 |
| Interior Design |
 Interior Design &
The Baby BoomerBy Joyce Flasch - freelance interior designer The Baby Boomer crowd is an interesting group of people. Right now they are setting some very important trends for the years ahead. The bottom line is, they know what they want and are not willing to settle for less. They are a much more sophisticated crowd now than ever before and they will not be dictated to. They are looking for specifics. They have standards and a criteria to be met when they are shopping for any kind of home furnishings or décor and low maintenance heads up the wish list. One of the big trends we see happening is a definite effort to keep home and business separate. Our home is our refuge. Most people find their work very taxing; change is all around us, jobs are lost everyday, bosses are demanding, competition is fierce. At the end of the day we want to retreat to our own corner of the world which is ideally both welcoming and comfortable. We surround ourselves with the things that are pleasing to us so we can rejuvenate our bodies, minds and spirits. It is our own personal space. We entertain friends here, we relax here, we regroup here. Our home needs to reflect who we are. Smaller scale furnishings are another trend that supports the fact that Baby Boomers are beginning to downsize their homes. They no longer need four bedrooms and a living room that never get used anyway. When it comes to furnishings, the oversized rolled arms take up a lot of room if you are trying to comfortably furnish a smaller seating area. Nicely detailed but finer scale is what many people are looking for. 'Less bulk'; 'Clear away the clutter', and 'Simplify our lives', seems to be the by-word for our homes, our bodies and our minds. And even if you are not downsizing immediately, many are planning for it in the future as they acquire vacation properties and want a smaller homes in the city. Simplicity is the key to elegance and those words are as true today as they ever were. Another huge trend with the Boomers is comfort and quality. They don't want to sink down so far that they can't get out of their chair. They want low arms on their sofa so they can stretch out to watch the hockey game. They want a good looking recliner, not the huge, fat variety like their father had. And the ladies would like a sofa or chair that fits them; where their feet actually touch the floor and they don't have to lean way back or curl up with their legs under them. They want seating that actually fits their body. No cheap fabrics, no cheap foam cushions. The Boomers want class, quality and comfort. Nothing else will do. The marriage of kitchen and family room is becoming a popular trend, as well. The kitchen is now recognized as the hub of the house and heart of the home. This is where the food is, so the combination of these two areas just makes logical sense. Eating and comfortable seating goes hand in hand. In recent years, we have adopted a much more casual approach to entertaining. Few people are comfortable with formality. We want to be able to finish the meal preparation while enjoying the company of our invited guests. A Kitchen- Family room combination means we don't miss out on any of the conversation with our children or spouses during food preparation or clean up. Finally, eclectic styling in the Boomers homes is very much a trend that is here to stay. These people are more educated and traveled than any group before. They have been exposed to many countries and cultures. This has broadened their tastes and they want to incorporate these new ideas into their lives and homes. They bring home wonderful things from their travels to India and Africa and China. They are deeply affected by the 'global village' that we live in and want to combine different styles and cultures to form an eclectic mix that is interesting and timeless. The Boomers are setting the pace in an enthusiastic and knowledgeable way as they fine tune the art of nesting. Joyce Flasch is a freelance interior designer with her studio here in Calgary. You can reach Joyce at 403 547-4081 or by email at jfflasch@home.com |