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Design Dilemma: 2010 Trends We’ve Tired Of

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Traditionally, the end of the year is our time to assess the good, the bad, and the ugly in decorating trends. Certainly we saw our share of them in 2010. And let’s be clear, there’s nothing inherently bad with following a trend. Still, certain trends become so ubiquitous that they are exhausting to behold. As we ring in the new year, here are a few trends that we’re happy to ring out:

1) Taxidermy. When every urban condo is bedecked by a antlers or a moose head, you know something’s wrong. Deer heads, boar heads, mountain lions, antlers, may be fine for big game hunters living in the wilds of Alaska. But among Wall Street stockbrokers who have never been camping, much less hunting, mounted animal heads and their ilk seem plain ridiculous.

2) Chinese Garden Stools. These got overexposed thanks to big retailers like West Elm who pushed them hard. It didn’t take long for chinese stools as end tables and coffee tables to feel like a cliche.

3) Typography as art. We saw a lot of homes decorated with words in 2010. At first, it seemed cool. After a while, it began to feel like the lazy man’s version of art. What about a great painting, a photograph or a sculpture instead?

4) The Eames Lounge Chair. Yes, it’s a beautiful chair and a classic. But when designers and decorators can’t seem to get beyond this iconic piece to find all the other wonderful mid-century pieces out there, it suggests a certain narrowness of vision.

5) Chalkboard Paint. It’s cute in the home of a busy family with kids. Anywhere else, it feels forced.

And what would we like to see more of in 2011?

1) More mixing, less matching. Eclecticism in eras and styles is much more fun than adhering strictly to one era.
2) More pattern and color, brought in through kilims, patterned pillows, wall hangings and textiles from all around the world.
3) Less big box, more personal style. Your home shouldn’t look like a store catalog!

4) Organic and handmade. We want to see more artwork, and more accessories that speak of nature and the handmade.
5) Fewer neutrals, more color commitments. The decorator’s mantra is to choose neutrals for large furniture pieces and for walls. Well, we say that’s boring. We want to crawl out of our safe beige box. Let’s mix it up in 2011!

Above designer Roman Alonso of Commune in Los Angeles, revels in a sensuous riot of color and pattern with not one identifiable trend at work. It’s eclectic, colorful and utterly personal. The vintage kitchen eschews all design trends.

Above, designer Laura Weatherbee of L.Weatherbee Design used commonly found furnishings from stores like Macy’s, West Elm, CB2 and IKEA, to create something fun, funky, and personal. Forget the neutrals! Weatherbee opted for a patterned black and white rug alongside a green couch, red lamp, yellow chairs and turquoise and apple green walls. And it all works beautifully!

www.apartmenttherapy.com; www.housebeautiful.com; http://www.lweatherbee.com/