From natural wood furniture to graphic print wallpaper and fabrics to bright, saturated tones, décor is anything but dreary this fall.
If you’ve been considering updating the look of your living space, the trends this season offer a huge array of options to choose from.
Andrea Pautonnier of Highstreet Interiors in Morinville says that while the greys we saw this summer are carrying into fall, one surprise on the autumn colour palette is rich blue in tones like teal, navy and royal.
Blue seems to be a solid choice for those looking to make a colour change that will outlast the fall season. Joyce Madole at Hudson Madison on Perron Street predicts blue is here to stay.
“I think this is going to be kind of a trend you’re going to see in the fall, and it’s going to go right into the spring, and I think this is going to go right into 2013 actually,” she says.
Madole is seeing lots of bold, vibrant accent colours for interiors this fall.
“Rich blues, earthy-type greens, and royal purples ranging from a deep violet to a jeweled amethyst,” she says. “And all these colours are actually inspired by nature.”
In addition to colours, the popular materials for fall are also inspired by nature.
Andrea Witter is the owner of Red Door Home Design. She says, “a lot of the new trend for furniture incorporates a lot of natural elements. So it could be recycled wood, natural grasses, and more medium tone woods.”
Pautonnier is noticing a lot of rustic looking wood, “more of the bleached, sundried look that has the grey tones.”
She suggests adding a coffee table as a way to incorporate a natural wood element at home, or placing a large vase filled with sticks and branches in the entryway.
Even window coverings are following the back-to-nature trend. Pautonnier says that woven blinds are a very popular choice right now.
“To go with the rustic kind of furniture they’ve got the bamboo blinds and the woven kind of sea grass,” she says.
Both Madole and Witter are seeing more vintage-inspired furniture like chairs constructed in a contemporary fifties-style silhouette or steamer trunks as end tables. Witter calls it “vintage style with a modern twist.” She says this season is still leaning towards a more eclectic aesthetic.
Pautonnier agrees.
“There’s still the trend to kind of mix styles a little bit,” she says. “I mean some people stick with their style, but you can add in nice trays, you could add in new lamps, pillows and art.”
Witter suggests adding vivid hues in small doses.
“Toss cushions and throws go a long way, and again even adding a wall of wallpaper can be a fairly inexpensive way to update your room.”
Wallpaper is definitely making a comeback Witter says. But the application has received an update. Gone are the days of covering every wall with a visual assault of flowers or stripes. Today wallpaper is used to accentuate, not overpower.
“It’s in small doses,” Witter says. “So whether it’s one wall in a living room or a half bath, (it) is quite popular to put a large, bold print.”
Madole finds that home decor tends to follow fashion trends, and this season is no exception. The bright pops of colour and graphic patterns walking down the runways this season have also made their way into wallpaper and fabric.
Witter is seeing an abundance of these patterns. “As far as fabrics and wallpapers, there’s a lot of bold, graphic prints out now,” she says.
Redecorating can often be an expensive undertaking, but incorporating autumn’s hottest home trends doesn’t have to break the bank. Instead of replacing expensive sofas or repainting entire rooms, experts recommend changing-up accessories as a low-cost way to make a high impact.
Witter says toss pillows are a great way to update your look whether it’s with a big, bold prints or a vibrant new colour.
Madole says that changing up area rugs and even lamp bases are other inexpensive ways to incorporate this season’s splashes of colour.
“It’s not a big expense and you don’t want it to be a big expense because it’s a trend, and trends of course change,” says Madole.
