Susan Conway is a Decorator and Home Stager who also specializes in Stainmaster carpet from Carpet Direct. She has over 20 years of visual merchandising experience, a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and has worked as a Home Furnishings Buyer. Susan has an eye for design and even helped design and build her own home in the Kansas City area. Susan can be reached at 913-706-8008 or visit her website. We asked Susan to share her expertise on the direction of home design trends for 2012.

Color

The new hot buzz word for 2012 is GREIGE!  Greige is a warm tone gray that can look either taupe or beige. Gray is hot! I predict that “greige” will be the new “Johnson County beige”! It tends to have more green undertones than gold undertones. I still personally love my golden browns, and I am not saying that golden tones are “out” at all.  In fact, golden accents and accessories look amazing with the new grays and really help to warm them up.

Furnishings

Smaller furniture will become more popular. Furniture with skirts and overstuffed couches are out.  Large sectional sofas are out – the movers will be happy about this! Armoires for TVs and entertainment are out. Flat-screen TVs will be showcased and sometimes framed to resemble artwork.

Flooring

Dark is in. Golden oak is out. Although darker floors look more dramatic, the downside is that they show more dust.  (But, just like with dark granite countertops – when they are clean they look amazing!)  Lighter colored area rugs will create excitement against the dark floors.

Window Treatments

Less is in. Thinner materials are in. Sometimes nothing on properly trimmed windows will suffice.  Roll-up window treatments like Roman shades will be popular too in home design trends.

Lighting

Cylindrical lampshades will replace outdated pleated or conical lampshades. Pendant lighting will still be popular.

Accessories

Oversized china hutches are out, if used at all – another reason for movers to be excited! Baskets with vine garland on top of kitchen cabinets are out.  Artificial greenery is still in, but in small groupings and tastefully done. Dried flowers of any kind are definitely out, and have been out for a long time; they simply collect too much dust!

Last, but not least in home design trends for 2012:

The Best Paint Colors for Resale

Choosing the best one just cannot be answered on paper. So many factors need to be taken into account, such as the tile, the color of the woodwork, the trim color, the furnishings in the room, etc.   There is no universal color that will work for everyone, and a mistake in color could be a mistake in how your home shows to prospective buyers. The warm golden browns are still popular, but the hot new upcoming trend for 2012 is “greige”.

Here are my favorite warm grays and greiges from Sherwin Williams:

If you would like to be “in” for 2012 on all the hot new home design trends, be sure to contact Susan Conway for the best advice before you buy or redecorate! If you would like all the “out” furniture to be carried from of your home, like the oversized china hutch in your dining room or overstuffed sectional sofa in the family room – call Great Day Moving!