Lifestyle Functionality is the 2013 Look for Homes

Lifestyle Functionality is the 2013 look for homes.  Easy and efficient is what is trending in Home Design these days. Our no-fuss, fast paced lifestyles demands that our home places are the same.  From open floor plans to savvy multi-function rooms, to smart apps to control home's temperature - We want our homes comfortable, easy, and to work for us.

Kitchens:

• Work horse not show places.
• Cabinets - Natural stains and white. Forget the fuss. Clean, simple contemporary styles is replacing fussy details.

• Counters - No maintenance quartz composites are not only eco-friendly, but require no extra work.
• Single Sinks - Deep large one sink bowls replace dual to house large pots and make entertaining easier.
• Floors - Hardwood - Engineered for simple installation and maintenance and friendly to adding heating element. Wide plank and washed and weathered lighter finishes.

• Back splash - Glass or glass tile, subway tile and simple designs - Tiny mosaic on its way out.

• Commercial Flair - Under counter refrigeration, hefty 6 burner stoves, pot fillers and multiple ovens - Everyone is a TV Chef!
• Kitchen Garden - Growing your own heirloom tomatoes, herbs and veggies from city rooftops to suburban yards is a guaranteed organic on your table.

Home Remodeling

• Open floor plans.

• Homes that age with us -  Wider halls, bigger doors for accessibility, bathrooms designed with aging in mind.

• Special Function Rooms - Work from home offices, laundry gets its own room, and tricked out storage and closet space makes the most of every square foot of the home.

• Energy Efficient - From window replacement to apps upgrade your home to conserve energy.

Home Decorating Trends

• Color - Muted with pops of color. 
• Wood tones switch from super dark to beech, birch and wicker tones. 
• Colorful powder rooms get the WOW factor, less saturated living spaces in linens, grey or grey-hues.  Pops of color in accents:  Emerald Green, Lemon Yellow, Marine Blue and Melon.

Neutrals mixed with bright colors

• Materials - Brass is back, updated for the 21st century and showing up in lighting and accents. Calacatta marble replaces Carrara for its more defined veining and color from tile to accents pieces like bowls and vases. 
• Retro botanicals,  over sized floral patterns (Think Lucy Lui’s Golden Globe gown) and textured solids in fabrics and wallcoverings.

Johnathan Adler Brass Lamp

• Re-purposed Anything - From recycled denim wall insulation to redoing your childhood bedroom set, to petrified wood accent table - Re-use, re-purpose, reinvent.

Petrified wood John Mazur accent table from One Kings Lane

• Statement in home decor - One of a kind art, furniture and accents by local artists and artisans allows the homeowner to put their personal stamp on their space.