What's hot in home design 2006

The bathtub: Yesterday -- whirlpool; Today -- soaking tub; Tomorrow -- infinity tub?

"Five, 10 years ago every new home costing $125,000 and up had a whirlpool tub in the master bath," says Marshall Williams, manager for corporate accounts worldwide for Kohler, the premier fixture manufacturers.
For the most part, though, whirlpools didn't make bathing enjoyable. "Most were not ergonomically designed; they were uncomfortable and noisy," says Williams.
Today, the people's choice is a soaking tub, a deep, comfy, quiet place to relax and wile away your troubles.

Paint colors: Yesterday -- neutrals like ecru; Today -- bold like chocolate; Tomorrow -- chameleons?

''In home design, " says Doty Horn, director of color and design for Benjamin Moore, "We used to be afraid of the bold use of color." Not anymore. Yesterday's neutrals have given way to an intense palette. The success of one "saturated color" -- chocolate brown -- has surprised even Horn.
And she predicts that so-called "chameleon colors" will soon dominate. These are paints that, because several different color tones are mixed in, take on a different tone at various light levels.

Kitchen: Yesterday -- uniform design; Today -- mix and match; Tomorrow -- anything goes?

Designer Mick De Julio (de Giulio Kitchen Design) says kitchen looks are no longer dominated by architectural influences but by designer ones.
Even that is changing over to kitchens influenced by art. When the kitchen is an artwork, many old rules no longer apply.
"Everything had to be in the same style," says De Giulio. "If the room was English cottage style, everything was English cottage style." Now, kitchens can be one big collage, with walls of sleek contemporary cabinets kitty-cornered with ones in fussier traditional style, for example.

Kitchen cabinet woods: Yesterday -- cherry; Today -- anegre; Tomorrow -- teak?

Tastes in cabinet color change slowly.
"Cherry has been a very hot veneer, bridging all markets," says Dan Myerson, of Bacon Veneer, one of the leading wood veneer suppliers for high-end office and residential applications. "It's still in demand but fading."
Myerson says a wood called anegre has taken hold in upscale markets. This blond to light-honey colored wood goes into many a corporate board room and has invaded high-end residences.
"Walnut is also back," says Myerson, "with a vengeance." And the style is clearer finishes, which enables the natural color and grain of the walnut to stand out. Wood is really up to the consumer and tastes vary depending on their likes. Walnut and Cherry are the most popular.

Counters: Yesterday -- solid surfacing; Today -- granite; Tomorrow -- still granite?

And how will the teak be topped? Five to 10 years ago the countertop of choice was solid surfacings. Today's answer: Everybody must get stone. Granite is what everybody wants... as we've seen in the past 5 years! It's durable, hard, heavy, lasts forever--this trend should continue into the future.

Wood floors: Yesterday -- red oak; Today -- white oak; Tomorrow -- bamboo?

Taste in wood for flooring has turned as well. Jerry Wiencek, a custom home builder in Denver(Grace Custom Homes), says that several years ago, red oak was everywhere.
Today, he reports, quarter-sawn, clear finish, white oak is the flooring of choice, but another wood is gaining.
"Today, lots of premier architects are picking up on cherry, for upscale floors," says Jerry.
The future, however, of wood flooring might not even include wood. Timi Bates, an interior designer in upstate New York, says the emphasis on environmental issues will help make bamboo floors a choice of many homeowners. Bamboo, a member of the grass family, is a fast-growing, sustainable crop that makes a tough, attractive flooring.

Appliance colors: Yesterday -- black; Today -- stainless steel; Tomorrow -- full overlay?

Where black once ruled, stainless steel has taken over appliance-color leadership. While consumers seek alternatives to stainless steel with bright colors, it still accounts for 90 percent of today's requests.
One trend that could challenge it is the "full overlay" treatment, according to Bailey, which, she says, "minimizes the effect of the appliance." It consists of installing wood inserts onto the appliance exteriors so they blend with the cabintetry, handles, pulls, and all. An under-counter refrigerator, for example, looks just like any other cabinet in the room.

Appliances: Yesterday -- trash compacter; Today -- wine cooler; Tomorrow -- cheese cooler?

Speaking of appliances– the trash compacter – has fallen out of favor.
Taking its place as the hot kitchen installation is the wine cooler. And what's the appliance of the future? Well, it's not a sure bet, but Viking has been working on something that fits hand-in-glove in the wine cooler world – a cheese refrigerator. We at myresidentrealtor.com aren't so sure the cheese cooler will catch on; saaaaay CHEESE!