Top 10 Design Trends

As Northwest Home turns 10 this September (see our first cover below), we thought that we’d celebrate with a trip through a decade’s worth of our area’s top design trends (and we’re referring to a definite direction, not a flash-in-the-pan fad), as featured on our pages. In a relatively short period, we’ve seen a surge in favor of wide-open interior spaces and the serious mainstreaming of green design (remember when solar panels were just for Ed Begley, Jr. types?)

We can’t wait to see, and share, what the next years bring to Northwest design.

1. Open Floor Plan Hands-down, the biggest design trend has been the Open Floor Plan (aka, “Communal”) that dispenses with cumbersome walls and halls in favor of an open main living space. Its sibling? The Reverse Open Floor Plan that slots the main living space, kitchen and all, on the top floor to better capture light and views.

2. Green. Be it rainscreens or solar panels, salvaged building materials or salvaged wood furniture, green design has grown up rapidly here. Dwelling styles range from urban lofts to repurposed cargo containers to sexy single residences. Even your car can have a green roof (with a garage like this one below).

3. Small Spaces Some of us have always loved living small (I putter about in some 400 square feet), but with the increasing push for high-density development, and downsizing lifestyles, small design is sexier, smarter than ever.

4. Urban Infill We applaud the trend of making the most of our available urban spaces.

 5. Outdoor Living Northwesterners aren’t weather wimps (except for snow). Proof is our love for outdoor environments, which we frequent in off-summer months and, of course, on our many sun-free days.

6. Wall Coverings Not only have we rediscovered wallpaper of all stripes (not to mention non-patterned) and materials, we’re digging the ease and grooviness of decals.

7. Live/Work Spaces If one has to work, it might as well be at home (as more and more of us are), and it definitely should be designed to suit our personality and purpose (as does this artist’s live/work space shown above).

8. Mid-Century Modern From Eames to Miller, like many around the globe, we are evermore fans of fun, familiar Mid-Century Mod design.

9. Cottages In 2009, Seattle approved the building of backyard cottages in all its neighborhoods, thereby upping our already lively cottage industry.

10. Movable Walls Whether a simple interior glass slider or a bi-fold airplane hangar door, we like our walls to come with exit plans.

Photo Credits:
2001 Cover: EJ for Armstrong Photography
1. Sean Bell, 360 Design Studio/Lara Swimmer
2. Harrison Architects
3. Weinstein A/U/Agnes Lofts/Lara Swimmer
4. Dwell Development/Tucker English
5. Jean Steinbrecher Architects/Rachel Olson
6. Velocity Art & Design
7. Ben Trogdon Architects/Julia Kuskin
8. Blip Design/John Granen
9. Ross Chapin Architects/Tom Barwick
10.Shugart Bates/Ed Sozinho