athome11

By Lauren Hurwitz

A new year means new trends in the design world – and it’s important not get left behind in décor dust. We asked local experts what was on their minds as 2024 nears in terms of the home and here’s what we found.

CARPET – For over 45 years, Carpet Fair Inc. has been a staple in the village of Larchmont thanks to Esther Picone. She’s worked with countless homeowners to help create a space that makes them happy, and she expects 2024 to bring continued happiness to local residents looking to spruce up their flooring. Earlier this year, she even moved the new storefront over to Addison Street where she flaunts a fresh and new showroom so locals can come in and get a top-grade education on carpets. When helping her customers shop, she keeps in mind their budget, what they’re looking for, the room the carpet will be installed in, and the customers’ aesthetic likes and dislikes. What if you need to consider carpet for your four-legged friends? Picone recommends looking for something with a PetProtect label, dark colors over light to detract from seeing dirt, and nothing that a cat or dog could potentially snag. “Some popular carpets include striking colors of deep blues, vibrant oranges, and rich emerald greens. We’re seeing earthy tones and hues like ivory, beige, and taupe, natural tones like green and olive, as well as warm colors like sienna and amber. There’s also a preference for textured designs in natural colors and patterns – even geometric floor patterns are now considered a long-lasting trend.”  Most of all, she says, “Buy what you like, but be mindful of what you’re spending on in that particular room. Ask questions when buying, be consumer savvy, and don’t just take someone’s word for it. Do your own research!” 

WALL COLOR – A staple in the community since 1921, Wallauer is the epicenter of all things design. But did you know they have actual design centers where you can get free advice on your next project? Design Manager Laura Nally says with 16 locations between Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland counties, you’re never too far from expertise for your home. “Four of our 16 stores have design centers that help homeowners with color, window treatments, drapery, wallpapers, and more. There are always people who are ready, willing, and able to help you pick a color because that’s what we do all day. We play with color because we know what’s “in.” Some people come in and ask for a blue room and they show me a color that’s sky or electric blue and I’m thinking to myself, no one is going to want to have a room that color. I help them get to the comfortable but stylish welcoming colors you need in a home.” 

With a solution for every price point, Nally says the name of the 2024 game is “color, color, color! People aren’t going for white walls or for grey walls unless you’re doing charcoal. Color is back, which is great! And they’re rich, jewel tone colors – a lot of the teals and orange or terracotta, chocolate brown, and believe it or not, black walls are all the rage right now. A black wall strategically placed is nothing but sophistication and it’s awesome!” But going for color oftentimes means going outside of one’s comfort zone. What’s the remedy there? 

“Let’s start with one accent wall and that will get your feet wet. That’s the same thing that happens with wallpaper – let’s think about an accent wall and then it’s style and artwork all at once. The whole house is delicious in my opinion!” she suggests. “What’s OUT is grey. Everybody was combining grey with hale navy and navy blue. People are now going more towards sage greens, teals, and not the teals from the 80s and 90s, but rather rich blue-greens for example a nice deep color from Benjamin Moore called ‘Blue Spruce’ is one of my favorite colors right now. Even trim isn’t necessarily white – it can be green or even taupe with lighter walls.” Other parts of the room are also changing. For instance, Nally says looking towards a fireplace, you often see built-ins on the side. Instead of painting them white, now they’re being fully painted in blue including the crown, base moldings and shelves. 

Back in October, Benjamin Moore launched their own 2024 Color Trends report in which Nally says Blue Note 825 (as seen in photo above) is NOT to be missed as it takes the cake as their color of the year that’s a “rich, vibrant color that makes walls and cabinets pop. Consider built-ins painted in Blue Note in a soft satin finish. Combine this color with softer hues and make the room look like a magazine. “White Dove OC-17, a warm white that’s great for walls, trims, and cabinets, and Topaz 670, a gorgeous, cozy pumpkin color which works well with chocolate browns, navy blue, and warm taupes are all the rage.” 

Using these colors properly is also key to knocking your new design out of the park. Tara Kelly, Decorator and Owner of Tara K. Designs agrees there is a return to “pops of color” and even “color drenching,” but says it’s also great to find prints and patterns you love. “We’re going back to older times with more traditional patterns with timeless design and contemporary twists,” Kelly says. Forget the straight lines and think about motifs like “foliage or botanicals or florals,” even “Old English style like a grandmother influence as opposed to well-defined lines or color blocks or circular motifs.” One of the biggest design investments of a home goes into the kitchen. Kelly sees a lot of painted cabinetries which can be a great cost savings as opposed to replacing cabinetry. “If you walk into a home now, it’s very common to see a lot of green or blue or different colors that people are loving – maybe a pop of color on the island,” according to Kelly. Another big trend for 2024 is designing the upper level in white and the lower level in a color. She suggested envisioning “white cabinetry along the top, and maybe a muted green on the bottom.” Overall, her key tip is to make sure you’re going with a style that makes you happy – think dopamine design. This is the key to design in 2024.