I’m a pretty fashionable dude, so the following ten trends should come as no surprise to any of you that are in the know.
Here are my top-ten picks for new styles you should expect to find in houses and condos in 2010.
These aren’t just suggestions – they’re law…
#10 – Shag Carpet
“Classic” and “Timeless” are two words that are synonymous with shag carpets. Some things just don’t go out of style, and I expect 2010 to usher in a new era of shag carpeting.
There’s nothing quite like vacuuming your shag carpet and then immediately taking your vacuum in to Sears, Simpsons, or Woolco to be repaired.
But in addition to the sheer beauty of the carpet there is also the absorbency to consider. Try spilling some salsa or chicken curry on the carpet and believe-you-me, no cleanup is required! The carpet will hide the mess and by morning it will have absorbed into your living room floor.
#9 – Dropped Ceilings
What’s that? You can’t get enough of the office? You almost wish your home resembled your place of work? Well now it CAN with the simple installation of a dropped ceiling in your home!
Too cheap or lazy to actually finish the ceilings in hour home? Don’t worry, just install one of these beautiful dropped ceilings in your basement or kitchen and all your friends will be jealous!
Bonus points if you have fluorescent lighting…
#8 – Wood-Trim Kitchen Cabinets
Damn, that is sexy! Look at those gleaming white cabinets with that hot strip of fake wood along the edges. If I could make sweet love to any kitchen, it would be the one pictured above.
Seriously, white goes with anything, so why not hook it up with wooden trim and ring in the new year!? I think this everlasting look will be popular 10-20 years down the road, and nobody will ever look at this condo when it’s for sale and say, “Great space….but I hate that awful, awful kitchen.”
Speaking of white…
#7 – White EVERYTHING
Does anybody else feel like they’re in a Stanley Kubrick film?
Why stop at white kitchen counters when you can have white floors, ceilings, walls, windows, paintings, furniture, TV’s, and socks?
Some say this might feel a little institutional, or even “mental-hospital-esque,” but I think that white EVERYTHING is making a huge comeback in 2010!
#5 – The Unfinished Basement
If you happen to live in Richmond Hill, Thornhill, or some other Hill that we common folks don’t even know about, chances are, you’ve already discovered the growing trend called the “unfinished basement.”
But the coolest thing you can do today is to actually use the unfinished basement as anything other than cold storage.
Pretend the cinder-block walls aren’t there, and ignore the pink insulation! Forget about the piping, wiring, and plumbing that shows on the ceiling above your head. Just put a TV down there, lay some carpet, and voila – it’s the new “place to be.”
#4 – Fluorescent Lighting
Aw hell’s yeah, bro! Peep that sweet-sweet kitchen lighting!
Your mother always told you not to read in the dark because it’s bad for your eyes, well with the simple installation of this fluorescent lighting there won’t be anything you’ll ever do in the dark again, because your eyes will be flashing like lightning for hours after being in the same room as this beauty!
There’s almost zero chance that any flies will find their way into those panels, so there’s no way you’ll have to clean out dead bugs once a week, every week.
Installation of a ceiling fan only makes the room even more cool and manly.
#3 – Computer Rooms
I really think that 2010 will help us all advance technologically, and you might start to see the “computer” in every house or condo.
Pictured above is the TRS 80 Model I which I think is a super-keen buy. This Z-80 CPU provides between 18K to 48K of RAM and features data storage that is provided either by cassette or an optional floppy disk controller, and up to two internally mounted floppy disk drives.
I have a few friends that have something called a “home-office” (ahw-fiss) whereby they are able to work on a computer terminal completely independent of their company location. I think the ahw-fiss will become a staple in new homes and condos.
#2 – Wood Panelled Basements
The only thing better than wood is fake-wood, and I think 2010 will be the year of wood-paneling in our basements!
This super-cool room is accentuated by the vinyl flooring, which only adds to the awesomeness.
I’m also pleased to see the drum-set in the corner of the room, because seriously, who rocks out in their garage anymore? That is sooooo 1985! Just hang an out-of-date map (or two) on the wall, and let the party begin!
The wood-paneled basement is great when used in conjunction with the dropped-ceiling as demonstrated here:
Sweeeet!
#1 – Wallpaper
Nothing adds more character to a room than wallpaper!
This gorgeous living room is only further beautified by the breathtaking wallpaper that was clearly created by a consortium of Martha Stewart, Mike Holmes, Dear Abbey, and the direct descendants of Michelangelo…
Are those flowers? Butterflies? Leaves? Who knows, and who cares! Why trouble yourselves with such nuances when you could be gently relaxing and staring at your wall?
I know it’s hard to picture the “complete” room with no furniture, so let’s add some items…
Oh yeah, that’s the stuff dreams are made of!
Now try telling me that this isn’t the prettiest room you’ve never set foot in, and I’ll call you a liar!
The right wallpaper can really add some flavour to an otherwise boring room, but only if the wallpaper is loud, busy, and full of vibrant color and images!
So….
There you have my top-ten trends for 2010.
I suggest you all rush out, right now, and get started on the list.
If you don’t have at least 4-5 of these in your houses by November, then you’re blog-reading privileges are revoked and I say “Good Day” to you, sir…
Alex
at 7:38 am
When I was in University, I once lived in a room in the basement of a house. The room itself had woodpanelling, dropped ceilings and a ceiling fan and to get to it you had to wander through the unfinished basement….good times!
calico cate
at 10:07 am
I love all of these trends and want to include them in my next reno, especially the kitchen makeovers.
Thanks for the suggestions, David. Verrrrrry timely.
LC
at 2:57 pm
#7 isn’t so bad….I prefer it to #1.
Meh
at 4:50 pm
I can see variations of some of these coming back soon. Wallpaper for sure, people will get tired of the muted beige tone painting that every house is getting nowadays. It’ll look nothing like the old wallpaper though
Although wood paneling won’t come back, I can see something new coming in that will bring back the warmth that the wood paneling has (brick maybe?). People will get tired of the sterile white + pot light basements that all houses are also getting.
Style is cyclical, and the things on this list went out of style years ago.
dogbiskit
at 10:01 pm
I say Good Day!
Max Power
at 3:04 pm
You are certainly one fashionable dude! What a riot, seriously you rock! But not on those old drums in the basement with the map, of course.
Merton
at 6:48 pm
This is perhaps the funniest column I have read in some time…..even if I was raised to be a fan of wallpaper, lived in a house with fluorescent lighting, and recall shag (and worse) carpets. Thanks for the laughs 🙂
Adam
at 10:27 am
Wood grain…is there anything cooler? I think I’m gonna get one of those awesome cars with wood grain down the side, “woodies” I believe they’re called!
Perhaps a LeBaron convertible?
Great blog David. As always I laughed my a$$ off!
David Fleming
at 10:55 am
@ Adam
My first car was a 1985 Buick Electra Station Wagon – the one with the wicked wood-panelling running up the sides.
I was 18-years-old and working at a hot Toronto nightclub, and I used to drive into the parking lot (with all the ‘pimp’ rides) and park when nobody was looking! Eventually somebody asked, “Who drives that awful boat?”
Adam
at 7:15 pm
That’s a funny story!
DEFINITELY a pimp-able ride!
Elmware
at 1:46 am
Actually, that Radio Shack computer in the picture above is a model TRS-80 Model III. Model I didn’t have everything attached to one console.