11 Trends for 2011

I love a good trend. I fall for them every. single. time.

Like the time I swore I would never own a pair of jegging {Am I right, Mary?}

Betcha can't guess what my go-to outfit was this winter??

Cozy comfy sweater, riding boots, and YEP .... the dreaded jeggings!

Point proven. I'm a sucker for a trend!

SO, you can imagine how much I love making my home look "oh-so 2011" with these fun little trends...

1. Sizing up Salon Style

I'm pretty sure they're referring to a method of hanging art here {and not the giant pictures of hair models hanging in pretty much every salon in the world}

Instead of the typical photo wall with matching frames, make it personal, make it creative, make it UNIQUELY yours! {this really is a shame to read since we JUST finished a photo wall with..you guessed it...coordinating frames} I'll let this one slide for now....but I LOVE the idea.

This trend ALSO works especially well in children's rooms.

In my mind, it looks a little something like this:

{Via House Beautiful}

2. Lightening Up the Kitchen

This is excellent news for us! Seeing that, our kitchen recently got a lighter face lift when we removed the cabinet doors, slapped on a fresh coat of paint, and changed out the hardware. In addition to lighter cabinetry, task lighting is SO important to make things feel light and bright as well. Our kitchen....well, it's still a work in progress {been putting off painting the inside of the open cabinets for a WHILE now}, but in my dreams it looks a little something like this:

{source unknown}

3. Toning down hardwoods

This makes me SO happy for two reasons. First, because our floors are white at this very moment {more on that later}, but also because my dream floors look a little something like this:

{Inn at Little Pond. The gorgeous site of our rehearsal dinner}

{via Desire to Inspire}

4. Back to bulb basics?

Really? They're devoting a whole number to bulbs? Surprising, but we'll go with it.

The new trend seems to be Edison and squirrel-cage bulbs. {I'll be honest, didn't know what a squirrel cage bulb was before today.} But now I'm in trouble, because I REALLY like them. Maybe not for all of our lights, but for clear pendants, these would work beautifully and add a touch of authenticity.

My favorite part is getting to see the inner workings on the bulb.... makes you really appreciate all those hours Edison spent inventing these little wonders. Here's the one I'm loving:

{ CSN Lighting }

5. Going Country

Thankfully this doesn't mean pigs and cross stitch {no offense to those of you who love those....I'm sure some of you creative minds can find a way to make them look AWESOME...I'm just not there yet}. The "new country" they're talking about here is, I think a relaxed and toned-down look. No more over-decorating, but designing rooms that function and flow casually. You know those kind of rooms you see in magazines that make you just want to melt right into them. That's the kind of country I love, at least. Right now, grayed out tones and rustic woods {as seen all through Wisteria and Restoration Hardware lately} are PERFECT examples of this trend.

My personal fave is Aiden Gray's take on this trend as seen here:

{via Layla Grayce }

6. Thinking Pink

Did y'all see the latest issue of House Beautiful? Oh my goodness! The pink made me so happy. {I couldn't get away with it in my home....Michael might never forgive me....but gosh, it was pretty}

Here is one of my very favorite pink rooms from Canadian House and Home:

{via Canadian House and Home}
AND, by the way...how great is that trestle table?

7. Digging Gold

Golden Upholstery fabrics, furniture finishes, and {dare I say it?} even brass.

Though this may never find it's place in our little lakeside cottage, it sure can look elegant:

{Via Style at Home}

LOVE those letters!

8. Re imagining Materials

This style is taking off {thanks Etsy}....think mini file boxes made from vintage record albums. Genius, right?

{ Freestyle Gifts on Etsy }

Another one of my favorite ways to make something beautiful out of something ordinary are these fun bowls:

{ patrick j baglino jr. interior designer }

But the barn door desk that I'm sitting at right now takes the cake for me {thanks to my incredibly talented man!}

{whew, I'm even wearing myself out with this never-ending post. Thanks for hangin' in there with me, Almost done!!}

9. Let it Slide:

WHAT? They're back? Sliding doors are, in fact, making a comeback....but think completely re-invented (not the ones that led out to your back deck when you were 10). Think hip, think BARN door!

I'm trying to invent a spot for this door to go in our house because I just can't get this picture out of my mind:

{via Design Sponge }

For the the track with exposed wheels and hardware, check out:

http://www.kncrowder.com/

10. Healthy Mix-Up

No longer do styles have to be one or the other (thank goodness we don't have to choose just one anymore). Think juxtaposing styles like industrial and cottage; modern and vintage; light and dark. Even a healthy mix of masculine and feminine styles works well. I love the way this freedom expresses creativity. In much the same way we customize every little these days (Starbucks, ipods, apps for phones....), decorating is becoming personal and uniquely yours! Pull everything you love together and in the words of Tim Gunn: "make it work!"

Look how many styles are mixed together in these next pictures: