Goodbye cookie-cutter rooms | Ottawa Citizen

Article content

Macro trends like personal expression, biophilic design, sustainability and wellness will continue to influence interior design in 2025 but they’ll continue to evolve and, in some cases, even intersect.

“We’re seeing biophilia evolve from bringing plants and flowers into the home to greater applications and inspiration from the outside world, like pebble-shaped stools and unique applications of glass that evoke the movement of water,” Moen’s senior creative style manager Danielle DeBoe Harper says.

Article content

“The result is rooms that are not cookie cutter. You’re bringing in a connection of nature and ensuring your bath doesn’t look like your neighbour’s.”

DeBoe Harper shared her observations in an event hosted last month by Kalco Lighting, a manufacturer of luxury lighting and furniture. Fellow panelists Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis of HVTV’s Unsellable Houses and Kalco Lighting’s senior product designer Grace Denniston dished on colours, finishes and materials that create visually appealing kitchens and bathrooms and shared their advice on how homeowners can navigate the overwhelming process of creating their dream home.

SELECTING FAUCETS

“Whenever selecting faucets for a kitchen or bath, there are three consideration filters,” says DeBoe Harper. “One is durability, the other is your style preferences and the third is functionality, so it’s really important to understand how the room is going to be used and what the space will endure.”

The kitchen, for instance, has historically been used for cooking but now doubles as a workplace for many. If it’s a high-traffic room with kids, she suggests brushed nickel finishes because they’re beautiful but won’t show fingerprints.

Article content

In a time when personal expression is trending, the silhouette or style of the faucet is another important consideration. You may also want to “dial up the functionality” when choosing a faucet, with choices that include a mechanical lever, one that allows you to turn water on or off with the wave of a hand or a smart faucet featuring voice-activation technology.

When it comes to style trends, matte black remains popular, Lamb reports. “It can lend itself towards more of a contemporary feel, a modern feel. It really is very versatile,” she says. “It still feels new to a lot of consumers so I would consider it a safe trend; a safe new.”

DeBoe Harper agrees matte black is a “chameleon” in design, ideal for everything from clean, modern and sleek esthetics to transitional and even traditional spaces. Elegant golds, including brushed gold and bronze gold, meanwhile, are increasingly popular because of their “nod to luxury,” making them an ideal choice for kitchens and primary bathrooms alike.

MIXING METALS

Lamb is using lacquered or antique brass to add warmth to a space, particularly in the kitchen. “Those finishes add that rich, luxurious feel,” she says. “Unlike a polished brass, a lacquered brass develops a natural patina over time, which adds beautiful depth and a lot of character to the material.”

Article content

Davis finds homeowners are willing to take more risk with metals and fixtures in their kitchens compared to their bathrooms, where brushed nickel and matte black remain favourite choices. “One of the No. 1 questions we get is, ‘Can I mix my fixtures?’ We’re always saying, ‘Yes.’ Depending on the generation of the person and the generation of the group we’re talking to, we’ll hear a gasp,” she says.

DeBoe Harper agrees fixtures don’t need to match but says they should coordinate. Keep in mind the mood you want to create and when it comes to lighting, the functionality of the space. “If it’s an office, you’re going to need more down lighting or task lighting, whereas if it’s a room where you’re entertaining in the evenings like a formal living room, you might want to layer in some ambience.”

  That could include a chandelier with some wall sconces and perhaps even table and/or floor lamps. “I love mixing the metals. Lighting should coordinate but shouldn’t have to feel too matchy-matchy,” she says. “It’s a great opportunity to tap into the personal expression trends and really create a look that is uniquely yours.”

Article content

SUSTAINABILITY, COLOURS

Davis believes homeowners “love feeling like they are contributing to sustainability and being a positive contribution to the environment so we’re absolutely seeing clients select eco-friendly or energy-efficient appliances and environmentally-responsible design selections so they can feel good about the designs in their home,” she says, pointing to the popularity of materials like bamboo, recycled glass and reclaimed wood.

The panel also predicts a rise in handcrafted elements. When it comes to colour, Lamb predicts blues like deep teal blues, greens like sages and muted olives, and warmer neutrals like creams, beiges and soft ivories will trend.

The macro trends of personal expression and biophilia will have a “massive” impact on the colours homeowners are inclined to “play with and utilize,” DeBoe Harper maintains.  “Earthy neutrals, the warm tones – ivories for sure – mid-tone blues will continue to be relevant in the year to come,” she says.

“But, also, we’re taking note and tracking on some pretty rich hues, so jewel tones and burgundies…even the resurgence of black in interiors and charcoal,” says DeBoe Harper. “In kitchens and baths, we’re going to continue to see more green and we’ll continue to see it in varying shades but certainly some of the darker, richer tones, too.”

Article content