Interior Design Trends 2006
Color, Style and Sensibility for 2006
Each year designers and those fascinated by home décor wonder what's in store – what are the interior design trends driving design this year, and how can a designer or a student of aesthetics anticipate the new directions in style?
 For answers, we went to some of the country's top designers, those people whose job it is to keep ahead of interior design trends.
For 2006, one predominant theme that is influencing the landscape of interior design is the continuing emergence of an interest in decorating using earthly tones and homey, comfortable looks. Instead of jumping at the flashy and ostentatious, more people are opting for a design look that speaks of a down-to-earth hominess.
According to Lauren Brasile of M & L Designs, the tense times we're living in this year have created an atmosphere that encourages people to seek the comforting and the comfortable in home design.
"Because of the recent natural disasters and great losses so many people have suffered, I think that the interior design trends for ‘06 will be comfortable, family friendly interior designs – designs that warm and personalize spaces," Brasile said.
Cari Pilon, of All About You Interior Redesign said that for many clients, this means making the  most of what they've already got. With oil prices expected to continue rising, and with people tucking into home more, many interior design clients are asking for advice on how to use the home furnishings they already have in innovative ways, rather than having to invest in a whole new look. "I see a lot of ‘what is old is new again','" Pilon said. "A lot of my clients are trending towards making what they already own work in their new designs. They are interested in refinishing, reworking and restoring to give old pieces new life. They love to shop for antiques or retro items that fit into the style they are going for."
 But this doesn't mean there aren't interior design clients who want to update the look of their home. Karen C. Wirrig of Karen Cole Designs sees clients slowly moving toward a more contemporary look, trading in ornately-carved furniture and fussy upholstery for furnishings with cleaner lines.
"I see furniture being designed with sleeker lines, less carving but still great attention to quality and detail," Wirrig said about the latest interior design trends she is seeing. "I rarely have a client who wants an ultra contemporary look, but I often have clients who want cleaner lines and simpler interior designs than we have seen in the recent Tuscan-inspired furniture."
Wirrig also sees this interior design trend toward simplicity in window fashions, with clients bringing down the poufy chintz drapes and replacing them with window treatments that have a more contemporary look. This means people are exploring the use of different materials in their window coverings.
"I am seeing clients move away from fussy draperies and toward a layered look of simpler styles, such as a woven wood blind topped by a simple valance and side panels. In homes with lots of high windows, motorized window treatments are a very good solution," Wirrig said.
Cari Pilon agreed. "I see more simple window treatments, or none at all in some cases. With some windows, their trim and the view are so beautiful, people just don't want to block that."
For Lauren Brasile, this kind of creativity with textures is an important element in the look for 2006, and doesn't necessarily interfere with a room's color scheme. "Multiple textures within the room add interest without adding color," she said. "I think we will continue to see this trend in home décor and interior designs. "
 Karen Wirrig also sees a rise in the use of textures. "Increasing use of textured materials is definitely on the rise. On a recent project, I used an acid-stained copper for a master bath counter, combined with hammered copper sinks and sleek satin nickel single lever hardware," she said.
Another area of change is in wall covering, Wirrig said. "Three dimensional wall covering made of glass beads, vinyl, or hand-painted and hand-torn paper are just some of the new textures along with wood veneers and leather in tile form. It's not your mama's wallpaper anymore!"
Gail Prauss, of Prauss Interiors, also sees the use of "green" or natural materials as pushing forward the use of textures.
"Clients are looking for a more simplified lifestyle, more relaxed and tranquil," Prauss said. "Bamboo is a great material for flooring, adding texture and durability with a material that grows fast and will not be depleted. Lighting and music complete the desired interior comfort."
 When color is used, the natural tones continue to surge in popularity. According to Cari Pilon, "Style trends seem to be leaning towards appreciating the outdoors and incorporating nature in our interiors. Organic colors seem to be more popular. Warm colors of the sunset, greens found in the backyard and the neutrals from the wetlands" are all popular.
Wirrig sees the interior design trend of earth tones as becoming more sophisticated.
For Prauss' clients, the neutrals are "still strong," with grays and metallics, as long as they're not too shiny, predominant.
"Greens continue from grayed to yellow greens," Prauss said. They look great with the popular dark mahoganies. Reds are leaning towards the Chinese orange reds."
Combining colors – often with one or more earth tone – is also important in creating a look, according to Brasile.
"Popular color choices will be earthy, natural colors with touches of bolder colors for accent.  Color combinations really set the stage – chocolate with ice blue for a contemporary look – rich gold with moss green for more traditional looks," Lauren Brasile said.
And what sort of rooms are these colors being used in? Cari Pilon said that in terms of room use, interior designers and homeowners continue to struggle most with integrating the home office – and all the electronic equipment we now have – into the home.
"Almost all homes have a computer, but not all homes have space for a home office. A lot of my clients are trying to incorporate their ‘home offices' into existing rooms, making a lot of rooms multifunctional," Pilon said.
Oftentimes the challenge is in integrating the electronics in such a way that "the computer desk doesn't look like it dropped from the sky into the family room," she said. "You need to be creative to include the computer desk into the dining room without losing the aesthetic of the dining room," Pilon said.
 Karen Wirrig also continues to see a need for the "media room," but other specialty rooms are also growing in popularity.
"I am seeing clients ask for specialty rooms such as a wine tasting room I recently designed and had installed for a client who had an oddly-shaped room just off the foyer," Wirrig said. "Butlers' pantries that can serve as baking centers, and craft rooms combined with laundry rooms are also popular."
For Gail Prauss, the wall-mountable flat screen television allows for great versatility in terms of incorporating the electronic into a room.
"Media is peeking its way into every room, from the bedroom to the living room. Flat screen TV's are in for good and can be camouflaged with art," Prauss said.
Karen Wirrig also sees that as the population ages, there's an increased need for "universal design" – design that can accommodate the widest range of people's capabilities, from those using wheelchairs to those who have sight challenges. There is increasingly a need for spaces that are "easily navigated with assistive devises, yet comfortable for others using the space."
According to our designers, more people are buying second homes, whether it's a pied-a-terre in New York or a condo in Turks and Caicos, and these homes need to be decorated with a flexible flair, according to Lauren Brasile.
"I think we will see an interior design trend towards simple replicable styles – styles that are just as much as home in large homes as they are in smaller condos and townhomes," Brasile said.
For Wirrig, she tries to incorporate universal interior design into the variety of homes her clients have, both primarily and secondary residences.
"I have clients who are choosing to live in lofts in urban centers, single family homes in gated communities, or condos which serve as second-home getaways in golf resorts," Wirrig said. "I try to incorporate the principles of universal design in all of my projects. Making our living spaces accessible for our family and friends, no matter their mobility, is now and will continue to be very important," Wirrig said.
One interior design trend we saw in interviewing these interior designers is that each one develops her own specialty within the profession. For example, Cari Pilon's business is called "Interior Redesign" because she works with clients who want to re-configure what they already have.
 "My clients don't want to toss everything out the window and start new. Unfortunately, that is a stigma attached to traditional interior designers. More and more people want to incorporate what they already own, find new life in older pieces and maybe change the color in their space. Often times a simple rearrangement of their furnishings can give them that change they are looking for. We find that a lot of the clients just need the finishing touches that complete a look. More often than not people don't have the time, interest or knowledge to pull a style together and call for help." Pilon said.
Likewise, Lauren Brasile emphasizes to her clients that she isn't there to tell them what kind of style to choose, but rather to help them determine their own style and then express it. "We don't want to dictate your space but rather help you make the choices within your budget limitations that will help you realize the space."
Wirrig has found one niche that works both for her and for her client. Sometimes a homeowner wants to simply buy a second home – usually a condo – that's already fully furnished and decorated, and Karen Wirrig helps with this. "I see a definite trend toward the purchase of second homes. I have developed a fixed price, fully furnished package for condo buyers in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, and San Diego markets. This allows the buyer the convenience of walking into a fully furnished home without the hassle of shopping by long distance or trying to find resources in an unfamiliar area. This program also allows realtors to offer an additional service to their investment buyers," Wirrig said.
Whether it is decorating a client's second home or getting the courage to simplify your own draperies, staying on top of design trends can help you remain current and also help you expand your repertoire. And if doubt, you can contact one of these top designers for some tips.
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