At this time of year the design community begins the trend talk, discussing home-remodeling trends they foresee for the coming year. Most trends are determined by consumer priorities, lifestyles and the economy.
Other trends are more in regards to the appearance of a home. These trends are usually more short-lived and somewhat seasonal. They come and go like the latest fashions for clothing.
If you’re planning a remodel this year and you like the trends of the season, by all means include them as design choices for your project. You should not be opposed to considering bronze bathroom fixtures because that is what “they” say is in style currently. However, keep in mind that your final choice should really be based on your own personal preferences and what complements your home style than just going with the trend of the season.
Do not forget that the more long lasting an item is (tile, plumbing fixtures, etc.), the more “timeless” it must be. Trends are best shown in ways that can be easily changed, for example paint, rugs and accessories such as pillows and lamps. That said, there are some interesting trends the design community is chatting about for 2012.
One of the top trends for 2012 is trading out carpet for bare flooring. Homeowners are selecting laminate flooring, cork, hardwood or tile instead of carpet. For the environmentally aware, there are many flooring options created from recycled and eco-friendly materials. For instance, cork offers a resilient alternative to common carpet and hardwood floors. It is a product of trees that can live for 500 years, and the material used for cork flooring is actually the bark of the tree, which is naturally shed every nine to 15 years. Thus, no trees are sacrificed for this material. Another recycled flooring material is a recycled paper tile that has a resemblance to natural slate. Manufactured from recycled FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper, it looks and looks like slate. In reality, the manufacturer, Straw, Sticks & Bricks, claims it’s warmer, stronger and more eco friendly than real quarried slate.
With the bare flooring trend comes a campaign to include radiant heating throughout the house. While a true hydronic system uses a boiler and extensive retrofitting, electric mat heating is easily installed while you are changing the flooring anyway. This usually does not replace your forced air system however adds some comfort and ambiance by taking the chill off hard-surfaced floors.
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