Home Design Trends

July 22, 2016
Wonder what's new in building and home design trends? We sort out the latest and greatest materials, floor plans, function, tech, and more.
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Open Ceilings

Vaulted spaces offer a structurally interesting way to change the appearance of a room to give it light, air, and openness. Although it's traditionally been used in two-story spaces, as a new home design trend, the open ceiling is a useful tool in less vertically expansive spaces, such as this open floor plan dining room.

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Metallics

Metal accents, metal doors, metal cabinets: Lustrous surfaces lend a sheen to the current crop of home design trends. Often dumped into the "contemporary finish" category, the newest use of metals has a stylistically diverse range as exemplified by this traditional kitchen. To keep metal from overwhelming a space, use it in small doses or as a focal point and balance it with contrasting textures and colors.

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Black Trim

White and wood once dominated when it came to trim, especially the pieces around windows. No more: Designers are embracing rich shades of black everywhere -- from around windows and doors to shelves, walls, and more. What to look for: Seamless blankets of deep hues, such as this blanket painting of walls to moldings to windows, add a sumptuous look to spaces.

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Statement Lighting

Eclectic, colorful, one-of-a-kind: Those are all apt descriptors of statement lighting. It's a home design trends that's easy to implement in every room. Use it to contrast a color, pick up on a material, or draw attention to an overhead space.

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Great Kitchens

Today's kitchens are where people congregate. Spacious kitchen islands, banquettes, better technology, and integrated offices give families space to hang out, work, and dine in one central space.

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Cool Kitchen Ideas

Give your home the cool factor with these seven creative updates to add character and improve function.

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Libraries

Bibliophiles, rejoice: Home designers have taken notice of your love of the printed word. Libraries -- often spaces without the distraction of screens but with the presence of a display of collections and favorites -- have become awesome-to-have spaces in new and revamped homes.

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Sustainability

Green isn't going away any time soon. For homeowners, that design trend equals lots of options that affect their spaces in all sorts of ways. That may include reusing materials, such as reclaimed wood, or revamping the structure of their homes to include better windows or improved heating/cooling systems.

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Home Offices

The line between work and home keeps blurring, which has led to an increased emphasis on dedicated work spaces that are stylish and functional. Here, storage and an open plan allows for adaptability based on which household member needs to use the space.

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Geometry

Geometry -- unexpected angles, unusual shapes -- lend a welcome visual contrast to today's trend-forward homes. Look for it in moldings, walls, floors, ceilings -- all the surfaces that frame our spaces -- and pay attention to how the most stylish practitioners mix silhouettes in unexpected ways (here for example, wall, fireplace molding, and ceiling cove).

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Cool Entertainment Spaces

Wireless and affordable options have made entertainment spaces a reachable goal for many homeowners. While most don't have the over-the-top approach of this sports-lover's dream space, they can include speakers, screens, and more that make family time more like going to the theater or sports stadium.

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Old + New

Vintage mixed with contemporary offers an unexpected aesthetic balance that home design trendwatchers have come to embrace. That can include reclaimed products -- here, an oversize farmhouse sink -- paired with decidedly up-to-date elements, such as the sleek whitewashed floor.

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Open Floor Plans

The unimpeded flow from one room to the next shows no signs of abating in the most current home design trends. The setup offers families an easy way to gather, even when at work on diverse pursuits. This space offers a peek into multiple home design trends on display at once—open floor plans, open ceilings, sustainability (reclaimed wood), old plus new, black trim, and metallic.

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Bold Colors

Eclectic and edgy, bold colors take a standout turn in the latest crop of home design trends. Used in the past as accent only, today's bold colors flex their design muscle in a mix-and-match approach that utilizes multiple shades, sometimes with unexpected contrast as with this turquoise chandelier and fuchsia wall.

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Outdoor Spaces

Nature draws out families and friends, which is why home design experts have embraced outside spaces as an extension of indoor living space. Today's patios, decks, and porches are less a transition space than a destination, and they include amenities typically found indoors -- TVs, sound systems, comfortable furniture, decorative elements -- an essential part of their makeup.

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