Colors, patterns, eco-friendly design are new trends

Even the design world has to stop for a breath now and then.

At last month’s Design Boston event, Boston Design Center vice president and general manager Alexis Contant announced to New England’s design doyens: “We have reached a still point.

After years of being influenced by the ’70s, the ’80s, the ’90s, this year, we are very much in the present.”

As the Design Center moves into its 25th year of design innovation, here are some of the present trends Contant is calling:

A graceful pattern undulates on this shimmery wallcovering from MDC Wallcoverings, available at Berkekey House.

Color

Colors for 2011 are rich and gorgeous. Celebrate soft reds with some age to them. Shades of poppy, subdued coral and dusky raspberry will evoke China, India and Russia.

Saturated blues are back, magnificent Mediterraneans. From icy pales to classic Sardinians, blues will soothe and comfort.

Blues with brown are big again, too, and so are other sophisticated neutrals like camel, gray and sandy beige. And yes, green is still with us, in the form of a yellowed chartreuse. Slightly jarring, a little bit off, 2011’s “wicked greens” provide a perfect pop of color for accessories, pillows and shades. This is not a mellow, sage-y hue. It’s a green full of energy, the color of life.

Pattern

In the coming year, watch for graceful flowing, undulating patterns, reminiscent of ribbon candy. Fluid and sinuous, you’ll see them not just in fabrics, but in wall coverings and tiles as well. These patterns have motion and a sense of humor.

Florals are supersized and abundant on fabrics, walls and furniture. This is not your classic chintz. The 2011 couture florals come in unconventional colors.

“They’re artisanal, organic, eco-friendly and enormous,” Contant said. “It’s a very optimistic symbol. There’s a light and alive quality to having a floral in your room.”

She cited celebrated designers Carolina Herrara and Donna Karan, who know their way around a floral print.

Florals are huge in next year's wicked green. This image comes from the Essenza Collection of Creation Baumann at the Furn & Company showroom.

Geometrics draw architectural lines, right angles, triangles and concentric circles. On fabrics, they strike a balance between strong woven patterns and softer prints. They also light up chandeliers, provide squared-off structure to faucets and fixtures and create textures on tile.

The global influence continues, inspired by fashion, architecture and retracing history. These looks are exotic and tribal. Instead of just the Asian flavors, look for Egyptian, Greek and Moorish references and desert tones.

Style

Animal prints bring safari flair to the home in 2011, but stick to one animal and don’t overdo it, cautioned Contant. “A zebra print on top of leopard will give your home a Cruella de Ville look.”

If animal patterns don’t drive you wild, in 2011, you can add luxury with iridescence, as a pearly shimmer sparkles the surfaces of the home next year.

Elegant lines and tailored forms add more polish.

An unexpected shade adds drama to this zebra print fabric in the Clarence House Collection available at Webster & Company. Animal patterns are most fashionable when you use only one per room.

Furniture is dressy again with gold and silver leaf. These new pieces are not shy; they want to stand in the center of the room.

Not everything has to be fancy to be beautiful. Furniture in easy shapes in muted greens, ochres and woods announce good-looking quality that’s super comfortable. That describes this important trend.

Prep never goes out of style and next year’s Town & Country look combines modern and Old World influences. Plaids and tweeds come to Tommy Hilfiger’s (tailgate) party.

And despite the fact that we’re not supposed to be time-traveling any more, some of next year’s styles have a distinct mid-century Mod Squad appearance. This look seems to have something to say to every generation.

Modern contract furnishings are finding their way out of the workplace and into the home, where they stand up well to kids and pets. Many of the award-winning pieces from this year’s NeoCon show are already in the Design Center’s showrooms. 

Fast Forward

Technology is taking 2011 design to a new level. Materials have new uses: stainless steel moves in fluid lines, and pewter can be poured in to connect seams. New apps for the iPhone, like one from Kravet, can help the designer and the décor consumer.

The mod look has something to say to every generation. This Steven King Solar Rug is from Florence Broadhurst.

Now, innovative technologies shape the environment of a home’s occupants for the future, empowering people of all ages and abilities.

The concept of Universal Design proclaims that you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics to provide independence. Equitable use, flexibility, intuitive function, error tolerance and low physical effort are the hallmarks of Universal Design. Kitchens and baths find many applications, including comfort height toilets, integral slip resistance in tubs and touchless faucets.

Eco-friendly is more important than ever, with the theme of green for everyday life. New products and technologies help achieve sustainability. Engineered stone is an example of a beautiful product created from natural materials including clay, quartz and feldspar, resulting in cleaner air quality, less waste and longevity.

Modern paint formulations allow us to beautify walls without VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Farrow & Ball, purveyor of traditional paints and wall coverings, showed how to have fun designing modern spaces with their products.

Hanging a classic striped wallpaper horizontally changes the background of a small bathroom. Hits of acid yellow liven up a gray industrial loft.

Black is making a resurgence, so try putting it on the backsplash of a kitchen above white cabinetry. Use of juxtaposition and asymmetry creates unique rooms that break the old rules of color and texture.

Furniture is dressy again. This piece from the Brunschwig-Houles Collection shows its legs. A chair like this is not for sitting on the sidelines.

Finally, it’s all about the light. In a well-attended seminar, Washington, D.C., designer Barry Dixon explained how to use the view through the windows as a “kinetic piece of art” to inspire the color and style of a room.

Keith Bradshaw of Speirs + Major, U.K. lighting designers, transfixed the Design Boston audience with a keynote address that displayed his company’s use of artificial light to enhance the quality of an environment and make surfaces come to life.

Light changes the way we see architecture. It defines the interiors and exteriors of buildings. “It’s the way you put everything together,” he said. “What is the light trying to reveal?”