Home Design: Hot

HOME DESIGN

Hot Hybrids

INTERIOR TRENDS ENHANCING DESIGN

By Lisa J. Gotto

Your personal style in home furnishings says a lot about you. Some homeowners delight in design they can clearly define, such as Mid-Century Modern, French Country, or toney and time-tested Traditional—that which truly never goes out of style.

However, today’s dwellings are also reflecting the personalities, sensibilities, and even family histories of the people living in them; blending what used to be more formal styles with aspects of other interior looks. So now, it’s not uncommon to hear descriptions such as rustic coastal, farmhouse modern, and bohemian to identify these hybrid interiors.

For inspiration’s sake, let’s take a look at these looks and see which of them you would most closely identify with your personal style.

MILLENNIAL LEANINGS

Perhaps modern farmhouse is a great place to start. In recent years, with the popularity of home remodeling shows like Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia brand, we have seen an explosion of clean lines combined with warmer tones and touches. You get a down-home look that’s kind of old-school but also leans millennial-ish with its crisp edges, unfussy palette, and splashes of the dramatic, as seen here in this hammered slab-look island countertop and retro rustic counter stools.

Perhaps the cozy farmhouse aspect appeals to you, but some of its edges are a bit too sharp for your liking. In that case you may wish to consider tweaking the palette just a bit and adding in some elements of the traditional to your farmhouse mix. By strategically using beams in a light wood, warming up the stark white paint to an ivory, and going old-school in this room with splashes of antique furnishings, you create your own take on modern farmhouse.

GOING COASTAL

Ah, the perfect look for our easy, breezy Chesapeake lifestyles. Echoes of the ocean, boats on the bay, hues of aquamarine, and the beachy vibe of a rustic coastal home. This airy, light room begs one to kick back and relax, and includes all the elements one might think of when it comes to subtle, classic coastal living. It’s well done, not overdone with too many shells or frames of driftwood; it’s comfortable and livable, but not cluttered. Image courtesy of Overstock.com

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH SHABBY, JUST CHIC

Bohemian. Just the word conjures an image that for some, could be far afield from their comfort zone. But speaking of comfort zones, how cozy chic does this room look? No, bohemian doesn’t mean dowdy or dreary. It has also gotten a millennial makeover that includes a calming palette, textures and layers that add warmth, and evolved furnishings that could even be described as lush. This room trends luxe with its elements of brushed gold, subtle basket weaved accent lighting, and a holistic ambiance enhanced with live potted plants.

This room’s rustic beams get a coastal whitewash and compete with little else in the room—and that’s by design. A sleeker, somewhat minimalist look with the curving lines indicative of contemporary design is brought out in the furnishings, creating a novel definition of life’s a beach.