High-end Outdoor Living Design Trend

The backyard is no longer just a place to grill some hamburgers and hotdogs on holidays and weekends. Now it’s all about living outdoors as you would indoors. With the introduction of high-end outdoor living furniture like all-weather beds, outdoor plasma flat screen televisions, luxury grilling kitchens and outdoor showers – the outdoors has become an extension of the home. Homeowners want to create a resort-like atmosphere outside their back door.

The “indoors has moved outdoors” design trend has created a big demand for outdoor living elements from all-weather sectionals to durable stylish outdoor rugs to fire-pits. Today’s style-savvy home-owner is passing by the $15 plastic furniture and cookie-cutter patio ensembles at their local home improvement store and finding their way to specialty patio and outdoor furniture stores, looking for furniture that is inspired by exotic locations and high-end hotels’ poolside seating, dining table, umbrellas and rugs.
Gulf Stream outdoor sofa with ottoman by Century Leisure. This all-weather sofa can easily be mistaken for indoor furniture. The Gulf Stream outdoor living collection is a modular based system that makes it very easy for homeowners to mix and match and create an outdoor seating area that meets their needs and style.

The elegant, contemporary inspired, beautiful GemStone fire pit is available in various colors, stone finishes (granite shown) and gas types. Available online at gracestonecollection.com and retails for $2,392.

The Manta umbrella with razor-sharp edges and contemporary flare is inspired by the graceful ocean flight of the giant Manta Ray. Can be ordered in a number of colors and sizes. Retail locations available at tucci.com.

Give your outdoor living area a fresh and light feeling with this classically designed Aqua Solid Hand Made Outdoor Rug in aqua blue, turquoise and oatmeal. Available at outdoorrugsonly.com, $100 to $399.

Coast Arc Chaise with storage bin under seat from Henry Hall Designs – the ultimate in luxury all-weather furniture. Retail locations at henryhalldesigns.com, $3300.

Upscale Kitchen Trends

Two of everything is the emerging trend in upscale kitchens. Two dishwashers, two refrigerators, two stove / ranges and two sinks. Not to be outdone, specialty appliances like fully equipped espresso bars are all the rage for those with the space and funds to deck their personal kitchens out like a professional chef’s kitchen. According to online Kitchen and Bath Design ezine the experts are saying:
that having double ovens, two dishwashers and/or dish-drawers, multiple refrigerator/freezer drawers, and even a cook-top with a separate range is fairly commonplace in upscale kitchens. The number of multiples of appliances installed in an upscale kitchen is only limited by the size of the space, with every inch maximized for optimum function.
Specialty appliances are also in demand, noted the panelists, with built-in coffee makers, warming drawers, undercounter beverage centers and wine storage units leading the pack. (image courtesy: jennair.com)

Top 10 design trends for 2008

The top 10 design trends for 2008 are:
1. Home Design Style with a Conscience - it’s all about eco-friendly design, products and implementation - focus on organic, natural, recycled and re-purposed products. In the past eco-friendly or Green design could be summed up in three words: ugly, dowdy and boring. That isn’t the case anymore. Eco-friendly design has met stylish interpretation proving that earth friendly decor can at the same time be elegant, beautiful and exciting as well as Green.
2. Contrast Makes The Difference - high contrast color combinations such as robin egg blue set against dark cocoa or white and black. Contrasting textures like smooth against rough such as man-made steel juxtaposed with the roughness of natural shell or wood against steel. Add a touch of the unexpected to your decor by pairing up accessories or furnishings of mixed media - a soft chenille sofa dressed with a rough textured horsehair or zebra pillow or velvet against metal.
3. It’s All About the X - The “X’ is everywhere in furniture and accessory design. It was spotted at Highpoint, the European Shows and has been slowly making itself available in furniture and decor stores.
4. Multi-Purpose Furniture and Accessories - Beautiful design is simply not enough for today’s discerning home decor shoppers, they want utility driven, multi-purpose furniture and decorative accessories that will make their everyday life easier, less hectic and more organized.
5. Leather with a Feminine Touch - Leather is still a hot trend however this year expect to see the softer side of leather, furniture in smaller scale, earthy golden warm tones such as caramel, cappuccino, cocoa and cinnamon as well as what are considered more “traditional” feminine colors ranging from pastel pinks to robin egg blue with contrasting accent colors of dark chocolate.
6. Understated Luxe - 2008 is all about “whispering” luxury and elegance via your home decor, furnishings and accessories.
7. All Shades of White - from the purest whites to the softest ivories, the white color family will be seen everywhere from walls to sofas to lamps to picture frames.
8. Really Big Furniture and Accessories - it’s all about design drama, over-sized lamps, chandeliers, florals, mirrors, decorative accessories and other design elements.
9. Cool Metals - gray tone metals such as silver, pewter, brushed nickel, aluminum, steel, charcoal and platinum.
10. Zen at Home - we want peace at home and furnishing your home with design elements that make you feel at peace and grounded are the keys to achieving a home sanctuary.
Interior Design Sources (image from left to right): PH Collection Elsee Arm Chair, Archatrive convertible console (into dinner table) with re-purposed gate legs, Thomas Boog Shell Mirror, Saro Trading Company table linens, Ogetti Silver Vases, FTF Design Studio “X” motif table, and Pasha Home Cordoba chair in Spa.