New Year's Ideas with Libby Langdon

I want to start the New Year out right by sharing my talented and incredibly busy interior design friend Libby Langdon’s New Year’s trends and design advice!  You might know her from the HGTV hit show Small Space, Big Style or FOX, Design Invasion. She’s the go to designer on the The Rachael Ray show, and often pops in to do makeovers on shows like The View, The Early Show and many more.   And…that’s just on top of designing  homes around the world for some lucky families.

If you haven’t picked up her first book , Libby Langdon’s Small Space Solutions, do it, it’s a really helpful guide filled with inexpensive design ideas to help small space dwellers live large. http://www.amazon.com/Libby-Langdons-Small-Solutions-Room/dp/1599214245

Here is the article she sent me.  All the rooms below are her designs. Chic, modern and very livable. Enjoy!

Libby Langdon’s Design Ideas:

Incorporating Hot New Trends to Update Your Home for the New Year–

1) Rich colors are the buzz for 2010 and Peacock blue is leading the pack, not navy and not turquoise but that rich, warm shade in between.  This is great as fabric on an occasional chair, wall color, drapery fabric or even used just as a small accent color in accessories.   Also, orange as an accent is still very chic, whatever the shade, orange adds a feeling of warmth and a great pop of color. Mauve, lavender and dark eggplant are also very in and look great paired with navy blue, a silvery gray and white. Having the newest hue somewhere in your home can instantly revive a space that is looking tired and drab.  If you’re afraid to paint an entire room just paint just one accent wall, maybe just a wall your sofa is on or your bed is on. You can also incorporate these great colors in a smaller way , get some throw pillows or add accessories in your favorite shade of a new color and wake up your space!

2) “Hotel Chic” is a trend inspired by the sleek interiors, sophisticated colors and clean accessories of the world’s top hotels.  This look can be recreated in your home by using streamlined pieces in glossy dark veneer, chrome, suede and leather in a palette of coffee, chocolate, cream and black. Slate gray may sound like a cold color but it can make a very, luxurious soft feel to a space and this color is very hot right now.  To keep it feeling warm and cozy finish the look with soft lighting and fabrics that feel good to the touch.

3) We are seeing lots of big, bold graphic patterns in muted shades and soft color combinations; think seashells, pale robins egg blue, caramel, cream, soft sage, mocha and gray.  Mix smaller, subtler stripes or textured woven fabrics in with the large print for a very modern look.  This is a great option for someone who leans towards neutral colors because you can ease into some soft color and hang on to a simple, calm sensibility.

The ethnic Ikat print has been hot for a while but it’s not going anywhere, this is great if you want to recover an older piece of furniture to give it a fresh facelift!   It comes in a million different color ways from soft to bold but used in a small way it can have a big impact!

4) Nailheads and other small custom details are everywhere and can really add a little spice to any upholstered item you may have.   They look great on everything from a bed in a master bedroom to smaller items like ottomans.   Great design is in the details and this is a fun way to showcase them!

6) Wallpaper is back in a big way.  Many young designers are taking classic patterns and re-coloring them in a fresh new palette.   The new formulas for easier application and removal are making the prospect of wallpaper less scary to homeowners.  The days of steaming, scraping and peeling are over.  The patterns are still as diverse as they’ve ever been and they come in every color combination and style you could possibly hope for.  If you are not interested in committing to wallpapering all the walls in an entire room you could wallpaper one wall and paint the other three walls a soft pale hue, it will still give you that update to your space without being too overwhelming!

7) A timeless winter project is to unclutter and reorganize.  This one never goes out of style as some good spring cleaning can completely transform the feel of your space without ever picking up a paint brush. Act as if you were moving, what would you get rid of?  Lose the piles of paper, donate old books, have a yard sale to get rid of outdated “chatchkis” and clear out closets and shelving to create space for new storage.  Buy new bins and baskets and label what goes where.  Make a commitment to keep a clear space and you’ll also keep a clear head.  This is also a great idea if you’re planning to redecorate, it lets you look at your space and decide what you’re missing and what direction you might want to move in.

8) Lately there has been a real movement towards what I call “Spa Style.” In this hectic world so many of us strive for balance and calm and this thinking has naturally found its way into our interiors.  Serenity can be simply achieved in your home by using a palette of blues and greens.  The combination is refreshing no matter what the shade and it always matches.  The trendy blends for this spring are soft tan and pale icy blue.  The goal is to create a peaceful room where you can rejuvenate and no better way to invite calm than with a soothing blue on your walls.

9) Chocolate Brown is still very chic right now, it became a new neutral and some thought it would phase out but it’s not going anywhere.  In general it’s a tricky color to incorporate into your home in a big way but hits of it here and there are the perfect way to achieve an updated look.  It also looks very fresh when combined with limed washed wood, black and white pictures, white accessories and chrome lamps or tables.  If you want to use it on your walls, painting one accent wall that a bed, sofa, or fireplace is on is your best bet.