How to Update Your Home for 2007

This year is one of the most exciting years the home decorating industry has seen in a long time. Wall papers are inspired by hand painted silk, and embroidered silk, Chinese wallpaper panels.

While buying the silk panels in 2007’s colors will cost about $7 000 USD. Many companies are rushing to create affordable wallpapers that mimic the lovely Chinese pastels and bold colored focal points in deep plumbs and rich browns.

Many of this year’s designs are muted. The upcoming Olympics have drawn a definite Oriental flavor into this year’s designs. Decorators are seeing the simple, black and white, lattice designs appearing on everything from furniture fabric to umbrella stands.

Lifting simple patterns from ones that are more complex and creating contrasts of light grey on black, two-tone emerald greens, two-tone reds, and neutrals with a slight hint of Gold. Beige is out. Finally, the industry is exploring the wide range of browns and red browns.

The Oriental silk wallpapers introduced the west to the beauty of browns. This has shown tremendous growth in the American home decorating industry who included elements from nature, and gave the colors and designs a simplistic, elegant, flavor.

This is expressed through the combination of leather and fabric, or hand made furniture. However, while many home made products are replacing the ‘Ikea’ feel accessories, the folk-art and country classic look is definitely dead.

If you do not shop in New York, or have access to high-end decorating items, then you can create a similar theme by employing bamboo and rattan, dead branches painted plum red, and polished metal. A room may take a bit of ‘trial and error’, but a touch of Feng Shui techniques will help all novice home decorators create the 2007 theme.

Keep furniture at a minimum. Bulk is out. All those people who ran out and bought huge, overstuffed furniture, will have a hard time creating the warmth and ‘home’ atmosphere that is needed to update their home. Bistro tables have replaced kitchen dinette sets. Tall counter chairs replace stools, anything that removes any ‘formal’ setting in the dinning areas.

Homeowners who have never been able to afford heavy drapery with a flannel liner and weights, will smile at this year’s newest innovation. Simple room dividers create small places, and they become perfect sliding glass door and window screens.

This is great news for apartment and condominium dwellings. The ‘less bulk’ and simplicity now lets apartment and condominium decorators create the perfect 2007 trends. The bolder plumb reds, deep silk hue browns, and natural motifs open up space.

Remove the blinds and shutters from windows and glass doors. Replace them with a black and white screen. A better idea is to make your own with a single strip of silk as the screen. Homes do not need a hand painted silk panel on the wall to create the 2007 theme. Instead, invest in a 8 ½ strip of expensive silk, preferably hand painted, and make a window screen or room divider.

The last element of the new trend is to use wallpaper as art. A short wall decorated by a strip of decorative wallpaper – or better yet, grass paper – will replace ornate artwork and large paintings. Those who can afford silk wall panels, a single wall is all the artwork a room needs to create the 2007 theme.


Patricia Taylor advises on home furnishings and decor from her web site at http://www.mantelclockshere.com
She invites you to get her FREE home decorating guide here http://www.lighting4homes.com