Earth tones with pops of color popular home décor trend

Moving out of stark, cool-toned minimalism and into colorful maximalism is where design trends are heading, says Lisa Kalaher with Mod House Interiors. But for now, earthy tones are one way homeowners are transitioning their spaces.

Kalaher keeps an eye on home décor trends throughout the year. She says like fashion, trends start at the top.

Designers will show off their latest creations, and the public will think, “That is crazy.” As time progresses, those trends will be picked and replicated by other companies, but still high-end. These designers will start showing how those pieces can be styled in a home, and eventually, they will become common.

Kalaher tries to be trend-forward and catch items before they reach the box-stores.

Right now, Mod House’s in-store products feature rounded-corner furniture, uniquely shaped vases, naturally toned décor and a few pops of color here and there. The decorations are warm and atypical.

Kalaher said for a while homes were very minimalist in color, mostly gray, black and white. Slowly people started mixing in more neutral tones.

Now, Kalaher said people are incorporating pops of color into the décor. Another change is moving away from sharp-edged furniture into curved, statement pieces.

“When we went gray, we also get really hard, sharp edges so now it’s kind of moving softer,” she said. “The softer color tones and softer edging.”

Other popular trends include more specifically designed items. Mod House has vases of a variety of styles including ones with faces on them, textured finishes, uncommon shapes, etc.

Kalaher said everyone can achieve this new look. Instead of trying to switch out all of the decorations at once, she recommends slowly switching out items. This is called a slow switch or "slow decorating."

Simple, affordable switches are changing out throw pillows and blankets, mixing new tones into already existing furniture. Swapping out a rug is also a quick and efficient way to change a space.

“Those elements alone can change so much in your house because you’ve changed the look,” Kalaher said.

If someone wants to be able to keep up with home design trends but keep the budget low, Kalaher recommends investing in quality, neutral sofas and chairs. Something timeless in a neutral tone can easily transition from trend to trend.

Side tables, lamps, wall art and other small home décor items are all fairly inexpensive to change.

Because Mod House is a small store, with a much larger order-in inventory, Kalaher has to slowly switch out her inventory. Unlike a box store, she displays her inventory in a way that people can picture it in their own homes.

“If it can work in this space, it can work in your house,” she said.

If someone is interested in matching their home to new trends but has no idea how to do it, Mod House helps their customers shop based on their taste and lifestyle. Whether it’s looking at a picture of a space in their home and giving advice, creating a vision board, or creating an entire mockup layout online, Kalaher wants to help people design their interiors.

Interior design isn’t easy for everyone, Kalaher said. She said it can be difficult for people to imagine what to change in their own space and know where to look for it. Mod House can help someone determine what works best and shop for them within a specific budget.

Kalaher said she likes to talk to people before they get to the point of frustration and before they buy five different lamps for a space they don’t know how to style.

In the future, Kalaher believes people embracing items they enjoy will become standard practice and maximalism will be the new trend.