THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 1, 1995 TAG: 9412300101
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANN BARRY BURROWS, SPECIAL TO HOME & GARDEN
LENGTH: Long : 205 lines
HOME DESIGNERS and decorators agree on one point: this century will end like any other. As 1995 arrives and the year 2000 approaches, nostalgia reigns. People are gathered around home and hearth seeking comfort and the rich colors of nature.
Several Hampton Roads decorators offered their opinions of what's hot and in demand inside homes. They also expressed their expectations for decorating trends in 1995.
The strongest decorating theme appears to be one of individuality, which involves an eclectic mix of furnishings rather than any period decor.
The Williamsburg look is no longer any good without a few surprising twists; the country look is getting an urban veneer and the neutral look, still wildly popular, requires a big dose of texture.
For a select few, a 1950s retro look is exciting. For most, formal is gone with Father Time. Casual is in as great rooms get even greater in size, and parlors and living rooms transform into music or library retreats or game rooms complete with pool tables and tavern-style lighting.
Metal mini-blinds are out; Roman shades in patterned fabrics are in. And while window treatments are getting simpler, walls are covered in fabric, murals or faux finishes.
Cool colors are out; warm ones are in. The colors of your spice rack are hot.
For select clients of Norfolk design consultant Michelene Gary, the look of choice is ``easy elegance'' and ``less is best.'' Design details, she said, are subtle and often whimsical.
For D.J. Boothe, owner of D.J. Boothe Interiors in Portsmouth, personality is everything.
``It's a very casual lifestyle for everybody,'' said Gene Lanning, head of the design section at Willis Wayside in Virginia Beach. The landmark furniture store offers a complete interior design service, and some of its staff of decorators are also licensed interior designers.
Lanning said that if there was any new ``look,'' it would be a West Indies look. He noted a tropical influence in paintings, prints and other fine arts as well as in fabrics and colors.
One of the homes at Homearama '94, sponsored by the Tidewater Builders Association, was decorated with a West Indies flavor in a semi-traditional setting, Lanning said.
There is no look endemic to Hampton Roads or Virginia any longer, he added. ``There was a time that the Williamsburg look was very, very important to people in certain communities here. But we are over that,'' he said.
People no longer feel obligated to have wing chairs, Chippendale sofas and drop-leaf sofas. ``The look is much more eclectic,'' Lanning said.
In addition, the beach look is becoming less popular, he said. ``The shells and fish serve for a time when people don't know what else to do,'' he said.
While the motif of beach nature may be considered trite, across the country the look of nature is very definitely ``in.''
According to Home Accent Today, a publication for the interior design trade, ecology and environment are top concerns of the industry and the market. ``We care about the rain forest, eschew industrial waste and reuse and preserve natural resources,'' the publication said.
``We hear so much about `Save the Bay,' I think there is a real consciousness about the environment in this area,'' said Doris Wrenn, manager of Calico Corners decorating store in Virginia Beach.
Traditional, however, remains popular for offices throughout Hampton Roads. Modern is out; history is in.
Tina Boone, interior designer at Cederquist Rodriguez and Ripley design firm in Norfolk, said the traditional look and historic renovations are becoming more important in commercial settings.
The company's recently installed decor in Life Savings Bank in downtown Norfolk was the result of scrupulous study and devotion to the historical look.
``Our clients are tending to go for a higher quality of materials and goods - things that will last. To achieve that lasting look, they are preferring the traditional style of the late 1800s,'' Boone said.
According to Angie Lowry of Smithfield, owner of a Decorating Den franchise serving Hampton Roads, there are plenty of homeowners who feel the same way. Their individuality is expressed in a love for things of the past.
``It is the end of the decade and the century, and an air of nostalgia is prevalent,'' Lowry said. She noted that touches of opulence are popular, such as gold trim and tassels on window treatments and the return of velvet and chenille fabrics.
``And we will see more,'' she said. ``History has shown over the centuries that the last 10 years of every century there is a renewed appreciation for the past.''
The choice of colors, of course, follows the trends.
For Lisa Haddock, a free-lance designer in the area, neutrals help her achieve what she describes as ``a classic, timeless look that doesn't go in and out of style. I prefer to work with a good base that lets people accessorize as trends go in and out.''
The neutrals of today, she said, are warmer in tone than in the past. ``Taupe with white trim is a warmer tone that is easier to do different colors with; it is less cold than gray.''
Wrenn at Calico Corners can't keep neutrals in her store. On a recent trip to New York City, her fabric buyer was swamped with khaki and sage fabrics and, now, Wrenn watches as nearly every customer who enters the store is drawn like a magnet to the bedroom display in various neutrals and a smorgasbord of textures.
The colors that spice up a neutral palette this year are very natural, as if from vegetable dyes or a spice rack.
According to the trade publication, they fall into four categories:
The autumnal range of colors includes spicy oranges, warm brown shades, terra cotta, amber, harvest gold (yes, it's back!) and sun-baked yellows. The look is warm and earthy.
The ecology-conscious colors include soft, pale naturals such as chino, straw, khaki, subdued lemon and whispery green. The look is meant to convey that of natural fibers, raffia and grasses, and hues appear stonewashed.
For those ringing out the century, there are the deep, traditional colors of classic navy, burgundy, green, steel gray and nutty brown. These colors are sprinkled with gold, pewter or copper touches for maximum effect, and the overall look of antique tapestries.
For the eclectic set in love with color, a range of watercolor-like brights is still popular, including shrimp pink, aqua, fuchsia, royal blue and taxi yellow. The colors go with each other for a spirit-lifting and energizing effect.
Lanning said those seeking a West Indies look tend to choose the warm colors of tropical fruits and flowers, such as citrus orange and hibiscus red, with complementary greens as well as fern and palm motifs on fabrics and wallpaper.
Colors have been renamed to fit the times. While most decorators spoke of the emerging popularity of gold and warm gold tone, few actually used the term ``harvest gold,'' which recalls the long-hated 1950s-era kitchen appliance color.
``We are going back into gold shades - not harvest gold as in appliances - but in accents the trend is to the warmer tones and gold tones and away from the grays,'' Boone said.
As new colors come into vogue, they do little damage to the popularity of mauve and teal. ``You can do so much with those backgrounds,'' Boothe said.
In the market, simple colors like white, blue and green sell better with names that echo aspects of nature. These include snowcap, glacier blue, dune, bay grass, bay leaf, pumice, willow, alfalfa and sand castle.
Along with the environmental consciousness, green is everywhere. Every decorator noted the importance of green, particularly dark hunter green or the greens found in nature.
While bathrooms were popular last year, this year they are part of the focus toward bigger and bigger master suites. Often, these quarters take up half of the second story of new homes.
By far the most important room of the year, however, is the great room. Bigger than the family rooms of the past, often open to the kitchen or vice versa, the great room is for living and it is decorated with casual elegance or whimsical personality.
Above all, it is bigger. ``The kind of living that we do requires that much more space,'' Lanning said.
``There is no formal living room - it is converted to a study,'' Lowry said. ``The great room is multipurpose, and it opens to the kitchen.''
Boothe said that if separate rooms for home theater or games are not in the planning scheme, then the great room or family room usually houses an entertainment wall, computer system setup and game table.
Another important trend is the appearance of home offices. Decorators said these are getting more attention, especially in the area of ergonomics. As home office injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, increase, decorators focus on furniture and equipment that relate comfortably and healthfully to the body.
The big demand is for comfortable furniture. The look is cotton slipcovers and wicker and other natural looks such as lightly stained wood. If jewel-toned colors and a traditional look is sought, then the furniture may include the many European antique reproductions on the market. It is a casual, European country look, however.
Important pieces include the entertainment center, either as an armoire or a wall of shelves and cabinets, according to Lanning. Also big is motion furniture, which includes the ever-popular recliner and sofas that include recliners as part of sectional seating.
Surrounding everything are walls with texture - walls with fabric, walls with complex finishes of paint or wallpaper.
As Boothe said, ``Twenty years ago everything was semigloss. Now it's back to stenciling, faux finishes and there is a lot of wallpapering going on.''
And underneath it all, the most popular floors are hardwood. Carpeting, if any, is neutral. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
WESTPOINT STEVENS
``Concordia'' bedding by Atelier Martex captures a panoply of
environmental and nostalgic themes in subtle shades of celery and
ecru.
LAWRENCE JACKSON/Staff
JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI/Staff
BELOW: Decorator Angie Lowry uses rich greens and reds in the game
room of Lynn and Danny Holly's Suffolk home. Nostalgia pillows dress
up the neutral bed display at Calico Corners.
THIS END UP
One new look comes from the Indies, with wicker furniture, colorful
fabrics and lush greenery.
Photos
LAWRENCE JACKSON/Staff
The family room of Lynn and Danny Holly's Suffolk home has Sherwood
Forest carpet with cranberry trim and matching sofas.
JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI/Staff
The popular bedroom display at Calico Corners in Virginia Beach uses
various neutrals and a smorgasbord of textures.
A popular bedroom display at Calico Corners in Virginia Beach uses
various neutrals and a smorgasbord of textures.
by CNB