Here we are deep into 2019 already! We are all hoping that this year will be a kinder, gentler year than 2018. That seems to be the general trend-- calming environments, more natural settings, more ecologically focused choices in decorating and housekeeping, everything is less fussy. We are living greener, both literally and figuratively, using more natural and sustainable woods and fabrics. The colors that will be popular this year also reflect those trends.
Pantone has released two color palettes we will be seeing a lot of in 2019:
The first palette 'Cravings' is inspired by food and is all rich reds, flamingo orange and rich purples, held down at the neutrals end by rich warm browns.
'Classico', as the name implies, is a collection of fundamental and everlasting colors that includes rich teal, grey flannel, rich gold and apricot.
Meanwhile, Night Watch has already been named paint color of the year by a popular US-based paint company. It's a deep, jade-like green that has strong references to nature, which feeds into some of the broader trends around calmness, tech-free spaces and nature.
Houseplants are definitely part of this new calmness. Besides bringing a natural feel to a space, they clear the air, and add a vibrancy, an "aliveness" to an area. With the environment suffering major crisis after major crisis, we're always happy to see new takes on production and décor that are easy on the eye while leaving little to no impact on the planet and its resources.
From leftover materials like marble being recomposed in smart ways to energy-saving appliances, to live plant walls, whatever you bring into your home from now on (if you haven't been doing so already) needs to follow suit and take less and give back to the planet as much as it can.
Karastan is introducing a whole new group of wool carpets this spring. No other product we sell is as eco-friendly, as self sustaining as wool. Naturally VOC free, soft and stain resistant. We hope to introduce these to you within the next couple of months, and we have plenty of "tried and true" styles available now.
Overall, lines are getting cleaner, more spare. Marie Kondo is telling us to part with anything that doesn't spark joy, and furniture is simpler, easier to live with. We are paring down, and becoming less attached to "things." Look to Nature for guidance this year: symmetry, colors, seasonality.
And now that you have the big picture for 2019, let's talk about some specifics of making your home look its best. Here are a few do's and don'ts:
DO remember to make your foyer special. It is not just a place to shed your jacket, put down the mail, and pet the dog! Your foyer is where you greet guests. It's the first place besides the yard where people will find out something about you, your likes, your personality. It's like an introduction. It doesn't tell everything about you, but gives a glimpse into who you are. Make it tantalizing. It should make them want to know more about you!
DON'T forget the fifth wall in every room-- the ceiling! Why go with plain old white? Folks are painting the ceiling, wallpapering the ceiling, adding artistic treatments to the ceiling, and faux beams. Add some personality and character in an unexpected place!
Next: Tidy Up! Doing your "Marie Kondo" ing doesn't mean that you have to get rid of everything-- it means that you get rid of all that excess around the house that just tends to accumulate, and you keep it just because, well, it's always been there. You will find that you don't miss it, and will actually feel a weight off when it is gone. Perhaps it is something that someone else could be using and enjoying?
But for the things that do make you happy, keep them and put them where you will see them frequently. DO keep your collections together, not scattered around. And do be reasonable about the number of things. You cannot and will not enjoy things that you have to spend days or even hours dusting, or worrying about the grandchildren breaking.
And lastly, DO come in to the store and see what's new! We have gorgeous new LVP from Mohawk SolidTech, and also some beautiful new porcelain tile from Happy Floors. We'd love for you to see these beautiful new products!
How Much Does It Cost?
We do a lot of staircases in patterned carpet runners, sometimes bound on the sides, sometimes installed "wall-to-wall", depending on how the staircase is constructed. A decorative runner is an easy way to make a style statement in your foyer. And these carpets are as practical as they are beautiful-they wear extremely well, and the patterns and colors are perfect for hiding dirt and spills. This Stanton carpet was installed on the staircase of a Powder Springs home recently for a little over $1300. Looks great, doesn't it?
Were You FLOORED By Enhance?
If so, we need a favor. If you are like most of our clients, you did a lot of research before deciding who you were going to purchase from. You probably looked online for reviews of the products you were considering and the stores where you were shopping. We always need more reviews, so to encourage our clients to post a review, we are holding a monthly raffle. We will be giving away a vacuum cleaner-- your choice of either a Roomba robotic or a Bissell upright, both valued over $300!
Please write a review on Houzz, Google, Yelp, Facebook, or Better Business Bureau. Send us an email once it's posted telling us where you wrote it, and we will enter you in the monthly drawing!
Thank you in advance!
