What You Need at Home in 2012

We’re well into January and everyone with a keyboard has already compiled their list of Trends for 2012. But our list is a little different. Here are four trends that we believe will actually make your life better. It’s one thing to come home to something pretty. It’s a better thing to come home to something that is helpful, long-lasting and pretty.

Two-timers
Serving one purpose just isn’t good enough anymore. Multi-function furniture and accessories keep getting more popular, and more practical.

The chests above can be stacked, separated, set on the floor or raised on a base. The door hutch can hold files, linens, games or dishes. The more adaptable your furnishings are, the more money you’ll save in the long run.

Outdoor Furniture
Spending more time in the backyard got really popular when the economy was at its worst, and people realized how much they actually liked being outside, at home. Now more than ever, outdoor furniture has a lot of value and design sense.

And people aren’t just using outdoor furnishings to tastefully pimp out their decks; they’re also bringing outdoor furniture indoors. A higher-end round rattan dining set, for example, gives a breezy look to an indoor breakfast nook.

Bold Colors
2012 is the year to go big with color! Last year you could cut it with sweet little accents of pink and aqua, but this year it’s time to be gutsy and give bold colors a serious presence in your house.

People are momentarily ga-ga over Tangerine Tango, but don’t feel like you have to stick with reds and oranges.

Blend of Old and New, or Contemporary and Classic
The “it” look is a seamless mix of two or three styles. This mix and match approach has been in vogue a while, but hasn’t necessarily made it into the homes of everyday folks. If that’s you, make 2012 the year you branch out!

One of the easiest and most popular ways to accomplish this is by mixing and matching dining tables and chairs. It works every time:

Now let us know what you’d like to add to the list!