Your own instincts for comfort and style at home are best to use when remodeling … but design trends are fun to follow! This year, the emphasis is on eclectic individual expression. There are no “rules” – pick and choose your favorites and make them your own. Here’s what our professional designers see on the horizon:
Colors: Purple and turquoise are brightening spaces as accents and decorative elements. Pantone, the world’s color authority for 45 years, named turquoise 2010’s “Color of the Year.” Another trend is the emergence of gray as the new neutral. Gray replaces beige in this role, appearing in both warm and cool tones, sometimes paired with bold oranges, yellows or greens.
Fixtures: When it comes to fixtures for the bath, warm antique gold eclipses shiny chrome for 2010.
Countertops: Natural stone, polished and/or honed, is a popular new choice. Quartz is also a standout, as are “green” materials such as Vetrazzo, made from recycled glass. The use of tile has faded.
Cabinetry: Highly organized cabinetry with easy access to necessities is a trend in clean contemporary or transitional designs. White finishes are in vogue, as are mixed finishes with a variety of woods, including raw and textured.
Flooring: Natural stone and porcelain tile will be the flooring of choice for many homes in 2010.
Bathrooms: The trend for spa-like bathrooms deepens, with elements such as jetted, air bubble, or soaking tubs, multiple body spray showers and chromatherapy, all powered by smart technology that allows a change of atmosphere with the touch of a button.
Adapting trends to your own personality is what makes a home feel both fresh and timeless. When you’re considering a remodel, it’s always a good idea to do some research about the latest directions in design to see which feel right for you.
The days when the bathroom was just a functional space, almost an afterthought in home design, are long gone. Today’s baths compete with the finest luxury spas for atmosphere and amenities. 
Many of us have come to rely on smart technology to stay connected and make our lives easier, more fun and more productive when we’re on the go. We can make calls, answer emails, search the internet, play music, watch movies, get directions, pay bills and much more … all from our laptops, mobile phones or other hand-held devices. Yet, we don’t always give this same attention to technology when it comes to thinking about how we live in our homes. 
