March 8, 2011

Designer Scott Salvator Identifies Home Decor Trends

Robert Doyle READ TIME: 4 MIN.

UPPER SADDLE RIVER, N.J., Feb, 2011 - What are some of the dominant trends in home decor today? Hunter Douglas interviewed New York City designer Scott Salvator, whose residential work spans from Palm Beach, New York City and Connecticut to Santorini, Greece, and who recently renovated the world-famous Caf� Carlyle in New York's legendary Carlyle Hotel. Here's what he has to say:

  • Window Treatments: More Popular Than Ever: "Window treatments are more popular than ever," says Salvator. "They warm up a room." Hunter Douglas products, such as Silhouette� window shadings which combine soft fabric sheers and fabric vanes that tilt for soft, diffused light and privacy, provide an "all-in-one solution," notes Salvator. "They're multi-functional - the window is dressed."

  • Colors: Say Goodbye to White: According to Salvator, the white of the '90's is gone. "White is not a color and color is in." Look for cornflower blues, grays, lavender and purples for cool tones.

    For warm colors, look to Pantone's color of the year, Honeysuckle. Pink is also big and a new version of the peach of the 1970's can't be far behind. "Color fashion trends appear in the home arena too," says the designer.

  • Timeless, Investment Furnishings Are In, "Hotel Modern" is Out: Trends, including the "hotel design translated to the home trend" of past years has been phased out along with all the commercialism that it implies.

    "People want things that are timeless and a good value that express their own persona and style, not a hotel's. There is a line from the The First Wives Club where Sarah Jessica Parker's character is eating lunch at a socialite's apartment and says, 'Your dressing almost tastes as good as a restaurant's,' not realizing that something homemade should taste better than a commercial establishment's," observes Salvator. "Constructing any interior takes a long time, so trendy interiors are also less practical as they are dated shortly after the installation," he adds.

    "Today people are mixing the 1970's with the 1870's, mid-century modern with furniture they've inherited or antiques they've collected traveling. People's homes are no longer en suite presentations predicated on compliance, but are as individual as the lives they lead."

  • Reclaimed and Restored: Reclaimed and restored housing, particularly in cities, is on the rise. "For the first time since World War II, the population is larger in the cities than the suburbs," says Salvator. Lofts and industrial buildings continue to be converted into living spaces.

    "As the middle class population rises in cities, the suburbs appear overbuilt, with McMansions empty," he continues. "Not surprisingly, the reclaimed and restored trend is also big in the home furnishing market, which is now selling new lines with a reclaimed look using limed oak and patinated metals.

  • Classic Reigns: "Decorating today is not the underdone of the 1990's or the overdone of the 1980's," advises Salvator. "It's trending towards the middle with some modern thrown in, but classic style and furnishings are making a strong comeback as a trend. In reality, traditional has never gone away."

  • Wallpaper sales are back up again, but not your grandmother's wallpaper - on-trend colors and patterns according to Salvator. "Wallpaper makes decorating less expensive and it can add color, pattern and texture. Sales of floral patterns are up 25 percent, as well - they are happy and add color and pattern" he says.

    The composition of the fabric has changed. The patterns are being applied on a mix of traditional fabrics like linen, hemp, cotton and silk, instead of stiff glazed polished chintz as in the '80's. Wood floors are also very popular, but there is a warming trend to carpets. Lighting too has taken a turn toward tradition.

    "The machine-gun ceiling recessed lighting down-light has been replaced by a mixture of up-lights, table lamps and wall-washers in many homes," advises Salvator. "Sconces and pendant fixtures add warmth and Old World charm."

  • Open Floor Plans: These are still a major trend because they make the spaces look bigger when you're often getting less, he notes. "They're great for young families as children are always visible, but as the children get older the lack of boundaries can become a nightmare. The lack of walls can also make furniture placement a challenge, particularly small spaces as it is hard to float furniture in them."

  • Green Redefines Design: "Green is never going away. It has redefined how we design," concludes Salvator.

    Glass tile, natural materials and appliances and other products that conserve energy and resources are increasingly sought after. In the window treatment marketplace, Hunter Douglas Duette� Architella� honeycomb shades can more than double the energy-efficiency of a window. These shades are the first and only shades without add-on insulation systems to qualify for federal energy tax credits, which have just been extended for up to a maximum of $500 in total through 2011. For more information, visit www.hunterdouglas.com/taxcredit.

    What to do with all these trends? Salvator advises that there are visualization tools available now that let you test how paint colors and furnishings look in a space.

    The final word from Scott Salvator? "Technology does have its uses."

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    Hunter Douglas Inc. is a national sponsor of Habitat for Humanity, covering windows in every Habitat home built in the U.S. and Canada. Headquartered in Upper Saddle River N.J., the company is the leading manufacturer of custom window fashions in North America. For more information, visit www.hunterdouglas.com or call 1-800-274-2985.

    by Robert Doyle

    Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.

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