I thought it would be fun to capture the top-10 design trends of 2011 — while the year is still fresh in our minds. We can also ask, “In 50 years, which will be keepers — and which… maybe not so much?”
The thing is, I spend so much time in retro-world that I don’t have the greatest sense of what has been “in” all year. My main connection to the “real world” is the New York Times Home & Garden every Thursday, and I go over to Apartment Therapy to see what they are up to, now and again. I also still get some catalogs, although they have mostly given up on me. So I need your help building a list, which we can then refine to the top-10:
I have a few suggestions to help get started — please add your own!:
- Greige Nation. Dark grey and greige everywhere, including laminates named after clammy death. Restoration Hardware gets the prize for interiors that look like they were designed by and for vampires. Although I think their prices and products are aimed at the 1%, not the 99%, dark grey and washed-out coordinates do seem to be everywhere at all price points. Accent colors: Plum and yellow.
- Edison bulbs
- Pendant lights made out of any possible piece of junk, errr, I mean, vintage treasure. “Put a Bulb In It!“
- Huge chandeliers made out of any possible piece of junk, errr, I mean, vintage treasure. Even more so: Layered chandeliers. That is: A big something (usually with vintage reference) on the outside, a chandelier on the inside. E.g.: Birdcage outside, three-arm chandelier inside… and big drum shades over capiz shells.
- Dark kitchen cabinets. Espresso. Kona.
- Big zig zag prints, on pillows in particular. There was that whole Missoni-mania at Target thing.
- Perhaps, though, silhouetted leaf prints on pillows were even more common?
- Mid century modern mania. Blogs go Craigslist crazy. Ebay prices officially go too high. Many Unhappy Hipsters are hatched. Saarinen tulip tables and chairs peaked. Like out of nowhere, 28 places to buy a mid century modern sofa. Note: Five years ago, there was NO PLACE to buy a mcm sofa.
- Relatedly: The wisdom of restoring mid century homes, even the modest ones — came solidly into the mainstream… Not only was there significant coverage about this blog in places like the New York Times… there were lots of other stories in mainstream media about such renovations… and, hey, even pink bathrooms got *some* respect on tv home decorating shows.
- Relatedly: Vintage and DIY. 2011 was an economically disturbing and depressing year — we pinched pennies and instead, bought used, raided grandma’s attic, fixed things up ourselves, and made due. Gosh, that part of the Great Recession (GR) has been fun.
- Glass tile backsplashes. I think we’d see more glass tile showers but for the GR.
- Ridiculously expensive “green” houses are still being put out there as if there were such a thing.
What else? Also, were there any interior design ideas, including those driven by technology breakthroughs, that were really *new*? And, any other big trends in kitchens or bathrooms? I’m thinking that most of 2011’s trends are “cosmetic” — surface treatments. Everyone is broke or sitting on their dough…
What do you think, readers?
What were the big design trends in 2011?
Let’s build a list, then we narrow it down to 10 with a vote. Fun!
PAppel says
I am so glad to see I am not the only crazy person out here. We will be building a home and I want my kitchen to look like one of the 50’s. The painted flat face cabinet doors with the slightly rounded edge, rounded edge colored appliances (think a blue or pink or green Big Chill refrig – although I cringe at the Big Chill prices), a formica dinette set like in the 50’s diners. Happy sigh! Heywood-Wakefield living room furniture. Chenille bedpread (actually I want a chenille duvet) like at my grannies. Oh happy memories.
Thanks for a great post. The comments were priceless.
Wendy M. says
I’m with Jane/MulchMaid- everything has a bird on it! (Do you also live in the Northwest??)
As for the open floor plan…we have a wall in between our kitchen and our living room with two counter-height “windows” that easily open and shut and a door at the end. It took some time for me to get used to the style, but now I love it (as I can shut the kitchen off to eliminate the dishwasher noise…or hide in there when the kids are being too loud!) It’s kind of the best of the two ideas combined. It’s interesting to hear the comments that visitors make- they either love it or hate it…there’s no in between!
(Oh, and don’t get me started on the whole stainless steel/granite snobbery…I was over that when we tried to sell our last house which was not “updated” to current standards. We heard every insulting thing you can imagine about the kitchen. Fortunately, the woman that ended up in the house LOVES the kitchen. Imagine that! 🙂
Jane / MulchMaid says
Yes, Wendy, I live in Portland(ia). Glad you agree!
Wendy M. says
I’m in Corvallis…a much smaller town (than Portland) with a similar mindset. 🙂
Shelly in PHX says
I live in a veritable sea of ’50s MCM ranches. It is heartbreaking to see all of the “updates” forced upon these lovelies, especially the granite/stainless steel so many are mentioning here. It just feels like, and please pardon the crassness (I am really not an ageist–I am 48!!!), an old lady in a mini skirt. No matter how great her legs are, it’s bound to be an awkward combination.
That said, do you suppose in 50 years there will be a huge nostalgic wave for “vintage” granite/stainless steel kitchens, “just like Grandma used to have!”?
wayne says
I hear you! I live in a similar neighborhood. While all the exteriors have been preserved, Most of the kitchen/bath renovations are this faux Tuscan style. Makes me cringe!
Elaine says
I thought of another trend, Fire! There are candles everywhere, next to drapes, tall tapers on coffee tables, on the mantels. And speaking of mantels, faux fireplaces that burn gel fuels are all over the place too, on coffee tables, under windows, in little boxes between rooms.
The Caretaker says
1. Hate granite and stainless. The harvest gold of the 90’s/00’s.
2. Like my kitchen being a kitchen, thx. Hate the open concept.
3. I cried when the lady we bought our house from 11 years ago talked about how all the appliances in the kitchen were pink when they bought the house and how long it took them to replace them.
SusanD says
Funiture made out of old unfinished doors and pallets. Having seen pallets in use, there is no way that they could ever be sufficiently cleaned so that I bring one in my home.
Also agree with the comments on greige, stainless and granite – too overdone, dark and boring.
I have a open floorplan with a vaulted ceiling, and they are extremely expensive to heat and cool (especially in Southern California). Also not enough wall space and hard to figure out how to arrange the furniture.
Nina462 says
granite, travertine, stainless steel, fake hardwood floors & greige- all have to go. As do the words on the wall (family/love/kiss me goodnight etc).
I also do not like the open floor concept. I’m grateful that my kitchen actually has a pocket door to shut it off from the dining area (however, my dining area and living area are one big room – meant to be that way in 1965 floorplans).
The trend I dislike most – is ripping up a good MCM home to accomodate all that stuff. (I know we are not supposed to kvetch and complain on this website)
Thanks Pam!
Elaine says
I like the open concept, but it does depend on the house. Our time capsule had a nice sized living room, small dining nook and a cramped, awkward kitchen. It was really dark in all the rooms. We took out a lot of the wall between the kitchen and living room and moved a counter into that space and it made all the difference to the look of the house. Layout and maybe family habits make all the difference whether the design works or not.
gsciencechick says
Our house was built in 1963, single level brick ranch, and our kitchen and LR are open. We have a half wall between the two rooms where we now have a bartop.
Elaine says
gsciencechick, thanks for that! It makes me feel better about the alteration of the time capsule, that it is not completely off for the era of the house. It really makes a huge difference in the liveability. I have before and after pix, and yes, I do miss that wall for furniture and artwork, but the light is wonderful.
wayne says
Got to admit-I like the stainless steel appliances, but granite? I can’t believe this is still in for 2011. Especially for MCM or MC-modest kitchens. Visually-it sucks all the square footage out of a smaller kitchen.
I’m all for quartz countertops. They mimic the look of terrazo or gold flecked formica and works well in retro renovations.
Elaine says
Yes! Quartz! I have been countertop shopping this week and have looked at many options including glass. The quartz wins hands down for price, availability and selection. Many of the sites I looked at hinted that granite was slipping from favor.
Elaine says
Speaking of granite being on the way out as a trend, I added desert sand Corian to my 1964 colonial after Corian was definitely out. You know what? It is still a darn good and attractive countertop, just not ‘trendy.’ I got caught up in the trend thing about granite but was too frugal to bite when I have this perfectly great sort of new countertop already. Corian was really hot in the 80s.
Kate says
I agree on the Restoration Hardware catalog! It is several hundred pages of yuck! Why would you want your house to look like it is dirty all the time and none of your lights work! What kind of people live in those spaces? Rich vampires, I’m guessing? I am just amazed they sell enough to stay afloat.
Kelly M says
Gathering tables — who came up with this terrible idea? If I wanted to hang out in a bar, I’d hit my local watering hole.