More Design Trends for 2011

I recently heard on the news that the most googled word this year was "austerity". Interestingly, austerity is a key part of design for 2011: Bare bones, stripped of extraneous decoration, pure, natural, minimal, authentic.

Austerity goes hand-in-hand with classic modernity, a style which symbolizes honesty, quality and consistency.

Austerity is Wabi Sabi, where imperfection, organic individualistic features, and the patina of age are venerated in design.

Austerity is related to the emerging "Slow Movement" which started with Slow Food and has now infiltrated to Slow Fashion and Slow Design. It's about slowing down the pace of trends and emphasizing long lasting quality and craftsmanship.

A new direction is emerging in design, where high tech is combined with old-world craftsmanship, and global know-how is combined with local production techniques.

Some Design Trends for 2011

This is the time of year when I start thinking about upcoming interior design trends. I study various design and architecture blogs, read European design magazines, and observe what's happening in the fashion industry.

These are some of the trends I've observed so far:

* Grey, in all different shades, is the newest neutral, far surpassing beige and brown.

* The hot accent colours for 2011 are audacious: orange, red-orange, turquoise, and all shades of purple. Bronze is also hot, as is yellow, in its crystal clear version of 'Limoncello'. Green is no longer Sage, but is morphing into a crisper 'Rain Forest'. Blue is like a 1957 Chevy Xhale, a vivid mix of blue and green.

* Wood tones are lighter than in the last couple of years. The undertones are in greys, browns, oranges and yellows, rather than reds. The hottest woods for 2011 are walnut, pecan and maple. This is true for flooring as well as furniture.

* Patterns are bold and graphic, used to accent one wall of a room, an area rug or a single chair.

* Clean lines, geometry, lack of embellishment, simplicity, and uncluttered elegance, are all part of the aesthetic for 2011.

this is what I've come up with so far, but will continue to add more observations over the next few months.

We're Moving!

Surdel Flooring and Design Centre is moving on October 1st! Look for our new location at 13562 77th Ave. Surrey B.C.

Meantime, we're having a moving sale for the month of September, so come check out our amazing specials on all Mohawk carpet, laminate, wood and tiles!