Styling Trends for 2012 and Beyond

Rules in decorating today are simple-there are no rules. Consumers want individual style. More and more people are making choices that please them, and you should be no exception.

"We encourage our customers to make the home a personal expression of taste and preference," says Sarah Balzer of Jabara's Carpet Galerie. "The rules are yours. Go ahead and buy the French Country armoire even if the rest of your home is contemporary. Display your grandmother's quilt even if it's your only antique."

But there are some definite trends in home furnishings in the year ahead. Designers and colorists working in research and development for carpet manufacturing giant, Shaw Industries, seek out the latest style and color trends. Here's what they say are the latest, greatest trends in home decorating.

First, add style by adding texture. Small-scale patterns act neutral but add texture and interest to a room. Many different patterns are gaining ground in home decorating, including stripes, geometrics, circles within squares, polka dots, and stylized florals.

Now, choose from the newest colors:
Blue: Enduring favorite: Blue is America's favorite color and is forecast to be "the" color for the millennium. Coastal or classic, traditional or chic. Like your favorite pair of jeans, blue goes with anything. Denim blue is becoming established as a stylish floor color option. It also remains a popular choice for slipcovers and continues to be a hot fashion item generally. New blues to watch for are indigo, sky blue, baby blue, watercolor blue, deep ocean, periwinkle, and steel blue.

Green: Earth's color: New directions for nature's favorite color are lighter and brighter-as in lime and frog green. Also look for cooler greens, like the serene colors inspired by water that infuse your home with tranquility. Organic greens like olive, moss, sage, herb, and even green-cast beiges are well established in home furnishings. On the floor, green is used as a "neutral." It comes in many soothing hues and creates harmony for vivid accents, just as the beautiful greens of nature for the perfect backdrop for bright flowers.

Red: Bold classic: Red's popularity is obvious in fabric, paint, furniture, and, most of all, in accessories. Colors in the family vary widely, from fiery to subdued. Maroon is one of the newest fashion colors on the scene. Used with brown leather, it creates a warm sophistication, suggesting opulence and elegance.

Brown: Versatile mixer: Versatile brown works with a host of colors-including aqua, pink, and maroon-for chic, cozy combinations. Chocolate in creamy or deep shades is almost as popular in decorating as it is in the dessert tray. In fact, chocolate is an appetizing color psychologically, so look for it to continue as an important choice for walls and floors.

Gold: Ripe and luscious: Golden neutrals have been top sellers lately and will continue to be favorites in 2004. Sisal golds are very popular, while the newest golds are redder in cast. And butterscotch and pumpkin are among the hottest current colors.

Finally, if you need help deciding among all those delicious colors, here's a brief primer on color's psychological effects:
Yellow - invigorating, sunny; suggestive of happiness and light.
Green – refreshing and soothing, cheerful; brings to mind nature and the outdoors.
Blue – "America's favorite color;" serene and calming, it's been known to lower blood pressure.
Violet or purple – rich, dramatic, associated with luxury and creativity; lighter shades (lilac or lavender) have the calming effect of blue.
Red – bold, bright, energetic; can heighten the senses and even increase blood pressure.
Orange – intense, hard to live with in its purest form; varied hues like tangerine, salmon, peach, and coral are chic, cheery, and lively.

"It's a great time to redecorate and refurbish your home," says Greg. "There are so many wonderful products and possibilities. The consumer can be in step with the trends while adhering to her own fashion philosophy. She can pick and choose, combining what's new with what is purely personal, to make a unique statement in her home's design-one she'll be very proud of."