10 Design Trends

Are you a house stalker like I am? I love looking at houses inside and out and scoping out design trends. Just last weekend I fed my house-stalking addiction by attending the Park City Area Showcase of Homes 2017.

There was a wide variety of home styles in the tour –  an elegant traditional home, a casual modern farmhouse, rustic cabins high tucked into ski areas, and chic modern glass homes. And I found something to love in every one of them!

Besides just enjoying the gorgeously appointed homes, I also noted several design trends that I wanted to share with you. One reason I want to share these design trends with you is that by incorporating even one of these trends into your next renovation or home spruce-up, your home will feel fresh and on trend too.

Here are the 10 design trends I noticed most frequently and which you could think about incorporating in your own home the next time you’re looking to update your space:

1. Light wood floors with natural finishes

This floor above was my favorite finish by far. It was a light natural color, and it had a very matte finish. Besides looking great, seems to me like this engineered floor would be long wearing and perfect for kids and pets.

This kitchenette with the light wood floor was in a basement of a restored vintage home in Old Town, Park City. It was pretty and had a very natural feel to it. The light wood really helped to open up this small space.

It almost seemed that the more modern the homes got, the lighter the wood floors, as evidenced by this ultra modern and chic Park City home.

2. Modern statement lighting

I loved all the gorgeous statement lighting in the showcase homes. This one in the modern farmhouse by Millhaven Homes was my favorite. I love how oversized it was, too – it really added a special importance to this gorgeous stairway.

Super pretty cone pendant in the Millhaven farmhouse master bath – loooooved this one.

Here are some other really pretty and fun statement lights I saw. I love how each one adds to the personality of the space it’s in.

3. Metal stair railings

No matter the home style, it seemed that almost every home on the tour incorporated metal railings into the stairways.

This galvanized stair rail had a modern industrial feel to it.

Again – note the light, matte wood floors.

Even this farmhouse home incorporated metal into the staircase design.

More metal railings, and more light wood floors!

4. Patterns – in floor tiles, wall tiles, and carpets

Patterns were everywhere (in relatively small doses) – from tiled floors, tiled showers, patterned carpets, and wallpapered ceilings.

I loved this simple hex tile floor. The pattern added a playful feel to this rustic bath, part of a kids rec room.

The lighting in the hallway laundry room made photographing it difficult, but hopefully you can see it well enough to appreciate the plaid tile. How fun would that be in a laundry room?!

I absolutely loved this quietly elegant home by McEwan Custom Homes, and this small bath off the back entry packed a big punch with that gorgeous floor (and those amazing black windows!).

A kids’ bunk room takes on a decidedly playful feel with the gray and white plaid carpet. Loved this space! (Also from McEwan Custom Homes).

5. Lots of Natural Wood Tones

From rustic cabin to chic modern home, all of these spaces displayed lots of pretty wood tones, making them feel warm and cozying up even cool modern spaces.

This kitchen by Millhaven Homes was a total favorite of mine. I love how the wood island, wood shelves, beams, and fan hood all warm up this clean bright space.

Here’s more of those gorgeous wood tones in the beamed ceiling of this beautiful home.

6. Texture is huge

Even neutral spaces feel warm and cozy when lots of texture is incorporated. In this kids bunk room, the fun basket pendant and stump table add warmth and texture.

Feels like a cozy room to come home to after a day on the slopes, doesn’t it?

It’s pretty amazing what even a few little straw hats and baskets can do to add texture and warmth to a space.

These baskets do more than just add storage – they add heaps of texture and visual interest to this pretty pantry.

Cozy rug, fuzzy throw, and warm wood adds lots of texture to this ranch house bedroom.

Can you see how easy it is to add texture to your home? This is one design trend that is easy and relatively inexpensive to add to your home.

7. Statement Ceilings

There were lots and lots of beams in the ceilings on the tour, and I loved them all!

Wood beams + tongue in groove ceiling = a gorgeous ceiling in this bright kitchen.

How about THIS ceiling for a beamed beauty?!

Again with the metal wire in the railings, plus a beautiful beamed ceiling – made for a gorgeous ski lodge!

8. Rich Colors as Accents

Many of the homes on the tour stuck with a neutral color theme, but most of them added interest with rich colored accents, as in this pretty navy office built-in.

Moody blue wall AND feature ceiling….could it get any prettier?!

I loved this colorful art as a focal point at the end of this long (but pretty) hallway.

This bedroom was made more interesting with a few deep color accents via pillows and side chair.

9. Making it personal – hobbies and interests as part of decorating

You’ve heard me say it before, but I’ll say it again — every home should reflect the personalities, hobbies, and interests of the family living within its walls.

So bring out those collections and display them, show your interests and your loves. I thought this collection of old stained glass windows was really fun.

I love that this home incorporated special little areas for the family to spend time together. The first picture shows a table in the kids nursery area for crafts and colors, the next highlights art that is obviously an important part of the homeowner’s tastes and style, and the shot below shows a cozy little nook for game playing.

This bunk room/kids playroom was really a special spot. I loved that they added a comfy sofa and ottomans so the family could snuggle up with some books before bedtime. All three photos above from the McEwan Custom Home

10. Having fun with it! Special places to just hang out and enjoy

I got a real kick out of the homes that had swings – for just hanging out. This one is a swing bed on a back patio.

Here’s one in a teenager’s bedroom – what teenager wouldn’t love this?!

This one was part of a basement game room in a modern home near the ski slopes.

And I accidentally deleted a photo of a fun porch-bench type swing that was in the bunk room of the modern farmhouse. But you can take my word for it – it was super darling and a really special touch.

There you have it friends – my round up of the 10 design trends I saw during the showcase. Hope you enjoyed vicariously visiting these beautiful home, and I especially hope that you found something useful for when you go to update your own home!

Take care, and I’ll see you next week when I join in with some special blog friends for a Fall Home Tour!