WRITTEN BY KATIE SMITH
Whether you’re an HGTV fanatic, love to tackle home DIY projects, or always hire a pro to update your home, we all know what we like when we see it. Maybe a visit to your favorite restaurant sparks something deep inside of you and lets you know it’s time to do some updating. Or perhaps you like to keep things clean, simple, and classic to make it easier to change out pillows, rugs, and throws because that’s what brings you joy.
Home trends come and go just like every other trend, and it can be fun to be in the know while keeping your own style. We’ve seen everything from the rust oranges of the 70s, deep mauves and shiny gold of the 90s, and who didn’t get a little shabby chic crazy in the early 2000’s when it seemed like many of us were slipcovering every pieces of furniture and painting at least one thing white and sanding it down.
We talked with James Belanger, owner of J.A. Belanger Inc. of Topsham, who let us in on the latest home trends. Right now, he says he sees lots of customers keeping things simple and using what they already have.
“Customers are into large tiles, especially for floors, and matching the grout color to the tile,” he says.
This creates a cohesive look, can make your space look larger, and is great when you have a dark color tile since we all know white grout can yellow very quickly. Especially when it’s on the floor.
“Black windows are more popular than white right now,” says Belanger, who chose black windows when remodeling his own home. They have a sharp appearance and while they are usually more expensive than white windows, they are the one thing homeowners are willing to splurge on.
“Black is just as classic as white and it won’t be a purchase that any homeowner is going to regret during the lifetime of the windows.”
Homeowners are keeping colors clean and simple too. Belanger sees lots of customers doing shades of white in different sheens. White paint is another design choice that’s been around a long time and will stay. It also appeals to potential buyers if you are fixing up your home with the intent to sell in the future.
These days, most homeowners are using what they already have, which is a change in the last few years.
“Remodeling always used to be more expensive [than building new], but now with the new insulation codes, it is more expensive to build new so people are working with what’s already there, instead of tearing out walls and starting new.”
Some inexpensive ways to give your home a little facelift:
Paint it. From your cabinets to your floors to an accent wall, paint gives you the most bang for your buck. Depending on the size of the project, it can likely be done in a weekend — and redone when you get tired of it and want a fresh color.
Change your knobs. If you don’t want to completely redo your cabinets, even if they are dated, updating the handles and knobs can give your entire kitchen a simple makeover.
Shiplap. Do one wall, the back of your kitchen island, or around your fireplace. You can buy faux shiplap panels, hire an expert to do it, or create your own shiplap look with aged barn wood.
Things evolve and our taste in how we like our space to look is no different. It can be so rewarding to recreate for ourselves. After all, there’s no place like home.
