Think Green – the focus in this design trend is moving to the environmental colors, environmentally kind products, & recycling.

Color trends and titles below as forecasted by Benjamin Moore

Heat in the winter and cool air in the summer are lost through uncovered windows.

Window treatments help to lower your energy bills. Also thermal linings in draperies lock out cold air in the winter.

PRIVACY TREATMENTS
for your windows from Hunter Douglas.

There are several new alternatives to vertical blinds.

• A Gliding Window Panel System;
• A top down/bottom up system
  great for baths & bedrooms;
• real woods, faux woods.

A new color tape can be added as an accent color.

IMPORTANT! WINDOW CORD SAFETY

Be aware of window cord hazards, especially with young children who may be living with blinds or shades that were purchased prior to 2001 when manufacturers changed the window cords on all their products to prevent strangulation.

The Window Covering Safety Council offers cord-safety information as well as free cord-repair kits and instructions to retro fit your shades.

CUSTOMIZE:

Choose from collections of patterns and then customize to your window treatment with color, trimmings, fabrics, drapery jewelry, etc

The age of technology offers motors and remotes for window treatments with and without timers. They let you control light, privacy, and are energy efficient. Also perfect for those hard-to-reach windows, e.g. skylights, 2nd story high ceiling windows and over bathtubs.

Technology and digital printing also enable you to custom design your own prints for fabrics for windows, as well as china, wallpaper, and more.

Decorative hardware: Create your own custom finial (the end piece on a rod) with jewels, metallics, baguette bands, iron bands.

PLAN:
If you want to implement a new design trend and/or redecorate for a special occasion, remember other people are thinking the same thing. Allow time to get it done.

VICTORIAN ROMANCE: soft colors & delicate floral patterns define this theme

CIRCLES: seen in circular graphic patterns and circular furniture shapes

METAL: offers a sense of luxury. If a product is not made of bronze, gold or silver, look for metal accents on pieces

NEW ANTIQUES: think Ancient Italian & Old French design trends & look for an aged archaeological feel in special finishes and treatments

NAILHEAD: trim on everything

EAST MEETS WEST: Exotic charm of Asia mixes with high style European motifs

CLOISONNE: Ancient techniques are reworked in a more modern sense e.g., geometric patterning

FLORALS: Bold blossoms & sultry flowers, e.g. rambling roses, lush orchids, and cherry blossoms

LACE: Add elegant femininity with touches of lace

ENCHANTED FOREST: Contemporary patchwork of trees, birds, and branches

MONARCHAL MOTIFS: Inspired by French Neoclassic design trend with an emphasis on crests, fleur de lis, crowns, Napoleonic bees

DUOS: Balance chic & contemporary design trends with white hot combinations of white/silver and white/gold colors

YELLOW: accent shades of daffodil, canary, &/or marigold “pop up” black, brown and white or add to "warm" pale blue and aqua colors

NAUTICAL & BEACH themes use corals branching out into shells

ACCENT ON NATURAL COLORS

HUMAN SKIN TONES: among the 10 most popular color design trends; Bison Brown, Antique Copper, Powder Puff, Wild Aster

NATURE: think tree bark, leaves, sand, fur, reptiles, rocks and pick your colors among El Sereno Gold, Grant Beige, Copper Kettle

CULTURE: think fine silk, patchwork effects and handspun wools and consider these color themes - Pumpkin Spice, Exotic Bloom, Pre Dawn Sky

INDUSTRY: think architecture and structure, metal and glass and choose from Stormy Sky, Jamestown Blue, Beach Glass, and Ashley Gray

PROJECTIONS FOR 2009

RAW: Back to basics; the simplest form. Textures - sand, dried wood, crystals; Colors - white, gray, beige. “Chantilly Lace” “Frappe” “Storm”

URBAN SILENCE: Silent beauty. Grass, foliage, sand, metals & industrial finishes. Colors - copper in brown; oiled bronze; concrete grays. “Wasabi” “Old Gold” “Bronze Metallic”

SIMPLEXITY: Combining simple & complex design trends. Interconnected design, kaleidoscopes, modular. Blue with grays; blackened hues “Thunder” “ Amsterdam” “Arroyo Red”

PRIVATE IDENTITY: Simplistic beauty of the spirit. Personalization. Metals, wet surface looks, cultural inscriptions. Colors - slick black, denim, brass, warm & cool metallics. “Black Satin” “ Lucerne” Thunderbird”

COMBINING COLOR & DESIGN TRENDS

SIMPLICITY: URBAN ENVIRONMENTS with colors based on the neutrals of urban settings. Aged brick and metal, cement, limestone, yellow and warm orange. Timeless Simplicity offers a warm fuzzy feeling with soft whites, gray/blues, and greens

ALCHEMY: FANTASY, TRANSFORMATION, ADAPTATION with colors of pale gray, pale blue or lavender, blue/green offset with sharp green/yellow

EDENISM: EXTRAVAGANCE, BLING & BEAUTY for beauty’s sake. Feminine and romantic and colors such as soft blue, powdery pinks, mauve & gold, silver, and fabrics such as fur, damasks, brocades, and embossed

GLOBAL with handknits, ethnic embroideries, toiles, and exotic and conversational prints. Focus on people and culture in the global communities such as India, Latino areas, Russia with the 2008 Beijng Olympics predicted to have an enormous impact on interior design trend and color.

NATURAL TERRAIN is nature inspired and focuses on the environment with colors such as Adobe Dust, Seabrook, Copper Mountain, Acorn Yellow, Tawny Port, Pinch of Spice, Bright golds and reds, Coffee Tones and Browns.