BY DOROTHY DE SOUZA GUEDES
FOR THE GAZETTE

ABOVE: Furniture with ornate carved arms and legs are making a strong showing in interior design in 2008.

Lighten up, brighten up. That’s the trend this spring and summer in décor for the home. That’s quite a reversal from recent years, says Iowa City interior designer Rhonda Staley.

The economic and political times are driving people to a lighter look as they search for more peacefulness in their own homes, Staley says.

In recent months, decorator magazines have switched from a darker café au lait paint color to a lot of cream or ivory, in a style that is more spare and light, she says.

A lighter neutral wall color makes it easier to layer other neutrals. For accent colors, the subtle greens and blues of water are becoming popular, with brown as an accent.

“I think coral is a new trend – not pink, but coral,” says Staley.

Furniture design is showing a European influence, comfortable yet elegant, with more ornate carved arms and legs, she says. The style works well in accent pieces, without overdoing it.

According to Staley, kitchens are also becoming more European in style, with marble instead of granite and a mix of light and dark finishes on cabinetry.

For finishes, classic gold is in, as it is in jewelry. Several years back the platinum ring phase influenced home décor in its polished nickel for light and plumbing fixtures.

Carpeting is moving toward tighter weaves with a loop and cut mixture, or hard surface flooring with area rugs.