Interior Design: Tips and Trends for 2019

ByAndrea Busche for the Duluth News Tribune

Aninteresting phenomenon happens to manyofusaroundthe startofthe new year.Webegin to cravechange, afresh start. And this“itch”often extends to our home environment. When it comes to your home, interior design projectscan be as grand or as humble as your budget and schedule allow. Rearranging your furnitureoraddingafresh splash of paintcan revitalizeaspacethatisfeeling stale. On the opposite end of the spectrum, designing abrand-new kitchen is amuch larger investment, but one youwill likelyappreciatefor yearstocome.

Maureen’sLLC is aDuluth-basedcompany specializing in kitchen and bath design. KellySmith, a lead designer at the business, offeredupseveraltips to keep in mind when planning your next interior design project

Diy

Manyofus, in an effort to save moneyand perhaps learn athing or twointhe process, will attempt a few “doityourself” interior design projectsthis year When doing it yourself, it’s importanttospend time researching and planning your project beforeyou begin. While books, websites, and TV shows can certainlybeagreat resource,Smith says thatfor larger home interior projects, it’s also importantto consult apro beforegetting started.

“Speak to aprofessional!” she said. “I often hear of howsomebodyunderestimatedhow much work it would be, howharditwould be to makeselections, or howtointerpret their vision to theirpartner.Wecan evenhelp youdoityourself if thatiswhatyou really want.”

Maximize home value

When planning an interior design project,many people consider those whichwill increase their home’s value. While these projectscan often be expensive (such as brand newkitchens or baths), thereare less expensivewaysto“spruceup” theseareas of your home

Forinstance, “Instead of afullkitchen re-do, I’ve dressedupoak cabinets with Cambria countertops and some newcabinethardware,”Smith said.

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Remodelingcan add value

In addition to being moreaestheticallypleasing, home remodels canadd value to your home, putting moneyinyourpocketshould yousell. Butbeing strategic with your projectsiskey

“Ifyou’redoing desirable projects(i.e. newkitchens and baths),”Lepper said, “theywillincrease your home’s value. If youare doing replacementwork, likeflooring or afurnace,you mightnot getasmuch bang foryour buck.”

Consider your budget

Whateveryourhomeproject,advanceplanning is key. Chooseyourprojectscarefully,createabudget, and stick to it

“Get asolid plan together and be disciplined, yet flexible,”Lepper said. “Whatdoyou need this project to do foryou and your family? What arethe nonnegotiable must-haves? Drafta budgetand atimeline. Most projectscost moreand takelonger than you anticipate, so be patientand knowhow you’ll handle anybumps in the plan.

Prioritizing

When deciding on products and materials you want to splurge on versus keep low-cost, consider your true needs. Smithsaid questioning your purposes forthe project canhelp youprioritizewhere your hard-earneddollars should be spent.

“Do youneed better function?Are youdoing this project to sell? Acook with abad back mayneed moreforgiving floors and aconvenientplacetosit while working,”she said. “Maybe those items are ahigherpriority than backsplash tile.”

For your remodeling project, select colors, materials, and finishes that you enjoy.

Trends

Smithshared some of the currenttrends she is seeing in her industry.

“I am excited to seethe morecontemporarylines of European cabinetrystyles,”she said. “Also, ‘less is more’ luxuryfinishes in smaller,thought-out spaces arepopular right now.”And when it comes to color, “Brushedgold is HOT!” Smithsaid.

Do what youlove

Smithoffers one final tip. While trends arealways fun, it’s importanttoselect colors, materials, and finishes thatyou enjoy, regardless of what’scurrently trending.

“Breakingthe rules in just the right wayisa grand brush-stroke,”she said. “Safeisboring. Everybody wantssomething bold or unique without being too gaudy…although gaudycan be ‘in’ifdoneproperly, too.”

According to the home improvement resource HomeAdvisor,adding square footage to ahomecan cost homeowners anywherefrom$7,000 to $100,000.When adding squarefootage to ahome, homeowners may need to knock downaninterior wall or walls, the cost of whichcan vary widely depending on thewalls being knocked down.

Load-bearing walls areneededtosupport the home, and while such walls canberemoved, homeowners mayneed to hirestructuralengineers at additional cost to orchestratesuchremovals. In addition, homeowners canexpect to paymorewhen knocking down walls thatcontain ducts or electrical wiring. It also canbecostlyfor homeowners whose homes areold to knock down walls. HomeAdvisor notes thatthe wall-removalprocess in oldhomes that containleadpaint or lath-and-plaster walls is more intricateand maycost homeowners moremoney