I know we all like to think we are individualistic and unique and choose what we like. Whether we like it or not, we are influenced by popular trends and the mass media on what we like and what we don’t like. Those trends become what’s available to us in stores and becomes what we see everywhere. 

Return to Tradition | Coined “grandmillennial” or “granny chic” this trend could have a lot to do with COVID 19. We learned that our home is our sanctuary, and so a return to traditionalism, coziness, comfort, because that’s what we want out of a home. The style of this return to traditional and the familiar is called Grand Millennial. Characteristic of this style is a lot of traditional furniture, lots of patterns, wallpaper, sort of a modern take on english countryside. So keeping it out of the “granny” but a nod to it. 

Earthy Colours | We’re going to be seeing a lot of blues, greens, coppers, browns, mustard yellow. You can probably already see these colours in stores now. Warm colours also help achieve a warm and cozy interior.

Lighter Woods & Nature | Again, this could be a trend related to COVID. This is a trend of wanting to return to nature, to the organic. It’s not fussy, it's easy, lots of greenery and plants. Lighter wood tones go with any style as well. Bringing in jutes, wools, linens, light wood colours, marbles, anything you would find in nature, that’s going to be in tune for what we will see happening in 2021.

Curved & Rounded | What’s going to be in will be curved or rounded furniture. Things that are postmodern and think 1980’s. Geometric furniture is still very much in, but focuses on things that are more minimal, and more dramatic shapes. 

Plants, Plants & More Plants | It’s all back to basics, plants help to purify the air and brighten your mood. Plus it doesn’t have to cost much, just get a plant that’s easy to take care of if you don’t have the greenest thumb around.

Tidy Multi-functional Spaces |  More spent indoors and more home offices means it makes less sense to have a room with only one purpose. The design of home offices will focus on uncluttered minimalistic set-ups. Furniture with clean lines but that has space for storage will be essential.

Feng Shui | The art of finding harmony, balance and flow - all the themes of 2021. Incorporate some feng shui principles is a great way to start.

Robust Wicker and Rattan Furnishings | Woven rattan furniture and decor are durable while adding texture and a natural, light feel to a room. Textiles of any kind are always good to add to a room.

Welcome Back Wallpaper | You can use wallpaper to create a statement wall. Peel-and-stick wallpaper is also excellent for renters and those who like to change their space frequently.

Happy Earth Day! Are you wondering what are some things you can start doing at home to reduce your impact on the environment? Single use plastics and CO2 emissions are the biggest sources of pollution. Not everyone can afford solar panels or energy star appliances but we all can make a difference. Here are some quick and easy changes you can make today that can help make that difference. Plus they could also save you some $$. Why not go green?

Turn off everything when you’re done - seems quick and simple right? That’s because it is. The less energy you end up using, the better.

Wash clothes in cold water - 90% of energy used by a washing machine is to heat the water.

Skip the dryer when possible - it helps to have a neat drying rack but a traditional clothesline will do.

Swap regular light bulbs for LED - they use less energy and they last longer.

Use a programmable thermostat - save and drop the temperature when you’re not home.

Get a recycling bin and compost bin - if you have the bin, you’re going to use it. As for the compost, think free fertilizer.

Get a water filter instead of bottled water - this goes for all single use plastics. Bottled water isn’t necessary if you get a water filter - of any kind.

Replace old appliances for newer energy efficient ones - not saying go buy them all at once, but when you’re shopping to replace something, keep efficiency in mind.

Donate to and shop at Thrift Stores - save money, support your local economy, and recycle perfectly usable items.

Pay bills online - it’s faster and eliminates paper! That goes for subscriptions too - move it all online.

Use cloth kitchen towels and napkins - paper towels and paper napkins are fine to use sometimes, but less IS more when it comes to the environment.

Use eco-friendly cleaning products - they work just as well and have less harmful chemicals, plus you can make your own with products like vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice.

Waste less food - shop more efficiently, so you waste less food ultimately with less ending up at landfills.

Turn down your water heater - is your hot water scalding or too hot to touch? Then you can probably turn it down a bit.

Buy local - shop from local farmer’s markets, even better start your own garden!

Collect rain water - waste less water on water plants and your garden.

5 Tips for buying a house long distance

1. Do your Research - Figure out where you want to live, based on what’s important to you. Commute distance, school distance. Start trying to narrow down your favourite homes with your research. So if you do make a trip to view homes on a weekend, you want to view the best candidates and make the best use of your time when you come to town. 

2. Find the Right Real Estate Agent - You want an agent that can work with you long distance. Someone who will give you virtual tours of homes, and do all they can to help you hunt for a home long distance. 

3. Know your market - rely on your real estate agent to inform you if it is a buyers or sellers market, and will help you decide on an appropriate offer price that will help you get the home you want. 

4. Do your inspections - Even if you are not in town, your agent can attend the home inspections on your behalf. It’s important to not skip on the inspections if you’re not personally there checking through all these things yourself.

Along with everything else in 2020, there are certain decorating trends that just shouldn't stick around in 2021. Here’s are some popular trends to avoid this year, that may be surprising to you:

1. Barn Doors | Maybe you’ve tried them, maybe you love them, but the barn door phenomenon is going out the door. When you’re trying to master your interior decorating style, you have to create an overall environment which requires the architectural shell and then all the pieces in it which brings the eye up and around with color and texture that creates that whole experience. So if you really love the rustic farmhouse, the barn doors are just one thing you could do to achieve that style. 

2. All Grey Everything | The reality of an all grey interior is that it keeps you stuck in a cold and impersonal interior. It’s also very difficult to decorate in warm or “happy” tones when you have a very grey base. The biggest mistake nowadays when you’re picking floors is to go with that grey flooring, because you’re locking yourself into that cool colour palette. Everything that we have been seeing coming out recently are more saturated and brighter colours or muted tones of those brighter colours. But it’s all moving away from the all grey interiors. White is still the most universal paint colour, and usually cannot go wrong with it.

3. All White Kitchen | We love an all white kitchen, but it’s going out in 2021. The truth is it can come off as boring and the design world is over it. Yes subway tile is amazing, but since it’s been done so much, that’s not the direction things will be going in for much longer. To change up an all white kitchen to bring a little life into it, you can paint the bottom cabinets a darker colour that goes along with the colour palette of the rest of the kitchen. Leaving the top cabinets white grounds the space, and brings the eye up. You could also paint just the island a darker colour, which stands out from the all white kitchen. Basically you just need to through something off with colour or material or texture. 

These are the three beloved trends that are on their way out in 2021. Let’s push ourselves, try something new, and leave 2020 behind us!