Tips & Trends

Summer 2009

Our pick of the top trends for 2009 and beyond...

We've taken a good look around to assess the macro trends for the new year. As always, there's a lot going on in home design. For this article we've created a short-list of what we believe are some of the fundamentally important and directional trends coming your way in 2009.

1. Eco friendly design
Perhaps the most important trend in home design of 2009 and beyond is an increased awareness and sensitivity to the environment. Architects, builders and interior designers alike are taking another look at the building techniques of bygone eras and finding they have fresh application today. Simple, bio-degradable materials and non-toxic, natural products are not just good for the environment but also provide comfortable, safe, healthy, economical and naturally beautiful homes to live in. Now more than ever before there is a real choice in the environmentally responsible products that are available. So why not speak to your architect, builder or interior designer about how you too can incorporate eco-friendly products and practices into your construction or renovation project.

2. Safe and Healthy Homes
In a similar vein to the rise of eco friendly design, more and more clients are requesting that their designers incorporate health and safety considerations into their design concepts. Some buildings can literally make you sick. Increasingly, designers and homeowners are working together to reduce the amount of synthetic materials and chemical additives in the home. This covers a range of issues from specifying low VOC paints and carpets to designing ergonomic kitchens, bathrooms and studies. We expect to see an increasing focus over the coming years as the population ages and at the same time, the community becomes more aware of the health issues associated with potentially toxic products.

3. The Outdoor Room
There's no question but that the outdoor room is here to stay! And it makes perfect sense in our beautiful Australian climate. Increasingly we prefer to treat our gardens as extensions of interior spaces, and vice versa. A big trend for 2009 is the return to nature, a desire to combine natural world and the garden into our home and create more relaxing living environments. Our outdoor rooms allow us to take advantage of the good weather to cook, relax and entertain al-fresco. The yard and garden have become part of the floor-plan with sliding glass doors or bi-folds leading to patios, decks and pools. Built-in barbeques, sophisticated sinks and storage, along with comfortable seating complete the picture.

4. Smart Homes
The connected home, also known as the smart home, is the home of the future. And the future has arrived. Smart homes include automated and integrated security, entertainment, music, keyless entry, internet and air conditioning systems. It's a good idea to consider including all or some of the new automated systems that make running a home so very 21St Century. Even if you never install that state of the art security or entertainment system for your own use, just having the wiring in place will be an important selling point in years to come. In only a few short years from now, home buyers will undoubtedly be nominating the ability to automate their new house as one of their most important purchasing criteria. So don't get left behind, include planning for the Smart Home of the future in your new home or renovation design.

5. Flexible Floor Plans
Changing lifestyles means changing living spaces. Young adults move out, then in again. Grandchildren visit and elderly parents come to stay. Sometimes you'll work from home and the list goes on. Homes designed for today's family have sliding doors and moveable partitions to allow for flexibility in living arrangements. Dedicated dining-rooms and formal sitting-rooms continue to be replaced by open-plan designs which can be used for a variety of purposes as the family grows and changes. Houses with separate living areas for teens and their parents are ever popular. Alternatively many new houses and renovations now incorporate an extra and often undefined room - it can be used as a study or home office during the day and quickly converted to a guest room at night. Other adaptations include providing for special or temporary needs such as a studio, sewing-room, theatre-room or gym.

6. Luxurious Bathrooms & Super Functional Kitchens
This trend has been with us for a few years now but it's not going anywhere. In fact, our insistence on luxury bathrooms and up to the minute kitchens is becoming more honed every day. With the upheavals and stresses of modern life the desire for a tranquil space in which to unwind has grown. Spa-like bathrooms and ensuites are a must-have in the new home or renovation. Words such as sanctuary, retreat and haven spring to mind. This is all about pampering and seclusion. A place to get away from it all. Tile selection, lighting, fixtures and fittings are of paramount importance.

Meanwhile, the other great selling point of any home, the well-designed kitchen, is also ever evolving. No longer merely a place to cook and eat, the kitchen is the hub of the home. It's the entertainment centre, the homework hub, the chat room and much more. This is one room where it definitely pays to get it right so focus on layout, storage, finishes, texture, colour and appliances to make the most of this opportunity.

7. Storage
Home-owners are demanding more and more storage space. Today's homes must fulfill many different functions. At the same time, pressure on space is increasing. New homes have the luxury of planning for walk-in-robes and pantries or even a separate butler's kitchen, but many smaller or converted homes need to be very innovative to ensure there are plenty of easy-to-access cupboards and shelves. Loft space is one area that can usually be easily converted into an additional storage facility, and attention is now given to making the most of every inch of the kitchen and bathroom cabinetry. There's also a trend for specialised storage solutions such as shoe closets next to the front door, or a place to keep the bottles for re-cycling. In fact there's no end to the ingenious solutions your designer can come up with: such as fitting drawers into stair treads, converting an under-stairs space into an additional seating area, installing a work station into an alcove or building book shelves around a doorway.

8. Softness
There's a tendency towards softness and a refocus on sensuality in our homes. Lighting is back - task lighting, lighting for ambience, dimmers and shades - these all add a depth and warmth to our homes that the ubiquitous downlight has never been able to deliver. Curtains and pelmets are enjoying a revival while carpet is big in living rooms, bedrooms and studies. Wallpaper is being applied not just to feature walls and bed-heads but is slowly extending to cover whole rooms such as bedrooms and powder rooms. It's no surprise really. Times are tough, the world doesn't feel so safe anymore and it's expensive to go out. There's a huge emphasis on feeling cosy and relaxed at home. So why not experiment a little with some of the many beautiful fabrics, wallpapers, carpets and lovely lighting options that abound at the moment.

9. Don't Move - Improve!

Another big trend for 2009 is the decision to stay home and extend rather than moving to a brand new house. It can make sense in these turbulent economic times when the costs of buying and selling are harder to justify. Instead of spending on real estate agent's fees, stamp duty and the general costs of moving we're seeing many of our clients choosing to add to or alter their existing homes. Not only are they adding value to their bricks and mortar investment, they're also able to specify exactly what they need to turn their house into the perfect home. Clever conversions of redundant areas; rethinking the layout; or extending outwards or upwards are some of the ways our clients are shaping their home to the way they want to live.

10. Provision for Pets
Pets are considered beloved family-members of many a home, and their number is increasing. Therefore it's no surprise that incorporating their needs is a growing trend in home design and decorating. Homeowners are installing pet doors, indoor pet retreats, disguised litter boxes and cat ramps. They're also choosing stain-resistant fabrics and carpeting. The market for pet beds and accessories is booming, and design-savvy pet owners are making sure that their pet's belongings are in keeping with the overall design concept.

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