Courtesy of Nicole Cooper

DESIGN TRENDS – OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW

Home decor trends are constantly changing. If you want to keep up with the trends as you renovate or redecorate your home this year, here are some that are on the way out and what’s coming instead. All white kitchens or bathrooms - while white does make a space look brighter and larger, the new trend is bringing in colour on cabinets, walls and accessories. Open shelving - despite being a great way to showcase antique cookware and beautiful dishware, the maintenance of keeping everything organized and dust-free is causing designers to turn to enclosed cabinets with glass doors instead. Home maintenance is a never ending task when you’re a homeowner. Making sure your appliances, systems and things in your home are clean and in good repair takes a lot of work and can be rewarding in and of itself. But aside from the “must-do’s” sometimes doing something a little extra that you’ve been putting off for a while is the perk you need to find renewed motivation in your routine chores. The following is a list of five minor upgrades you can do to enhance your home and lifestyle. • Update your outdoor (and indoor) hardware. New door knobs or cabinet pulls are easy to change and can make a big difference. • Add slip covers or throw pillows to your furniture or an area rug to bring new colour, patterns and life to refresh a room. • Add a plant. Even if it’s fresh cut flowers, adding plants and blooms to your rooms creates a welcoming environment. • Upgrade your showerheads to something more luxurious like a rain showerhead, one with various pressure settings, or a hand held option. FIVE QUICK WAYS TO UPGRADE YOUR HOME

Accent walls - where bold colours, patterns or textures were often featured on one wall in a room, they’re now being spread across the entire room. Distressed wood - the rustic look of unfinished wood or distressed wood is on the way out making room for more polished finishes that create a more sophisticated, yet still rustic vibe. Meticulous design - rooms that are very obviously styled in a minimalistic manner are slowly transitioning into rooms that are a little more cluttered and curated to showcase the homeowner’s personality.