Interior Design Trends 2006 - 2007
Color, Style and Sensibility for 2006 - 2007

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 and '07 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 will carry over to 2007] 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 major 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!"