2023 - The Year of Color In Your Home

While white kitchens will always stand the test of time, we’re seeing color design in homes moving away from all white kitchens and adding bold colors in many rooms of the home. We’re not denouncing shades of white in a home by any means, as they are timeless and work well in many areas of the home. But color is in and we are excited about it!

Bring in Pops of Color

• If a white kitchen is a must, bring in pops of color with the finishes, a red or blue range or refrigerator, colorful chair cushions, bold backsplashes, and eye-catching curtains or blinds.

• Install a countertop featuring pops of color.

• Is it time for an island with a saturated bold base?

• Plants create color with minimal changes—just remember to water them. Put them in colorful pots and bingo—you have even more color.

• Embrace an interesting color palette with floor tiles that features some color.

• Wallpaper is everywhere and is a straightforward way to add some color to a feature wall, a powder room, or the ceiling in the laundry room.

• And speaking of laundry rooms, this a fun room to go wild with color and patterns. We don’t love doing laundry, so why not make the room fun and exciting?

• One stand-out cabinet is a fun way to add a pop of color without painting all of the cabinets.

• Want to keep it mostly neutral? Paint just the ceiling in a hue that complements the lighter wall color, but creates a bit of intrigue.

• Not ready for much color? Paint the front door or garage, the inside of some bookshelves, or hang some colorful artwork.

Paint Colors for This Year

This year’s paint colors are filled with both subtle and dramatic hues. Repainting a room, kitchen cabinets, or a feature wall makes a big change without a great deal of effort, especially if you have someone paint it for you!

Photo: Courtesy of Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams’ color of the year is Redend Point, a subtle earthy pink.

Photo: Courtesy of Behr

Behr’s color of the year is Blank Canvas, a creamy white.

Photo: Courtesy of Valspar

Valspar’s color of the year is a combination of 12 comfortable, livable paint colors, featuring hues of greens and blues, pastels, and soft neutrals.

Photo: Courtesy of Pantone

Pantone’s color of the year is Viva Magenta 18-1750, a bold pinkish red.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore’s color of the year is Raspberry Blush, a vibrant red-orange.

Photo: Courtesy of Dunn-Edwards

Dunn-Edwards’ color of the year in Terra Rosa, a deep rosy pink.

Photo: Courtesy of Dutch Boy

Dutch Boy’s color of the year is Rustic Greige, a blend of beige and gray.

Photo: Courtesy of Glidden by PPG

Glidden Paint by PPG & Glidden’s  color of the year is Vining Ivy, a deep shady aqua.

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Take a chance and brighten up a room in your home this year. Creating a cheery, warm inviting feeling might just be what your home needs! Our designers here at RDS can help guide you on color choices for every room of your home, be it a new build or a renovation to a room or rooms in your existing home.

2023 Trends and What We Love in Home Design

Trend: a general direction in which something is developing or changing.

Every year, we see articles from various sites detailing what is trending in home design, technology, interior and exterior design. While we love trends, we also err on the side of classic, timeless design. There is a place for trends and a place for the classics. No matter where you fall, there are some trends that continue to shine, some that are evolving, and some that have piqued our interest.

As home designers, our team here at RDS is always up for the challenge of a trend our client might ask of us, or something we’ve seen that we know will be perfect in a remodel or home design. The list we’ve compiled has some classics on it—they’re either still “trending” or have something new to offer.

Technology

• Smart technology continues to dominate and shape how we design homes. There are refrigerators sending messages to your phone to get more eggs or milk, thermostats that learn how you use your heat and air, and so much more.

• Seamless integration is set to make our lives easier and more connected than ever. Almost everything can be connected through our Wi-Fi and controlled through our phones, tablets, and televisions.

Kitchens

• Kitchen islands serve many purposes — extra counter space, storage, prep sinks, seating, additional built-in beverage fridge, dedicated space for a microwave, to name a few. It’s the hub of the kitchen!

• See storage ideas below!

Photo Courtesy of Dave Osmond Builders

Bathrooms

• Low-curb showers or curb-less showers are more popular than ever. These designs allow for safely getting into the shower, make the room look better with a low profile, and are sleek and gorgeous. Add some stunning tile and the shower becomes the focal point of the bathroom.

• See storage ideas below!

Living Areas

• Versatility with spaces that can be more than one thing! An area of a room that doubles as school space. A game room that doubles as a craft room. An office with a Murphy-style bed or sleeper sofa becomes a bedroom. An open concept floor plan with living zones creating multifunction. Along with this is the need for dedicated activity spaces—a home gym, art studio, office, or a home theater. If you want it, it can be designed.

• Bespoke home bars in living room or basements allow for entertaining at home—with or without friends. The past few years have shown us what we want in our homes and who we want to spend time with.

Of Note

• Natural lighting is nothing new, but the last few years have shown us that when we’re home for extended periods of time, we crave natural light. Big windows, bifold doors, multiple banks of windows, and glass walls are prevalent in design.

• Offices are back in a big way and need to function for both adults and kids. Many of us are now working from home and our kids might be home from school from time to time, or are homeschooled now. Offices are now designed to be functional AND comfortable, getting use daily.

• Have you noticed the increase in front porches being added to existing homes and part of new homes? Front porches are having a moment in the wake of the past few years and our need to connect with people. Outdoor living—whether it’s on the front porch, back deck, sunroom, or patio is a way to connect with the outdoors and nature.

• Who doesn’t want more storage? It continues to be one of the most requested design items for our clients. But just adding cabinets isn’t enough. Storage options that are targeted for specific purposes—holding devices (hair dryer, flat iron, makeup, etc.) in bathroom drawers, pullouts and dividers in kitchens and other areas for laundry, spices, pantry items, and appliances create storage in unique ways.

• Aging in place—but making it look stylish and accessible. Different finishes, tiles, and color can make an accessible design look seamless and trendy, not medicinal.

• A fireplace in the bedroom is cozy, artistic, and moody. A double-sided one can separate a sitting area from the bed, creating simple and modern lines. And who doesn’t want a cozy fire while relaxing in the bedroom?

No matter what you’re dreaming of, looking at on the internet, home shows, or magazines, our talented and dedicated designers will create your dream home for you. Whether it’s a whole house, an area to be remodeled or someplace in between, give us a call to see what we can do for you.  Send us a note and let’s connect today!

The Benefits of Indoor Plants

We all love to look at beautiful plants and trees when we are outside. And who doesn’t like wandering through plant stores and parks to feel re-energized? Now look around the inside of your home or office—do you see any plants? If you do, you probably know the benefits of having plants inside. If not, this blog is for you (and us-the dried up succulent in our window isn’t the best look!).

When we design homes, you’d be surprised at how many times clients ask us about the natural light and if they will have a good area for plants. While this isn’t our first priority when designing, we do understand the benefits of plants and will do what we can to create perfect places for them to thrive.

 Benefits of Indoor Plants

The research is easy to find and very interesting. The more we read, the more we learned. And yes, we are going to get some plants for the office soon.

• Plants can boost your general health and well-being—they just make you feel better!

• Let’s face it— plants are beautiful—and bring nature inside.

• Plants help improve air quality as they help to clean the air and release water vapor, creating humidity. They also absorb toxic substances and produce oxygen.

• Plants can reduce stress by creating a feeling of calm and comfort when working around them. It helps us to feels like we’re outside, which helps us connect and boosts our moods.

• Caring for plants can help lower anxiety and stress, so take time to enjoy the plants, revel in their growth, and chat with them. 😃

• Some studies even say they boost productivity—who doesn’t like a quick break to look at something beautiful in nature and then get back to work? Being surrounded by living plants can make you feel like you have been transported to someplace else.

So, what plants should you choose?

First and foremost, if plants are going to be in your home and you have kids, choose plants that are safe for children and pets. Lists like this one are available online or check at your favorite garden center for the safest plants.

So much about choosing plants depends on the natural light in your home. Loads of natural light allows for choosing almost any plant you see at a garden store. Less light? You’ll need to do some research or talk with knowledgeable people about what plants work best with low light.

There are so many amazing plant stores in the Columbus and surrounding areas, and one of our favorites is Groovy Plants Ranch. They specialize in interesting plants and are so helpful! Check out their website and you’ll find so much helpful information.

Some plants we’ve found that are pretty forgiving (for those of us just starting out) are plants in the Pothos Collection, Peace Lilies, ZZ plants, Snake plants, Philodendron, spider plants, Monstera, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Tillandsia (Air plants), and Cactus.

Whatever you choose, we know that not only will you feel happier, your home will look that much better. And if you’re in the market for a new home design or a plan for a remodel of your home, our designers here at RDS are waiting for you. Drop us a line today!

Now excuse us while we go plant shopping!