Just Floored
By Annamarie Mastrangelo
Annamarie Mastrangelo.
I hope everyone has entered into the year with wide eyes and open minds. There’s a lot to learn in the world of home décor and design, whether it be what trends and styles are in or what’s out for this year.
It is important to take this time to rid yourself of the outdated or negative elements in your household. Once that is completed, you can replace what once was with new and improved products. These new products can keep your home in style as well as environmentally conscious. By decluttering and preparing for the new, you’re one step closer to achieving your dream home.
When considering the overall ambience of your home, keep in mind that less is almost always more. Sustainability is in, so try to bring a strategic and purposeful approach to your purchasing ventures. While buying new products, ask yourself from whom, exactly, it is that you’re buying. What do they stand for? What are their values? This is always an important consideration for anybody with whom you decide to conduct business.
Having your space reflect a calm atmosphere can make it feel like a home. In order to maintain a soothing environment, eclectic clutter is definitely out. When any space has too much going on, barely leaving room to utilize a surface area, it creates a chaotic and anxiety-ridden mood. Everything you choose to invest in for your home should have a purpose.
An ongoing interest in 2019 is the human/nature connection. Biophilia is defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as “an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life.” Biophilia is in style as people begin to further understand the environmental benefits of incorporating various forms of nature within the home. What better way to establish a constant connection with nature than to incorporate it into your everyday living?
The biophilia trend includes the use of natural organic materials. Some of these materials are wood floors and stone. Even certain tiles are minerals straight from the earth. The best part about these products is that they are not only eco-friendly – something crucial in current times – but can also bring a simple elegance to any space.
Incorporating daylight and plant life along with the organic materials in a room makes bringing the outside indoors easier than ever before.
One dead trend in the design world is gendered rooms. The ideas and misconceptions about gender as a whole resonate with younger demographics, as there are insecurities about “girly” versus “macho” color palettes, textures and shapes. These kinds of insecurities tend to dampen creative potential. In 2019 people are recognized as they wish to be, not as they’re assigned to be, and the design world is shifting to reflect that.
These are just some of the current trends that are either in or out for your home today. There are many more ways to tone down or spice up your home décor this year.
Annamarie Mastrangelo is founder/owner of A.A.I. Flooring Specialist. She can be reached at amoreinteriorsllc@gmail.com.