5 Great All American Decorating TRENDS

I thought it would be fun to do a post on something all our viewers could relate to, even the guys too ;) And who can't touch base with something all American? I thought of these trends based on what I have seen over and over again in the last couple of years. While designing spaces for my clients, these five trends are the most common on their wish lists.

1. Flat Screens Over Fireplaces. We all know how I obsess over a true focal point in a room. Well this trend combines two focal points that would otherwise fight each other for attention and places the emphasis in one spot. Obviously becoming popular a few years ago when the flat screen TVs became more affordable to the public, a flat screen over a fireplace eliminates the need for a (tired) wall unit  and makes for a cleaner, more beautiful space. When hung correctly--with the messy wires tucked behind the wall and the components either hidden and accessed wirelessly, or placed in a disguised end table--the television hangs as a piece of art. Notice in the picture below how these home owners framed their TV in.



{via traditional home}

 


{via traditional home}

 

2. The Walk-in Shower. This one is still on the up and up, I think. But really, if you are going to take a shower, why limit the space in which you can lather up? Not only is this a functional trend, but how amazingly gorgeous does this make your bathroom look?  The seamless glass enclosure allows the light to shine through, making the large scale of the shower look as if it is floating. You are left with the tiles glittering off the fancy hardware, yes fancy, because now that the hot and cold buttons are visible, why not show them off?


{Via HGTV}



{via traditional home}

 
3. The Eat-in Kitchen. Originated in the U.S in the 1930's due to the Industrial Movement, the Eat-in Kitchen was a larger space where food could be cooked on wood or coal burning stoves that were vented into the chimney, thus allowing you to cook and eat in the same room.
The concept of the eat in kitchen (EIK) has gone in and out of style throughout the decades. But because of America's fast paced lifestyles, the functionality of the EIK makes sense as you can sit down for breakfast or coffee or enjoy a midnight snack. The beauty of today's EIK makes for a lovely time to cook while entertaining guests or catch up with the family while making dinner. And why not make it pretty and comfortable with a sofa and upholstered chairs? Not only does the fabric soften all the hard elements---like the wooden cabinets, tile floors and glass windows---but it provides an opportunity to make it your own. The EIK should feel like an extension of the rest of the house, another room, a gathering place.

Besides, when you have people over, where does everyone hang out??

4. The Great Room. A perfect seg way from the eat-in kitchen, the great room came about in the 1980's. A large room that is all encompassing, this room is the focal point and life of the home, the HUB if you will. A great room allows a family to all be together in the same space without doing the same activities and therefor there is usually several areas in the room. 

Always off the kitchen, someone can be cooking in the kitchen and still be able to view a television show in the great room where the rest of the family is hanging out.


{via traditional home}



{via house beautiful}

ABOVE: TV hidden in armoire to conceal it's electonic look (hey, flat screens over fireplace's are not for everyone!)

5. Eclectic Design. Remember when people walked into a store and ordered a "set" of furniture? Usually how it was displayed was what they got. Now a days (thankfully!) we see more and more people open to an "eclectic" look. Somewhat overplayed, eclectic design conveys a collected over-time appeal. The Eclectic Room should look and feel like you took this lamp from the other room, purchased that lamp new, inherited great grandmas sofa and found the coffee table at a vintage consignment shop. All the while incorporating different fabrics and patterns and textures in the space.
But beware when attempting this look on your own...it can be easy to gather great things, but not so easy to make each piece blend cohesively with all the others. If not done right the end result could look less like a living room and more like a thrift store. Instead, keep the end result in mind while selecting things and think of the room as a whole.

{via New England Home}
ABOVE: The glass cubes' modern look contrasts to the rooms traditional architecture, but flows well with the large scale modern fabrics of the pillows. All of this adds an element of surprise when your eye finally rests on these pieces, making the design of this room eclectic.

{via Elle Decor}