| er year has gone. The industry trade shows are over, | | | | treatments. This lets home designers update their |
| and the home improvement shows are starting. Every | | | | home each year, keeping their home up to date. |
| new year introduces new design trends, and 2007 is | | | | Home decorating themes build on each other, year |
| no different. | | | | after year. Remember the deep coppers and |
| This year has truly introduces some innovative ideas | | | | burnished gold tones from 2005. Take these elements |
| that combine Oriental and retro styles, effervescent | | | | and dry brush a deep plumb over them, or sponge a |
| colors, and patterns that are guaranteed to create a | | | | rich gold brown fabric paint to the trim on drapes, |
| strong emotional impact on anyone who enters the | | | | furniture, or lampshades, and you’ve updated |
| room. Forget buying a $5 000 chair to impress your | | | | your accents and artwork to match the new design. |
| boss. This year’s theme is about renewing the | | | | One way the home owner can bring the 2007 trend to |
| ‘hearth and home’ feeling, without | | | | their home is by adding grasscloth to walls, instead of |
| actually going back and bringing forward the designs, | | | | wall paper. This heavy weave type of wallpaper is not |
| colors, and motifs of our childhood. | | | | for everyone. It looks like colored grass, woven and |
| The newest trend is DIY, Do It Yourself. Hand made | | | | pasted to wall paper. This means that seams will |
| furniture, accessories, and walls are the | | | | remain very visible. The lines can overpower a room, |
| ‘new’ sophistication. This year’s | | | | so they are best for a smaller area. |
| decorator does not need to invest in a professional | | | | If this is too much, then adding wallpaper with a silk |
| designer to create the room right. | | | | sheen and mottled pin stripe, will bring the 2007 theme |
| Floral art is important, but it needs to stray away from | | | | to a room, without creating a home decorating blunder |
| the bold prints of the English Country style and take on | | | | that is difficult to remove. One way to prevent this is |
| a more Oriental look, full of earth and natural colors, | | | | by finding a short wall, and use a single strip to turn the |
| muted pastels, and Oriental shapes or lines. | | | | wall segment into a piece of art. This can be done on |
| DYI home decorators need to avoid the temptation of | | | | a full size wall, dividing the wall into strips. However, |
| going overboard and create a tropical or Feng Shui | | | | before doing this, make sure you learn the technique |
| design. The new trends can blend some of these | | | | well. |
| factors, but they should never dominate. The focus is | | | | One last tip, never install the ‘Real |
| on furniture – not art, walls, or lighting. | | | | McCoy’, hand painted silk panel wallpaper. Do |
| The most important decorating skill that DYI | | | | not even use the local wall paper company. Phone |
| decorators need to develop is the ability to mineralize. | | | | around and ask for someone who has already |
| Home decorators who grab this year’s theme | | | | installed silk wallpaper. Silk wallpaper is totally |
| and overpower a room, or home, with the one design | | | | unforgiving. It is not sold in rolls but panels. If one panel |
| will have a home that is ‘out of style’ | | | | is ruined, then the whole wall needs to be replaced, at |
| within a year. | | | | a cost of $1 – 7 000.00. |
| The best way to incorporate themes into a home is to | | | | However, if you wait until March, the market will |
| choose those elements that speak to your emotions | | | | release paper wallpaper that mimics the Oriental hand |
| and lifestyle needs. Then, add a few pieces or wall | | | | painted, or embroidered, designs. |