green, and mustard yellow coalesce to create a warm, down-to-earth atmosphere.
To match the turn towards nature in Forest Breathing, Florabundant, Native Instincts, Raw Materials, and Acquired Taste color palettes, natural textures and handcrafted, raw materials like raffia are making a comeback.
Raffia comes from the fiber of palm trees grown in Africa, Central and South America. The majority of the material comes from Madagascar and is evocative of tropical island holidays. Raffia is being used to make furniture like chairs and tables, textiles like area rugs and placemats, lighting elements like pendant lamps and chandeliers, and decorative objects like baskets and throw pillows. Raffia is a durable and flexible material that can be knotted, braided, woven, or even fringed. Depending on the weave, raffia can appear breezy and light, or coarse and heavy. It is typically a neutral straw color, though it can be dyed any hue.
Raffia is a great way to add texture to an interior. When layered with light textiles like linen or cotton and translucent materials like chiffon or tulle, raffia is reminiscent of the beach and makes a space feel relaxed and airy. In contrast, pairing clean-lined raffia furniture with darker toned walls can add extra oomph to a minimalist space.
Traditional and contemporary maps will remain popular in 2017. Maps refer to nature, as well as the focus on globalization and increased ease of and desire to travel. A large-scaled wall map can be used as a focal point in a living room, dining room, bedroom, or office. Smaller scaled vintage and contemporary maps may be used to decorate a gallery wall. A headboard can be upholstered in fabric digitally printed with a map, as can wallpaper and flooring.
Those eschewing from the return to nature trend will be relieved that pixelated and digitalized patterns are also predicted to be popular in 2017. Wallpaper inspired by art and digital mediums will make accent walls increasingly dramatic and exciting. Cork, mixed metals, and terracotta are also likely to feature heavily in 2017. Maps paired with these materials and textures are great design features. For example, a decorator can tack a map to a wall clad in cork or frame a map in a matte gold or pewter frame. Terracotta in a matte finish will be used for accent walls and to clad fireplaces, but no longer as rustic border tiles. Mixed metals remain popular, albeit in matte tones as opposed to shiny coppers.
14.2 Kitchens
Kitchens are becoming more functional and better looking.
Mismatched cabinetry featuring two neutral colors or a neutral color and pale tone will be popular in 2017. Mahogany with pale blue is one example, as is lacquered chestnut and white. White and off-whites are also being used in kitchen cabinetry as a means of contrasting warm, neutral accents, often in the form of wooden textures, exposed brick walls, and natural stone or concrete. In addition, warm metal tones like black stainless steel and majestic bronze are making an appearance in appliances and elsewhere in modern kitchens.
Deeper storage drawers to accommodate more pots and pans, as well as purpose-specific compartments are appearing in kitchen islands and elsewhere in the kitchen. Deep drawers are just one feature making kitchen islands more functional than ever before. Sinks and dining areas blend the different functions of a kitchen island, turning these bold statement pieces into functional sculpture. These kitchen islands are often made of wood, elegant and simple in appearance, with clean lines and metal and glass accents strategically placed.
Stone and ceramic are also used in order to add texture and make a kitchen feel inviting. Quartz, an easy-to-clean alternative to granite, will be commonplace for countertops in 2017. Quartz is made from natural silicon dioxide and synthetic materials. It can be dyed and therefor comes in a wide array of colors, though darker grey tones will likely be most popular in 2017. Decorators wanting to use natural stone may choose quartzite in 2017, which is a naturally occurring rock with natural tones of white and grey. Both quartz and quartzite are harder than granite, though quartz may be preferred to quartzite because it is more resistant to denting and chipping and does not require re-sealing, as does quartzite (twice annually).
In addition to quartz and quartzite, wooden butcher blocks, laminate, ceramic, porcelain tile, and stainless steel will be used with increasing frequency in 2017.
Another popular method of storage for 2017 is hanging ceiling cabinets. The cabinets appear to float in the air and raise the eye upwards. In a space where so much time is spent looking down--cutting vegetables, stirring pots--a reason to look up is balancing. Ceiling cabinets can have doors hinged to the side or at the top. They can also be left open without doors. An example of hanging cabinets in the Noir color scheme is open cabinets with deep, velvety black interior and lacquered deep teal or grape purple exterior, filled with stark white porcelain.
When decorating kitchens in 2017, consider using one of Pantone's or Sherwin-William's color palettes for 2017. For example, a kitchen in the Daydream style may feature serenity blue cabinetry with copper hardware, slate grey quartz countertops, and ceramics in rose quartz and Nile green. Decorators can also make use of the variation of warm and cool grey tones in the At Ease style. Select cabinets in a cool lacquer grey tone to contrast with black stainless steel appliances. Use a warm toned quartz countertop, and brighten the whole room with mixed metals and pops of fuchsia and pumpkin. Yet another Pantone inspired kitchen is Raw Materials, featuring cabinetry in two different wood tones, a natural stone countertop, and stone backsplash. Raffia and whisker baskets can be used as extra storage and to provide contrasting texture. In contrast, an Intrepid style kitchen may feature white and yellow cabinets, black appliances, and accessories the color of burnt orange.
14.2 Living and Dining Rooms
Families are closing the doors on open plans and opting for separate, formal dining rooms and living rooms without televisions. The trend aligns with Pantone's Daydream, At Ease, Forest Breathing, and Native Instincts color palettes, which seek to toss the electronics and return to nature. As technology distracts more and more from family time, homeowners are taking design and décor measures to ensure the family remains intact and sacred.
A dining room decorated in the Forest Bathing style may feature a neutral tone wood table surrounded by mid-century modern shaped chairs in varying shades of blue and green. The table would likely contain a vegetable centerpiece and placements either the color of acid green or of a wood texture different from that of the table. Above the table, a shapely light fixture made from wood and lined with metallic copper would provide ambient light. The focal piece of a Forest Breathing dining room may be a vertical garden or a gallery wall with framed autumn leaves.
Another way to use greens in a formal dining room is to work with the Sherwin-William's Holistic color palette. Paint the walls sage grey and the ceiling a pale blue the shade of mountain air. Place a long wooden table in darker shades like English chestnut or dark walnut in the center of the room and cover it with a contemporary-cut, transparent lace runner or tablecloth in a deeper shade of rose. When setting the table, use ceramics in either stark white or pretty, delicate greys like stardew and acier. Encircle the table with contemporary, comfortable chairs made from raffia or similarly weighted weaves, and hang geometric pendant lamps in a tone that matches the ceramic dishware.
Living rooms in 2017 will focus more on conversation and less on entertainment. Just as dining rooms are leaving the living room to make more room for valuable family time, so are the electronics. Televisions are out and intimate seating arrangements are in. Customizing a living room to match a family's interests and distinct personality may result in some interesting focal points. A musical family may enjoy minimal furniture positioned to perfectly hear the sounds coming from a drum kit, guitar stand, and piano placed in the center of the room. If a family tends to gather around board games, a great game table might sit in front of a cork accent wall upon which scoreboards are tacked. Those who collect small-scaled and medium-scaled art works may opt for rows of art ledges, upon which framed artworks lean, instead of hang. An art ledge that has the advantage of being constantly updated and re-arranged is yet another trend for 2017, in which mutable furniture and décor is used where ever possible, in an effort to accommodate the fast-pace and constantly changing lifestyle of the 21st century family.
