Think-Realty-Magazine-January-2018

DESIGN POINT

DESIGN TRENDS

2Unexpected Design Trends You’ll See in 2018 “DO-NOT’S” BECOMING “MUST-HAVE’S” THIS YEAR.

by Blake Johnson

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Generally, mixing materials in the same room is frowned upon. However, we’re finding it makes things look quite interesting if you are careful not to go overboard. For example, in one kitchen we mixed up the countertops. We had an island with a quartz countertop and then the other countertops were blue! I was ac-

eyes and easy for a buyer to adjust later, if they want to. Generally, seasoned investors will tell you to stay away from brighter colors like, for example, blue. In 2018, however, that is going to change. In fact, by the end of December, we were already seeing periwinkle blue everywhere! We painted so many rooms – especially kitchens and bathrooms – blue that I would say it was something of a “Blue Christmas” for a lot of happy homebuyers and sellers. We even saw some sellers in higher-end homes ($500,000 and up in our areas of Dallas-Fort Worth) who went so far as to try out blue accent walls using wallpaper. I would emphasize that you should not start wallpapering entire rooms, and you generally should only try the wallpaper approach if you are working in a high-end home with a really nice wallpaper and comps that indicate buyers will respond to this design decision. We used mainly blue, floral themes that were textured and had some foil accents, so you can imagine how it would be important not to do too much. UNEXPECTED TREND #2 Mixed Media Kitchens The second unexpected trend that we’re going to start seeing a lot of in 2018 is mixing media in large spaces like kitchens. Now, it is important to understand that mixed media does not work in all spaces. You need a large, open-concept kitchen with good flow (see the picture on the opposite page for an example of a good candidate for this type of design decision). If you try this in a small space, your results are going to be cluttered and busy.

f you’ve ever watched a certain extremely popular and long-run-

ning reality television series about clothing designers, then I know you’ve heard the saying, “In fashion, one day you’re in, and the next you’re out.” While that may be especially true in the world of couture dresses, it is also very true in the world of real estate! While many real estate investors prefer to simply “opt out” of chasing design trends, if you plan to sell to retail buyers or you want to compete in a hot real estate market, you are going to have to be aware of the latest trends and, at least to a degree, accommodate them. After all, you may be quite confident your buyers are pinning, posting, and pining for these little details. Offering just a hint of trendiness (or even taking a leap and doing something high- end but long-lasting in terms of quality and value) can make a difference between starting a bidding war and sitting on the market for months all alone. Here are two trends that we’re seeing buyers go crazy for already that we believe will only get more popular in the coming months. Both trends are surprising to me, but I’ve seen them pay off for investors time and time again when they were cor- rectly employed in the right type of home. UNEXPECTED TREND #1 Even Investors Get the (Periwinkle) Blues Conventional wisdom says that you should stick to mainly neutral tones when you are rehabbing a house. After all, a nice beige or even a light shade of gray, which was the hot color last year, is easy on the

In this kitchen, the designer used a cutting-edge approach to the space: mixed media. The island counter top is wood, while the counters around the edge of the room are quartz. Notice that the wood on the island and that of the flooring are also different. The effect is modern, bright, and innovative.

OUT ON A LIMB WITH BLACK AND WHITE A style decision that has long been popular with older homes is moving into mod- ern-home design as well: black and white. We did this recently in a kitchen where we painted the cab- inets black, installed a nearly black countertop, and put in dark brown flooring. Then, we painted the walls a stark white. You might have thought that the dark colors would make the room feel really small, but in fact, it brightened the space up really well. You will often see designers use this black-and-white strategy in older homes with smaller and fewer windows than new homes because it maximizes natural light. We’re seeing it in modern updates these days as well.

A LIGHT TOUCH IS BEST When you are dealing with new trends, remember that less is usually more. Of course, with trends like these, looking a lit- tle alternative is unavoidable, but you want to come off “cutting edge,” not “over the top.” This is particularly important for real estate investors. Making a trendy design decision can help you minimize time on market, but it can also send buyers in the other direction if it is something that elicits a “love it or hate it” reaction. For example, a periwinkle accent wall, like a neutral wall, is generally inoffensive and, if a buyer does not like it, it is easy for them to say to themselves, “Well, I can

tually very nervous about that project, but when we were done, it looked amazing. You can also mix media in your cup- boards by using several different types of wood or styles. For example, your kitchen island cabinets might be gray, shaker style, but then the wall cabinets and upper cab- inets might be white. Another example, if the space is big enough to support it, is to have a brown or black lower base cabinet with a brown chop block on the island, then a white quartz countertop for the rest of the kitchen. It sounds confusing, but if you look at the picture above, you can see mixed media really works when implemented correctly.

always repaint it later.” On the other hand, a royal blue bedroom, while possibly quite stylish, may feel overwhelming if a buyer really dislikes the color and, worse, it will be difficult to adjust that color or ignore it. In that case, a buyer will likely count the color as a negative because it is intrusive and difficult to change due to the deep, bright hue and wide expanse of space that will need repainting. •

Blake Johnson owner of Finishing Touches as seen on HGTV Flip or Flop FortWorth.

He may be reached at contactus@ finishingtouchesremodeling.com.

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