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Decorating Trends for 2004

© Barbara Nicholson Bell

Those of you who are keen observers of design trends, as well as those who don't want their newly redecorated rooms to look "dated" in a few years, might be interested in the colors and design themes being introduced this year by manufacturers of paints, wall coverings, furniture, accessories, and the publishers of home interior magazines.

Decorating styles evolve constantly, taking their inspiration from upcoming movies and their sets, locales, even costumes; popular museum exhibitions, such as Impressionism, Asian art, or Egyptian tomb artifacts; changing demographics which indicate which areas of the country are growing in population, such as the Southwest; or newly popular travel destinations, such as Polynesia. In previous eras, large societal movements impacted design trends, such as the revolt against the Industrial Revolution which was reflected in the Arts & Crafts styles, or Art Moderne which embraced the marvels of the Machine Age of the 1920's and 1930's.

Recent decorating styles have been extremely eclectic, and included such different extremes as Shabby Chic, and High Tech. Even the long-established standards such as Early American and Victorian have changed to follow the fashions.

These color themes are appearing throughout the home decorating industry in 2004:

Try using the colors found in the natural world of the woods and forests, such as sage, gray-green, medium brown, and wheat. These colors could work in a more modern or urban apartment, evoking calm and serenity in the midst of a chaotic environment. They work equally well in formal and casual settings, especially with Southwestern accents.

Seaside themes are always popular, but the newer choices replace the nautical look with a palette of oyster gray, aqua gray, and several blues and lavender blues. Again, you're aiming for a subdued, relaxing atmosphere that reminds you of the beach on your last vacation. Accessorize with shells, seagrass, and natural fabrics.

There is a warming trend of color in home décor. Colors in the red/orange families include warm and bright yellows, burnt orange, lively pinks and warm browns. These colors are even showing up in kitchen appliances, dinnerware, and bed linens.

Celebrating the variation and diversity of skin tones, try a soft and neutral color scheme with pale pinks, clay brown, and rosy browns. These colors appear at the cosmetic counter, if you're stumped for hints!

Play a little more with color, especially in a young girl's room, by combining colors such as peach, melon, and gray-purple with soft greens. The retro version of this theme brings back the 1970s look.