Tag Archives: trends

5 Home Design Trends to Be Thankful for This Year

farmhouse kitchen

After years of normalizing neutral color palettes, for example, designers are embracing more colorful trends to showcase personality in homes. REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, staged and sold blog asked designers and stagers what home interior trends they’re most grateful for this year. Here are their top picks.

1. More colorful spaces

Goodbye, white kitchens and gray walls. More color is moving in. Homeowners favor bolder hues inside the home, not just for pops of color but also as a base color for an entire room. Paint companies have chosen variations of blues, pinks, and greens as their picks for 2020 color of the year. These colors also are being splashed on kitchen cabinets, exterior doors, and home accessories.

The paint firm PPG selected Chinese porcelain, a blend of cobalt and muted navy tones, as its 2020 color of the year. Sherwin Williams followed suit with Naval, a deep navy blue.

Behr’s top 2020 pick is a meadow-inspired yellowish green called Back to Nature.

Pinks also are catching on. HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams, the company’s offshoot brand, chose a blush hue called Romance, while Benjamin Moore chose a soft, rosy hue called First Light.

2. Luxury vinyl flooring

A design trend that’s stylish but low maintenance, luxury vinyl is enjoying popularity as an alternative to hardwood and ceramic tile flooring. Vinyl is touted as being cheaper, warmer, and softer on your feet; it also requires less upkeep than traditional hardwood or tile.

Today’s luxury vinyl shouldn’t be mistaken for linoleum and other varieties of sheet flooring. Luxury vinyl can be laid out in planks, tiles, and sheets, and it comes in trendy finishes. Luxury vinyl planks can resemble the look of hardwood and are offered in handscraped and wide plank varieties. The planks can be installed diagonally or in a trendy herringbone pattern, and they also can resemble tile and marble.

The lower maintenance of luxury vinyl is appealing to families with young children and pets. It’s a water-resistant material that works easily in kitchens and bathrooms.

3. Voice-controlled smart appliances

Alexa, Google Home, and Siri are ushering in a new and advanced era of smart-home technology. The choices are growing, too: Smart plugs, for example, cost as little as $10 and enable you to say: “Alexa, turn on the lights.” Add smart lightbulbs that can be controlled via voice assistants, as well as other appliances such as the thermostat, door locks, and security cameras. Suddenly, smart homes have become more attainable and cost-effective.

4. Statement ceilings 

Finally, a reason to look up! The homes fifth wall is commanding the spotlight In the roaring ’20s, stamped ceilings, such as those plated in copper or tin decorative sheets, were popular. But the trend faded in favor of smooth ceiling finishes. Now, the statement ceiling is back.

This time, however, paint, wallpaper, or wood moldings are the ceiling accents of choice. A statement ceiling can brighten up a space and make it memorable, says Katie Skoloff, principal designer and founder of In Site Designs, an interior design firm in Greenville, S.C. “We find the interest on a ceiling draws the eye up, and you cannot help but feel the space is there to ‘wow’ you,” she says. Wallpapered ceilings, as well as wood beams and coffered ceilings, are today’s standout options.

5. Contrasting kitchen design

Along with more colorful interiors, the white kitchen is fading in favor of a bigger statement, including tuxedo cabinetry, shiny hardware, and brass-trimmed range hoods.

Polished brass on cabinet hardware, range hoods, and appliance handles shines in otherwise white kitchens, appearing to be like jewelry for the space. Café, a hardware line for the GE Appliance brand, offers customizable options in various metals for refrigerator or oven handles. For example, soft-brushed copper handles can be added to a matted white refrigerator for a more contemporary vibe.

Contrasting kitchen cabinets, such as the tuxedo kitchen, also are gaining popularity. The trend calls for upper and lower cabinets to be painted different colors—perhaps white on top and a gray or dark walnut on the bottom. It’s essentially a way to add more visual interest to an otherwise all-white display.

An alternative—and slightly less bold—version of this trend is also taking root, such as all-white cabinets and a contrasting kitchen island in a deep blue, gray, or walnut color.

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2019 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.

Rachel Sheller

Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES

Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker,

MASTERS CIRCLE

CSA-Certified Staging Agent

Oregon First, Washington First 

Direct 503.380.9634

Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View ALL available Houses on the market on my website.

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!

8 Hot Home Trends For 2020 And Beyond

Image result for hot home trends 2020

With a new decade upon us, it’s an exciting time for home design trendsetters, including architects, developers, builders — and yes, you, the homeowner. Trends in the field reflect green and tech innovations, healthier lifestyles and a focus on shared space. Let’s take a look at eight of the most important directions being taken.

  1. Going casual.Homes today reflect a more relaxed lifestyle, with an emphasis on comfort. Formal dining and living rooms are being replaced by open floor plans, a greater inclusion of the outdoors and no-frills home offices.
  2. Smarter and better connected.Evolving smart technologies have been incorporated throughout the home. Automated systems, which range from home security to lighting to climate control, are everywhere. Command centers provide a place for wireless charging stations, home deliveries and easy device access for coordinating family schedules.
  3. Green sustainability is in fashion.In response to a changing climate and increasing costs, energy efficiency is a must. Homeowners are choosing Energy Star appliances and windows. Smart thermostats and LED lighting save money and energy. New, efficient plumbing fixtures conserve water. Builders are using recycled and other high-tech materials to improve thermal insulation. Rooftop solar panels are more common. The green home marketplace is abuzz with constant improvements.
  4. The appeal of the open floor plan.Whether home buyers are looking to maximize the flow of light or space, or to create more familial unity, they’re looking to open floor plans. Most common is the integration of the kitchen with a dining or living room, but also with a patio or home office. These multipurpose spaces are becoming the norm.
  5. The heart of the home.The kitchen remains the center of household activity. We not only cook and eat in the kitchen, but its island has expanded into the home’s meeting place. Design-wise, buyers are looking for white-upon-white cabinetry and walls, stainless steel appliances and natural stone counter tops.
  6. Redefining the bathroom.In the easygoing 2020’s, the bathroom can be your refuge: a long shower or even longer soak transforms the room from a care space into a spa. Calming shades of white and gray are preferred. Homebuyers are going with the clean look of wall-mounted fixtures. More welcoming walk-in showers with multi-function faucets are a hot feature.
  7. At home in the great outdoors.Another exciting trend for the 2020s is a greater usage of the homeowner’s outdoor space. With more informal lifestyles, enjoying one’s yard, deck, patio or pool is now a priority. Designer outdoor furniture and exterior lighting, as well as mobile heaters and outdoor kitchens, are making the outdoors a year-round experience.
  8. Tomorrow’s home, today.Builders are recognizing home affordability issues and responding to home buyers’ changing priorities. This is resulting in smaller homes with fewer traditional luxuries, like three-car garages. More affordable prefab modular construction and townhomes are on the rise.

Please feel free to text or call me for more information! I would love to answer any and all of your real estate needs.

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2019 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.

Rachel Sheller

Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES

Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker,

MASTERS CIRCLE

CSA-Certified Staging Agent

Oregon First, Washington First 

Direct 503.380.9634

Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View ALL available Houses on the market on my website.

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!

Are Home Buyers Smart To Follow The Trends?

Image result for open floor plan

Architects and designers love to convince people that the latest trends are the most desirable features for every household. However, a design’s popularity doesn’t necessarily mean that every buyer should want it. Here are some examples, according to Realtor.com®.

1.     Open floor plans: While open floor plans can feel bright and airy, they’re not without some drawbacks. Sound carries in spacious rooms, which can be frustrating for households with young children or adults who work from home. And while it’s convenient to see your living room from your kitchen, remember that open floor plans generally require large rugs, tall pieces of art and strategically placed furniture in order to create a cozy, inviting atmosphere.

2.     Hardwood flooring: Today’s home buyers almost always prefer beautiful hardwoods to carpet or tile. However, without the proper finish, scratches and stains can become a serious issue. In some households, kitchens, bathrooms and other high-traffic areas may be better off with a more durable flooring choice.

3.     Upstairs laundry room: A laundry room near your bedroom may seem like the ultimate convenience, but don’t forget to consider the noise. If you’re concerned the washer and dryer will keep you or the kids awake, doing a little extra legwork to get to a first-floor or basement laundry room may be worth it.

4.     Designer sinks: Bowl sinks are elegant, but they take up valuable counter space. Pedestal sinks look sleek, but they leave you no room to store toiletries or cleaning supplies. Consider reserving these features for a hall or guest bath rather than the bathrooms you use every day.

5.     In-ground pool: A pool in your backyard may be on your wish list, but keep in mind that pools require a lot of maintenance. Make sure you have the time, resources and motivation to take care of an in-ground pool before you take the plunge.

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Five Star award Winner 2011-2019 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.  

Rachel Sheller,Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES,MASTERS CIRCLE, Earth Advantage Broker, Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, CSA-Certified Staging Agent, Oregon First, Washington First 

Direct 503.380.9634, Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View this ALL available Houses on the market on my website. 

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington 

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!