Hot or Not?

I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope we all have a happy, healthy, & prosperous 2009! I love starting a new year because it gives us a fresh slate so we can start over and rejuvenate our mind and body. Of course, these winter months are also a good time for rejuvenating your home, giving it a fresh new look!

MSN Real Estate put out this article- What's hot and what's not for your home in 2009.

There are some really neat decorating tips that I thought were pretty innovative (well at least for us in the Midwest) and so I wanted to share them with you.

What's Hot~

• Mismatched Dining Room Chairs


• The Color Gray- or grey, which I prefer :)


• Retro Appliances


• Stylish Garage Doors


• Coral Colors (especially with plums and greys)


• "Lighter" and less bulky furniture


• Luxurious "Green" fabrics and furniture (this also includes recycling or using vintage and antique pieces)


• Master Bedroom as your private sanctuary- using plush fabrics, rich quality pieces, and more to give you that hotel feel
  
• Electic- bringing together different styles and pieces (this may require some practice)

What's Not~

• Track Lighting


• The Muppet Sofa - "Here's an easy test: Stand in front of your sofa. Imagine it has two basketball-sized googly eyes and a tuft of green spiky hair between them. If it looks like it could teach your children their ABCs, it's a Muppet sofa. Get rid of it."


• The Fixer Upper- often these banked owned "deals" are more trouble than they are worth! It's easier to have it all in your payment instead of putting out cash to buy more stuff to fix up the house.


• Indoor/Outdoor Carpeting- Those rugs that people put outside on their patios. Eww, just think of the mildew!
  
  

Hmm.... I may be guilty of that Muppet Sofa (I have a cream colored leather set that I would love to upgrade one day). But most importantly, you want your home to be a place of refuge and a reflection of you and your family. And you don't have to go over the top and spend like crazy to do it. Also, try to just do one room at a time or it will seem overwhelming and you won't ever get to anything (like my pink master bedroom with plaid wallpaper border trim... I need to get started on that).