What's on tap in home trends

Spring is a time of renewal, and for this season the furniture and decor trends can be summarized as a blast from the past. After attending several home decor shows it's obvious that all that is old is new again, with added twists and emphasis on comfort.

For example, art deco styles with architectural characteristics from the 1920s and '30s, along with retro and mod styles are among prevailing home decor and furniture trends this spring. Furniture silhouettes are moving toward more linear and geometric shapes.

Furniture and home decor influences include globalization, the search for space-saving solutions, the drive to de-clutter and cocooning.

Here are some of the key spring 2004 furniture and decor themes:

Contemporary: Sleek, streamlined shapes with art deco influences; modern, high-tech designs and leather accents.

Retro: Revival of the past with organic shapes and fun colours like candy pink, orange, lime and pastel combinations with chrome and white accents.

Urban: A polished minimalist look for city, condo, loft and studio living with a cosmopolitan edge and a colour palette ranging from creams, whites and browns to soft pumpkins and steel blues.

Eclectic: Mixed elements of warm and welcoming colours and textures from a variety of styles. Handcrafted influences with accessories in plush velvets, Indian silks with gold and bronze accents. Nothing matches, but together it all works.

Exotic fusion: A fusion of styles, influenced by Asian, Zen and feng shui aesthetics, combined with pure lines, textures in neutrals and spice palettes with accents of red and gold.

Tropical chic and plantation styles: Includes motifs like palm trees, monkeys and animal prints, incorporating natural soft palettes and beach colours from turquoise to corals to sea-mist greens.

Fabric trends

Solids, tone-on-tone and textured fabrics are big this season. Microfibre materials that feel like suede are at their softest. Leathers are sleek and once again fashionable and elegant.

Bold patterns are reserved for accents like decorative pillows and throws. Upholstery fabrics are more discreet, with simpler details like fine pinstripes and mini herringbones. Details like piping, single and double top-stitching accents are in.

Colour trends

Solid greys and pastels are being incorporated into all the latest trends as accent colours. Beiges and browns are simple and classic, especially for textured fabrics.

Oranges are bursting, from soft corals to spicy, coppery hues. Reds are bold and vibrant. Pinks are vivid and fun. Yellows are diverse, from golden ambers to cool citrus.

Blue is the dominant colour. Shades range from soothing pastels to bright, oceanic aquas, perky periwinkles and subdued steel blues.

Greens are natural, representing rejuvenation and harmony, ranging from grassy shades to airy spa sea-glass tints.

And according to trend forecasters, white is the new black.

If it seems like almost every colour is in, you're on to something. Some colours are just more dominant than others, and are usually shown in different shades to coincide with major trends. My advice is to decorate with the colours you love, but don't be afraid to try something new.