What’s Trending in Home Design in 2018?

The biggest home trends spotted at Design & Construction Week 2018.

It’s a huge event. Bursting with the excitement of more than 85,000 attendees and 583,000 square feet of exhibits, the annual Design & Construction Week includes the International Builders’ Show and Kitchen and Bath Industry Show. This means there are aisles upon aisles of breathtaking and eye-catching displays filled with never-before-seen home building products. And, it’s a first chance for home builders, remodelers, and designers to see and touch what’s new and what will be perfect for their clients’ homes in 2018. The place to find out what’s new and next in home design and construction is Design & Construction Week.

It’s also a good place to spot the home trends that will be major themes throughout the year. The trends that are rising to the top are Abstraction, Authenticism, and Restrained Glam. Let’s breakdown each trend and share a few favorite examples.

Home Design Trend #1: Abstraction

The trend of abstract design means basically means that simple shapes are becoming popular. Abstraction is the next generation concept born from minimalism and tiny home living has been popularly talked about and embraced in recent years.

While it’s hard to get a firm number on how many Americans are actually living tiny and have attempted a minimalist lifestyle, many of us have viewed and read the tips from decluttering guru Marie Kondo and 33-item wardrobe creator Courtney Carver. Now that idea of minimalism has led us to getting even more pared down in our homes, and we are trending toward paring down the items that make our homes. The simplicity of design, by using abstract shapes in home building products is having a strong showing right now.

Abstraction is all about simplicity in form and shape.

Abstraction

For art and architecture geeks like me, this design with the red square is a major nod to Mondrian and de Stijl, a style of abstract geometric shapes and bold primary colors. With the 100th anniversary of de Stijl celebrated just last year, combined with our interest in living simply, the abstract style is popping up in new places, like this shower door by Coastal Shower Doors. The Gridscape doors are custom built to fit each opening, and there are glass and other options available.

Abstraction Faucet

Thanks to 3D printed technology, The Grid by Kallista Faucets will be an option in the summer of this year. Inspired by de Stijl, this simple grid style will be offered as lighting, towel bars, a robe hook, and a toilet paper holder, all in matte black.

The bold outline of the de Stijl line also is seen in this patio door by Ply Gem. With the minimalist frame, the MaxView Patio Door allows for expansive views with its three‐panel, multi‐slide door system that’s 18 feet wide and 10 feet tall.

Home Design Trend #2: Authenticism

It might not be a word that you’ve heard in home design, but it’s a major trend that has taken deep roots and shows no sign of stopping growth any time soon. Authenticism is the embracing of natural textures and colors. The ‘farmhouse’ look and ‘coastal’ are two kinds of the Authenticism style. With our obsession with all things tech and touchscreen, the need for a home environment that offers natural elements of nature that are so nurturing after trying to keep up with our crazy-hectic modern lifestyle is trending in home building products and design.

Roofing

The exterior of a home makes a major statement. When using a combination of natural finishes and colors, there’s an inviting warmth that a home can exude. This is part of an Authenticism home, which are designed to look like genuine slate and cedar shake shingles, without the maintenance. The grays of the roof mix with the warmth of the exterior stone and wood details. And these roofing shingles can withstand large hailstones, ultraviolet rays, extreme temperatures, wind loads of up to 190 mph, and have achieved Miami‐Dade wind certification.

ProgressLighting

Natural textures and styles are influencing interiors through finishes and lighting with modern interpretations of the farmhouse look. Progress Lighting showcased its Cherish chandeliers at this modern farmhouse interior as part of The New American Remodel during the International Builders’ Show. The linen shade with the bronze and brass candle covers provide the touch of nature that pairs well with the wood and earth-tones of the space.

HeatandGlo

The fireplace is a perfect way to bring Authenticism into your home. The company HEAT & GLO has taken the gas fireplace one step further into an authentic experience. The Phoenix TrueView is a gas fireplace that has the look of a real traditional fireplace but without the glass to separate you from the glow. A TV can be placed just 12 inches above the fireplace, without a mantel. And an optional Bluetooth speaker system is offered. Yes, while we want the feel of authentic experiences, we are all still obsessively attached to our tech options.

Home Design Trend #3: Restrained Glam

Having authentic and minimalist surroundings are helping calm and comfort our over-busy brains, but that doesn’t mean we want to give up the little moments of glamour that make us smile with delight. Yes, there’s still a desire for pops of glamour in our homes. It’s not ostentatious glam, it’s just small refined moments of luxe in and around our homes.

KitchenSink

A farmhouse sink isn’t new, and could be considered part of the Authenticism trend, but Elkay is offering this farmhouse sink in gold. It’s a spot of glam in an otherwise visually calm kitchen. This white-with-gold-pops look, sometimes paired with elements of black, is strongly on-trend in kitchens and bathrooms right now. The Stainless Steel Farmhouse sink is offered in rose gold, blue and gold. And the front of the sink is interchangeable, so you can swap out the color depending on your current color obsession.

dishwasher

On the outside it may look like just a regular sleek dishwasher, but on the inside you’ll find the glam. Called the Star-Saphire Dishwasher, it has lighting that can be customized from three shades of blue or white. Yes, Thermador has added a pop of glam in cleaning up after dinner or a party.

GlassKnobs

If you want a pop of glam on built-ins in your home office, media room, or kitchen, check out the hardware options for pulls and knobs. Glass knobs are a traditional way to add a bit of fun shine to a cabinet, but there are more glam options available using metals and patterns. Wisdom Stone is creating a collection of cabinet hardware inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. The graphic elevated look of these pulls can create a pop of glam in any room.

So what trends are you seeing in home design and construction? I’d love to know. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

– Theresa Clement, home designer, color consultant, licensed contractor, author, blogger, and host at MyFixitUpLife.com.