1. Bathrooms go big-time
Baths will emerge in 2015 as “the most sumptuous room in the house,” says designer and Marc Jacobs favorite Stephan Jaklitsch. He notes a shift away from ho-hum tiles in favor of monolithic slabs of marble and exotic stone.
At Simon’s Bath in downtown Manhattan, design consultant Shiv Persaud says ultra-chic, free-standing tubs will help infuse city apartments with a spalike atmosphere.
He notes that tub trends vary by geography: Urbanites are embracing tubs from Quebec-based hydrotherapy leader BainUltra (from $2,595), which offer massage features as well as aroma-, thermo- and chromatherapies ideally suited for stressed-out New Yorkers.
Suburban dwellers, meanwhile, have a penchant for footed soaking tubs like the “Drayton” ($4,500) from UK-based Victoria & Albert, whose volcanic limestone models promise more traditional comforts.
Bathroom fixtures, meanwhile, are shifting across the board from chrome to polished, uncoated brass, along with more exotic matte-black finishes, like those from Dornbracht’s Tara line, which Persaud suggests will be a top seller this year.
2. Luxe lighting fixtures
Statement lighting will grow even more important this year, says architect Peter Pennoyer, who sources fine vintage fixtures from auction houses to play up ceiling details and play down aesthetic flaws.
Trending now are European-influenced sculptural lights from the ’50s and ’60s, many of which Pennoyer acquires from specialized dealers like Remains Lighting and Fred Silberman in Manhattan.
“If you’re going to invest in special vintage lighting, you have to consider the size of the fixture and the space it’s going in,” Pennoyer explains.
His picks: the circa 1960 three-tier Austrian crystal “Kinkeldey” chandelier ($9,000), which combines transitional modernist style, European heritage and luminosity, or an Arredoluce chandelier ($14,500 from Retro Modern).
The “Anwar” electroplated steel hanging lamp ($4,615) from Stephen Burks Man Made offers a modern twist on tribal basketwork, while Christopher Spitzmiller’s “Aurora” table lamps ($4,580 for two) evoke Ming mod.
Covetable and collectible, these pieces are sure to become any home’s bright spots.
3. ‘Modern eclectic’ is style of the year
Decorating a home in floor-to-ceiling midcentury décor is so yesterday. Interior tastemakers are now shifting toward “modern eclecticism.” The style embraces ultra high-end modernist — or modernist-inspired — furnishings but encourages blending them with pieces from other eras.
Designer Analisse Taft-Gersten is now leaning toward new interpretations of classic midcentury pieces, such as Shawn Henderson’s “Alloy” chair ($8,000), a sort of Bauhaus-meets-Adirondack lounger, and his “Mercury” daybed ($9,750), an austere cushioned bench that stands alone as an art piece dressed up with pillows.
Also flowing in this nouveau modernist vein is Warren Platner’s glass-topped dining table ($3,572), with a base made of curved steel spindles and an elegant design that plays well with other styles in the home.
Finishing with a statement piece, such as the 1980s embossed-lizard “Pergamon” credenza by Karl Springer ($25,000), is a confident gesture that keeps a room intriguing while adding a layer of funky functionality.
4. Bringing nature indoors
Organic modernism is the next big thing in New York’s most stylish homes. But these natural shapes and earthy materials evoke the tastes of a well-traveled curator rather than a Poconos lodge keeper.
Alternatively, she suggests bold, stand-alone objects like those from legendary French designer Elizabeth Garouste, who incorporates a variety of organic forms — animal, tribal, nature — in her sculptural furniture and décor.The trend has been hottest downtown but is now migrating to Brooklyn, says Tribeca designer Jenny Wolf. “Natural elements lend so much texture, and they’re so different from what we’ve seen in harsh, contemporary lines,” she explains. Wolf recommends anchoring a room with a solid piece, like a triple-burnt teak coffee table by Andrianna Shamaris ($890 to $5,900) or her petrified wood side table ($4,500).
Her latest collection, “Garouste,” debuting at the Ralph Pucci furniture gallery Feb. 5, includes the “Iris” resin mirror encircled with giraffes ($12,250).
5. Kitchens hidden in plain sight
“In the past, no one wanted smaller appliances,” says Highlyann Krasnow, who oversees design as a partner at MNS, the NYC-based realty brokerage firm. “But with apartments trending small, no one is balking anymore.”
High on Krasnow’s short list is the 24-inch Bertazzoni gas range ($1,999), which combines simple Italian design and function and tucks into modest spaces.
For some urban dwellers, notes Johannes Knoops, an associate professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, kitchen appliances may disappear altogether, hiding under the counter disguised as cabinetry.
“Europeans have known this secret for years,” he says. “A clever way to achieve a grander living space is to covertly tuck away your fridge and freezer, blurring the boundary between kitchen and living.”
American brands like Sub-Zero are now embracing that look, offering under-counter refrigerator drawers in widths from 15 to 36 inches ($3,850 to $4,600). Also blending the lines are Hinkley swivel barstools ($660 each), available from Arteriors.
Made of iron and polished Brazilian wood, they seamlessly stand beside living room furniture — ideal for open layouts where la cucina meets le salon.
(Source: Realtor.com)
