Design Trends I'm Happy to See Emerging from the Recession

As much as my job requires me to embrace capitalism, I've always struggled with the blind desire for acquisition that seems to have defined the last 20 years or so. The current recession carries with it a lot of baggage, but there are a few good things that will come out of it for the design world:

A Return to Tradition
I am happy to see that some very traditional silhouettes are returning to popularity. Especially the recent renaissance of Federal Style in both architecture and furniture



The style, which first came into popularity after the American Revolution, drew many elements from the Greek and Roman empires after which the American government was modeled. Many houses on Main Street, America are designed in the Federal Style. In fact, my husband was raised in a Federal Style house that his parents owned for 30 years. I just love a design trend that carries a history lesson with it -- any opportunity to trick my children into learning something.

The New Family Heirloom
The concept of integrating hand-me-downs from the family is returning to popularity. Rather than filling an entire house with brand new furniture, people are getting to know their local upholstery or finish craftsmen and breathing new life into old pieces. StudioBonTextiles is a great website filled with upholstery fabrics designed specifically for recovering vintage pieces.

It's not cheap, but if you're going to invest, vintage pieces handed down through the family is a good place to do it. And those vintage pieces are a great way to keep family folklore alive. My sister is a master at integrating family pieces into her house, and a compliment about the furniture piece always leads to an interesting family story.

The Return of the Kitchen as the Heart of the Home
Focus in the last 20 years has been on rooms that are more for show than function -- the formal living room, the foyer, the formal dining room. As money and possessions become an increasing source of stress, family, friends and relationships become an increasing source of comfort. As a result, many families are returning to that great American Norman Rockwell tradition of gathering around the table at the end of the day. The meal itself is a small part of the Family Dinner -- there's also the ritual of preparation, the natural tendency of everyone to pitch in and help, the easy conversation that happens around the table, and of course, the little opportunities for etiquette lessons throughout the meal. I, for one, am happy to see the family dinner make a comeback, to see the kitchen regain it's rightful place as the hub of the family home.


While there is plenty of stress that goes along with a global recession, I think the family home will be better off for it. More tradition, a renewed respect for family history, more time together.

From Fashionista to Recessionista

Seeing the countdown to Christmas at right about gave me a heart attack this morning. I was going to do another post on decorating for the holidays, but since there are only a few days left, I've decided to skip forward to the new year instead.

To start 2009 off right, I thought I'd launch a series on value. With the economy the way it is, we're all searching for the best way to get the most from the dollars we spend. One really easy way to do that, is to develop a list of priorities for yourself so when you buy something it works with your lifestyle. Mine are:

Durable materials and construction
Easy to clean and care for
Hard to destroy
Fits with my color palette of red and neutrals
If I buy something that's a fashion statement, I rarely spend more than $100 on it

I have to admit to a few weak moments, but for the most part I stick to my list. Since I've developed this list, there are very few big investments I've made that I've regretted. A few little ones maybe, but the big money has been well spent. The iconic example that fits almost every requirement on my list was my kitchen table, which I've referenced often in this blog.

It's classic in design, so it looks great and I'll still love it in ten years, it's got a rustic finish that gets better with use and abuse, and it's easy to clean. I think we paid about $2000 for it, which seemed like a big price tag at the time, but after six years of constant use, the table is still one of my favorite things in my house and looks better than it did the day we bought it.
I can't say the same for some of the holiday decor I've bought over the years, but that's a post for another day.