Home Renovation Trends to Embrace in 2017

Let your new year resolution be a new year renovation – these are the trends we love for the upcoming year.

2017 is all about achieving that happy medium: be bold but sensible and build for the future but have fun in the present. We show you how to bring this philosophy to your home remodelling this year.

Open plan layouts – wall-less areas that flow seamlessly into one another through clever design and unifying colour schemes – have been a mainstay in home and office designs in recent years. They create a sense of space and light, and are in line with that whole ‘world without barriers’ thinking.

However, they reduce our privacy and offer no space to truly relax and disconnect. We’re not quite ready to retreat into our caves so enters a compromise: the broken-plan living space, which keeps the best parts of both designs. Here are some ways you can introduce it into your home:

SOURCE: rumple.info

SOURCE: freshome.com

Instead of complete walls, introduce extra-wide glass doors, or movable shelving units between your spaces. These can be opened or moved whenever you’re in need of more space. We especially love this trick for smaller spaces like apartments and condominiums.

SOURCE: gravityhomeblog.com

SOURCE: zsoltkocsmarszky.co

Build low or half walls to separate your rooms. These create visual separations while still allowing you to communicate between spaces when you feel like it. You can also widen your doorway if you have two defined but cramped spaces.

SOURCE: peekarchitecture.co.uk

SOURCE: codordesign.com

Install a mezzanine or split levels within a larger room to create small, distinct spaces without losing the flow of your open plan.

SOURCE: ellaclaireinspired.com

Alternatively, leave your open plan space alone and build yourself a ‘shedquarter’! It’s essentially a fort for grown-ups. Use it as a home office, creative hobby studio, or just a quiet space to get away for a while.

How do the French do it? The Parisian style is one that effortlessly mixes classic and contemporary design for a look that’s anything but matchy-matchy. To prepare your space for the look, here are some larger remodelling decisions you can make:

SOURCE: cupofjo.com

Paint your walls white or a similar shade. You’ll find ornate chandeliers and lush fabrics alongside whimsical paintings and bright-coloured Ikea-type furniture in a Parisian-style home; these need a strong neutral base to ground their bold elements while bouncing off light to create the illusion of space. 2017 is also about embracing transitional styles that can stand the test of time (and trends) – you may change décor pieces and furniture, but you want simple, classic colours and lines elsewhere that require little updating.

SOURCE: wandeleur.com

Hang a chandelier or introduce wrought iron railings into your home to lend a sense of antiquity that can be balanced with more modern pieces.

SOURCE: lagarconnemoderne.blogspot.com

Take the opportunity to get rid of your blah dressing table and build yourself a Pinterest-worthy vanity.

SOURCE: dizbook.com

SOURCE: onekingslane.com

Pay attention to your colour trends for a touch of the new – you can paint columns, partitions, or even a statement wall or furniture piece in this season’s hottest shades. These can be easily painted over in future because let’s face it: next new year’s resolutions will probably also involve new year renovations.

Pantone’s colour of the year is a fresh and leafy yellow-green; we’re also seeing a return of rich jewel tones like bright yellow, ruby red, and turquoise.

Just like the open plan layout, the multifunctional space is in need of some tweaking. As mentioned, we’re seeing a growing need to turn homes back into the calm, tranquil sanctuaries they once were… but that doesn’t mean you need to abandon all forms of fun and entertainment! Instead, carve out specific areas for these purposes with these renovation ideas:

SOURCE: chuansong.me

Reclaim your outdoor space. This is a great time to build a covered patio or gazebo, or revamp your backyard for weekend barbecues and brunches. You can also borrow from the broken-plan concept here; separate your outdoor and indoor spaces with French doors to allow larger parties from time to time.

SOURCE: harpersbazaar.com

SOURCE: modernhomedecor.eu

Build a bar or countertop to separate your kitchen and dining space from your living room. It functions as both a divider and a space to without compromising the functions of existing spaces.

SOURCE: stewartfilmscreen.com

Turn an extra room into an entertainment room, indoor room, or craft space. New year, new resolutions right?

Alternatively, cut the cord in one space – turn your living room or bedroom into a technology-free zone by covering all power outlets. No gadgets, no electronics, nothing. Keep the lights though! We’re all about the happy medium after all.

Cover image from architecturaldigest.com.