Properties 2018 Vol 4 Looking Ahead

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rown is out, brass is in and the hottest product in interiors is outdoor fabric. Experts looking ahead to home design trends for 2019 are seeing warmer, bolder paint colors and new twists on traditional hardware that borrow from the jeweler’s toolbox.

By Susie Tommaney

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PROPERTIES | VOLUME 4 – 2018

But perhaps the most exciting news on the horizon are the high performance textiles like Crypton that are stain, moisture and odor resistant, making them perfect for homes with pets, children or the occasional red wine spill.

“There are so many ‘smart’ fabrics that are super durable,” say Caroline Finkelstein and Elisabeth McCabe of Houston-based Ecco Design.

“Perennials are one of the stars of this kind of fabric. They make a product that can be used just as easily in a family room as on the patio, and now there are many, many, many brands that offer the same thing.” These fabrics are available in a multitude of patterns and textures, even velvet and linen.

commercial products but made for residential applications. Houstonbased Interior Designer Leslie Strauss is seeing vinyl wallpaper installed in laundry rooms, bathrooms and even showers. “Phillip Jeffries especially has some great ones,” says Strauss. “Also wall coverings that look like carved wood, or made out of wood. People are doing ceilings, the powder room, bath and dining rooms. You can hide imperfect walls.”

“It used to be that people would tend towards darker colors, just to be safer with stains,” say Finkelstein and McCabe. “Clients are a lot more willing to pay for a fabric that they view as more durable, but they still get a great look.”

Technological advances are appearing in manmade products like the scratchand liquid-resistant Neolith. Unlike marble (which can etch) or quartz (which can be damaged by UV rays), a Neolith countertop can withstand high temperatures. It even can be used as a vandalism-proof exterior cladding as graffiti can simply be washed off.

Also making life easier are wipeable wall coverings that are as durable as

“Clients are definitely interested in making their home more unique & less catalog.”

Finkelstein & McCabe

“...rose gold & champagne in regards to hardware & plumbing; that’s definitely on the forefront.”

Carrie Evans

Houston-based Interior Designer Carrie Evans tells us that, “when it comes to kitchens and baths, there’s an obvious brass takeover.

It’s huge now. People envision the old brass but there are so many different choices,” says Evans. “I’m starting to do a couple of projects with rose gold and champagne in regards to hardware and plumbing; that’s definitely on the forefront.”

None of the designers predict a headfirst dive into the 2019 colors of the year from PPG Paints (Night Watch), Behr (Blueprint), Sherwin-Williams (Cavern Clay) or Benjamin Moore (Metropolitan), but when used sparingly they can freshen up a room.

“You certainly see it show up in accessories or accents,” say Finkelstein and McCabe. “Teal [like

PPG’s Night Watch] is an absolutely gorgeous color. A teal color in a lacquer finish would be beautiful in a lounge.”

Evans is happy to finally see a return of bolder tones. “Color is back big time. I’m also starting to see more black. The house I just did in Redondo Beach in Los Angeles, all the hardwood, all the trim, everything was black. We kept the walls white, which isn’t necessarily new; we did one big black accent wall.”

Strauss says it’s all about creating a comfortable, inviting space that reflects the personality of the homeowner. “Not brown. Brown is not making a comeback,” says Strauss, who stays away from the starker whites and grays. “They want a warmer look.”

Finkelstein and McCabe are seeing more lacquer finishes, too, as well as a resurgence of plaster, though the plaster of today is more subtle and quiet than the Mediterranean look of years past.

When it comes to home furnishings, nobody wants to live in a space lifted right off the showroom floor. “Clients are definitely interested in making their home more unique and less catalog,” say Finkelstein and McCabe, who recommend mixing in antiques and high-end furniture. “By layering the high and the low it makes it unique.

That’s what makes it original.”

Strauss echoes that design principle, saying clients want a mix of traditional and contemporary, and sees a movement toward an uncluttered lifestyle. “You look in a lot of houses where there are built-in bookshelves on either side of the television, they want to close that up,” says Strauss.

One way to get that streamlined look is through Mid-Century modern. Evans says it can be authentic — she’s a huge fan of online marketplace 1stdibs — or it can be reproduction. “So many reproductions are being made with that Mid-Century look that it’s affordable to anybody,” says Evans.

Another way to personalize the space is with fine art. “Clients are seeing how it can make a room, or express their own family’s personality,” say Finkelstein and McCabe. “There are so many options out there with online auctions and Etsy. You can explore art and not just rely on going to a store or a local gallery. If it’s something that you love then it will work in your house.”

Clients do want to make sure that their home remains a good fit throughout all of life’s stages. If children are still

in the home, parents want a separate, more intimate space for entertaining.

“We’ve found a lot of people are interested in bars and lounges,” say Finkelstein and McCabe. “People love open floor plans but what they realize they’re missing is a little bit of cozy. Even if it’s a home office they can create a bar space, a place to get together with another couple and enjoy a glass of wine and have a conversation.”

Strauss says she’s seen families install two or three sets of bunk beds in a room, which is perfect for when friends come to spend the night. “The kids can go upstairs and play,” says Strauss.

Empty nesters, on the other hand, are making design decisions that will serve them for decades to come. It can be practical, like placing a master bedroom downstairs, or creating a space for a future elevator.

There’s a comfort in knowing that new technologies can bring ease and practicality, freeing up time for what really matters: relationships with family and friends.

“Not Brown. Brown is not making a come back.”

Leslie Strauss