Trends for 2008

The eco ethos isn't going to dry up and blow away any time soon. In fact, it has emerged as one of the strongest trends in recent home décor history. Eco-friendly products such as cork and recycled glassware are being embraced, and bamboo (a sustainable product that doesn't require pesticides or irrigation) is one of the big stars of green chic; it can be made into everything from towels and bedding to serving spoons and countertops. Also look for appliances that require less energy and water, such as washing machines that use steam to clean clothes.

There is a touch of goth creeping into mainstream homes. From black Baccarat crystal chandeliers and prints of crows to Reidel's jet black stemless wine glasses, macabre touches add edge to décor. Similarly, dark finishes like un-honed granite (the shiny, polished stuff looks too 80s) and glossy black paint on walls as well as trim look fresh.

Classic pieces like moulded plywood Eames chairs, Eileen Gray glass and chrome side tables, Bertoia diamond chairs or Corbu chaises will never go out of style. Outdoors there has been a move away from Mediterranean curlicues and urns towards more linear, mid-century modern designs like those of Richard Schultz, whose family has reissued the designs he created for Knoll in the sixties.

Exotic cultural artifacts can add richness: think a Moroccan pouf or Inuit print. Africa is a perennial hot spot for inspiration Рwooden stools are utilitarian and they can fit into any d̩cor Рwhile Buddha heads and Japanese-inspired fountains are popular motifs in gardens.

Over the top as a starlet on a princess phone, this trend takes glam to a whole new level. Oversized trellis wallpaper, Lucite accessories, mirrored dressing tables, silk drapes and Venetian mirrors all come into play. If it looks like it was pulled from a Warner Bros. set in 1962, it's a décor star!


Spiff up the old homestead and get in touch with nature with a bird print, a branch-outline wallpaper motif or toss cushion, or a duvet covered with realistic butterfly prints. Hot on the radar are porcelain deer antlers and tree stumps, acrylic moose heads, and silver dipped cuckoo clocks for faux-cabin chic.

Grasscloth walls and thick, chunky knit rugs hallmarks of 70s chic, but enough time has passed under the bridge they can now they make a return without looking kitsch. Grasscloth adds dimension to a room, without pattern, as do embossed papers (www.inhabitliving.com has oversize bubble-like Braille patterns).

Handpainted Gracie wallpaper adorns the boudoir of cosmetic magnate Erin Lauder, granddaughter of Estee. Famously pricey, it's possible to mimic the feel with scenic wallpapers on a pale blue ground. Other traditionally "feminine" papers, including big splashy damasks, have pushed mousy neutrals and fey little patterns off the page.

First they got big and bulbous, then they got down low. This year fussy lighting fixtures give way to more sculptural pieces. Big drum shades are getting boxy and angular. To make them look current hang fixtures close to the table.

Popularized in the 60s, cork flooring is experiencing a revival. Soft underfoot with organic appeal, cork tiles provide natural noise insulation, and are super durable and anti-allergenic.