Trends surround us, they influence and impact every part of our lives.

Whether you predict hemlines or housing, deal with wall colors or Wall Street, understanding where trends come from, what shapes and drives them will ease your mind, help you make the best decisions and put (or keep) more money in your pocket.

Trends don’t materialize out of thin air. No matter the segment-if you boil it down far enough, there are two things that shape and drive trends.

First-real things going on in our world... ‘our world’ being as micro as our circle of friends, or as macro as-well, literally our world.

Second-the universal, yet infinitely unique human condition known as being bored.

We want to be entertained, and we want to stand out.  Perhaps the cavemen and cavewomen knew to look ahead as a survival skill, but in our lifetime, Madison Avenue trained us to expect greater things, more satisfaction from the next and newest thing. Translated-why we can buy Halloween decorations on July 4th, but bathing suits-not so much!

The percentages of each element will fluctuate in each scenario, but in the end, these are the drivers. It’s natural to feel the trends in the segments you like and understand are the most valid, with the ones you don’t like or  understand as being random or arbitrary, but ignore the latter group at your own peril.

 When you connect a concrete reason, or point of reference in someone’s world to what you are asking them to do, buy or believe- you level the playing field, and add value to their experience.

At The Refreshed Home you’d think it’s all about how something looks….and it kind of is. But my sellers’ properties sell more quickly and closer to list because we focus on who the buyer is, and what they crave.

My decorating clients sleep at night because they’re able to ‘see’ how things come together, and understand how one choice will serve them better than another.  Yes, this Westchester County Decorator and Home Stager considers her REAL stocks in trade largely intangible, and subjective: value, confidence, relief, peace of mind, balance, comfort, and happiness!

Heavy stuff– MUCH easier to think of me as a human Ouija board with a paint fan! But good designers-and good design-deal with what is missing, what is wrong or not working, and what is craved; then creates a solution that is to scale, and appropriate for the space, the client, and the circumstances.

NEXT:Latest Decorating and Home Staging Trends: What, and Why

 

Marie Graham is an Interior Decorator, a Home Staging and Re-Design specialist, and photo stylist. Using her equally developed right and left brains she created The Refreshed Home in 2007 after 27 years of working for other people. Reach her directly marie@therefreshedhome.com or 914.607.2895