Taking a Look at Home Interior Trends of 2009

Are you wondering what is new for home interior trends in '09? Perhaps you are looking to prep your house to sell, building a new property from scratch, expanding to a new office complex or you just need a change of scenery. Interior design jobs encompass a range of diverse styles, themes and tastes, although there are some clear trends emerging now that builders are allowing clients so many customizable options. This year, open floor plans will likely continue to flourish, along with more practical ideas to combine energy efficiency and frugality in a tasteful way.

Homes from the 1800s to early 1900s were special in that the home designs of large family estates were internally divided to create distinct environments. For instance, home owners had practical servant's quarters on the lower level floors near the kitchen, whereas the family's bedrooms were all situated upstairs. A powder room was often found downstairs and an en-suite bathroom was just off the parent's master bath. The children often lived down a hallway and in their own separate quarter of the house, so the parents could have a bit of privacy and reprieve.

In some instances, a carriage house held the in laws or guests. This is a home interior trend that's coming back for 2009, with second or third bedroom suites and added bathrooms increasing in popularity. "Buyers are saying, let's put kids over here to one side to keep things quiet for parents or in-laws who will be moving in with them," explains Kyle Lindsey, owner of Kyle Lindsey Custom Homes. These secondary suites are typically 300-400 square-feet with full bathrooms and occasional sitting rooms in an isolated section of the house, Lindsey adds.

Another home interior trend that will proliferate into 2009 is green, sustainable building and modifications, builders agree. "People are trying to save money wherever they can, building to higher energy standards and building green to save water and electricity," admonishes Bob Weiss, executive VP for Kentucky Homebuilders. Many homeowners are trading in wall-to-wall carpets for recycled wood.

TechShield radiant barrier roof decking, which reflects heat away from attics, is purchased by 98% of new home buyers in markets like San Antonio, where the sun beats down all day long, driving up air conditioning costs. Low VOC paint, which emits far less fumes than traditional paints, has become the standard. Spray foam insulation, energy efficient lighting, air circulation systems and insulating window coatings are a few of the eco-friendly interior design trends to look out for.

Any architect interior designer will tell you that the home interior vibe is all in the finishing touches: wall finishes, paint, flooring, countertops. These nuances can draw home owners in or leave them feeling discordant. John Friesenhahn of Imagine Homes says native rock and brick exteriors are classic choices, but home owners are looking for a little more color on their interiors. He says Silestone countertops offer a wide range of colors.

Last year's mocha and sage green paint colors will be traded in for mustard yellow and grassy greens. Allergen-proof, easy-to-clean and natural flooring is in this year too. High-end homes will see Italian mosaic tiles, travertine and porcelain. Dark exotic wood cabinetry became popular in 2008 and will continue as an interior design kitchen and bedroom staple throughout 2009.

Indian Style Styling For Your Home Interiors

Each time people think of home interior design, they will think of hiring an interior designer. Hiring a professional can be really expensive, but now you can easily turn your house into the home of your dreams on minimum budget. But in order to do that, you need to avoid these five common interior design mistakes:

1. Over furnishing a room

It is important that you measure the dimension of the room you want to furnish before buying any furniture pieces. People tend to buy furniture that is too big for the room, which will only make it feel stuffy and crowded. Try to limit the number of pieces in the room.

2. Hanging artwork too high on the wall

Do not hang paintings or portraits too high, they should be hung at approximately eye level. But of course, eye level is different for different people. The rule of thumb is to hang the artwork 66"-72" (165-180 cm) from the floor. If the artwork is big, you can hang it higher, but still around the midpoint of the wall. If there you want to hang a picture above a sofa, the bottom of the frame should be 6"-8" (15-20 cm) on top of the furniture piece.

3. Disorganization

People often keep things that they don't really use, and at times they just leave stuff lying everywhere around the room. Surely you don't want a room that looks messy or stuffy. Try to get rid of unwanted or unused items and store the things you want to keep in a box or other storage unit. You will be surprised at how spacious your room can be.

4. Quantity versus quality

When decorating your home interior, more stuff does not necessarily mean better. It is important to get only what you absolutely love, and avoid cheap art. It does not have to be overly expensive, but it has to be the best that you can afford. High quality artwork or furniture will last longer and has good resale value if you choose to sell it later on.

5. Insufficient lighting

People rarely pay attention to the lighting in a room and they tend to utilize only one overhead light source. You should utilize several light sources instead. They are not only intended for lighting purposes, but they can help create an atmosphere in a room as well. You can add some table lamps in your study for reading books or a chandelier in the living room for a luxurious ambience.

Indian Style Styling For Your Home Interiors

India has a huge variety of cultures, with each having its own unique style in terms of interior decor. In this article series, we will be taking a peek at what each Indian culture has to offer in terms of unique Indian home interior designs.

We will start the series with the northern most Indian state of Kashmir.

Kashmiri Home Interior Design

The northernmost state of the country may be currently embroiled in controversy, but its rich cultural heritage is something unique and deeply traditional. Those having an access to the interiors of Kashmir are full time ambassadors of its natural beauty as well as the welcoming nature of its people.

Kashmir homes are mostly wooden, and they are designed in a way so as to keep out the cold. Warm woolen carpets are essential parts of any Kashmiri home. They are a way of keeping away the cold of the floor. When entering a Kashmiri home, it is considered essential to remove any footwear outside so as not to dirty the carpets.

The seating arrangement in a traditional Kashmiri village household is strictly on the ground. Colorful woolen carpets adorn the seating area, and often a separate mat is placed to mark the sitting spot. A visitor may be offered a cushion to sit on depending on the degree of regard he or she is supposed to be given.

In modern Kashmiri homes sofas and sitting chairs have caught the fancy of the local populace, but by and large the sitting arrangement on the floor is the preferred one.

Heavy, thick, dark curtains are the norm in most Kashmir Indian home interiors. Again, the purpose is to keep out the cold. Do not be surprised on being offered a 'Kangri' the moment you take a seat in the Kashmiri home to help you keep warm. This Kangri is nothing but a clay pot filled with coal embers to keep you warm, the same that almost every Kashmiri is found carrying in winters. You would also immediately be offered some of the best blankets in the home to cover your legs, should you feel the need.

Traditional embroidered curtains of Kashmir, called namda, are made of thick white cotton cloth, embroidered with bold designs of pretty and colorful wool. The same cloth is also often used as bedspreads and even for making cushion covers etc. You can generally find this at any Kashmiri showroom or outlet in Kashmir.

The eating area in a traditional Kashmiri home also has the seating on the ground. The ladies of the house will serve hot meals and have their own meals later. In keeping with Muslim traditions of sharing meals, three or four people eat from a single common plate. Of course, the tradition difference of visitors is kept in mind and generally they are offered independent plates.

Finding Luxurious Home Interior Decor On A Budget

Our homes aren't only places to live but they are places where we raise our families, have friends over and basically it's a place that we call our own. Since we want our homes to be a reflection of who we are, we want our home interior decor to echo that reflection in every room. By making our homes a reflection of our style and our preferences, we create a place we want to be in, but spending a lot of money on the accessories for our home isn't something we really want to do. Finding home decor on a budget means careful shopping and making sure we're actually buying things we want.

As one enters our homes, one of the first things they'll become aware of is whatever we have hanging on our walls. The artwork we have hanging up is one of the main aspects of what defines who we are and what our preferences are. Regardless of whether we've got pictures of the flag, birds, a picture of the Hollywood sign or even flowers, we've created an environment we enjoy being in. With great prints available from twenty to a hundred dollars, your home interior decor not only will look awesome but doesn't have to be expensive at all.

Organizational ideas for other rooms in our home make for great decor as well. Whether it's a roll-top desk organizer for the home office or a counter organizer for the kitchen counter, you'll find not only a lot of benefits but a lot of style as well with these great home interior decor. Not only do these look great but it gives us a place to put everything we need to have handy and enables us to find things quickly. To help organize the laundry rooms there are great looking and very inexpensive shelves that fit behind the washer and dryer to keep supplies in a handy location. While not necessarily a stylistic point, everyone enjoys being in an environment where everything is neat and clean.

There are lots of decorating ideas for your home that are definitely not expensive. Mats and runners can be had for $20 or less, wreaths and other wall hangings are prices similarly and even floral arrangements and pillows for couches and chairs are inexpensive ways to take the our home accents to the next level. Visitors will appreciate all the thought and effort you put into your home interior decor but the people who will appreciate it the most will be you and your family.