FOLLOW UP ON THESE HOME-DESIGN TRENDS

While following trends on big-ticket items may seem like an expensive proposition, quick fixes can also make a home look on-trend without sacrificing the retirement fund.

Interior stylist Janette Ewen’s top trends for 2016 are:

Heavy Metals Backsplash in gold and bronze add a touch of glam to the kitchen. You can even find them at big-box home-reno retailers, where the tiles are “shockingly affordable but still look super high-end,” Ewen said.

Back in Black Black may not seem an ideal colour for a kitchen, but this year it’s all about adding “a little more drama” to the space, Ewen said.

Black cabinetry is one way to go, or even black stainless-steel appliances from the likes of Samsung, she said.

If the kitchen has a neutral palette, a matte black faucet “is so on trend,” Ewen added. Delta Faucets’ Trinsic model will help create that dark and dramatic look. A bold faucet “says luxury, and it’s going to be a focal point in the kitchen,” she said.

The Unexpected In the bathroom, it’s all about green, particularly in the form of faux flowers and plants to turn the space into a pseudo garden, Ewen said.

She has also seen both clients and friends choose “unexpected materials” in the bathroom or powder room, including cabinetry done in plywood, which can be left natural or easily painted.

Not the kids’ playroom anymore It can be a challenge, particularly in small spaces, to keep junior’s toys from taking over a living room. Not anymore, Ewen said.

“For so long we’ve treated our living rooms as a babysitter — toys everywhere and worn-out furniture,” she said.

“I think there’s some sophistication coming back to the home.”

The “adult” living room is making a comeback, she said, meaning structured furniture that’s great for adult entertaining in the evening and lots of storage for keeping the Fisher Price collection out of sight when it’s not in use.

Square wicker baskets that can be lined up on shelves or tucked into corners make for sophisticated storage, and versions with hard-topped lids can be disguised as side tables with plants or books, Ewen said.

A wall unit filled with brightly coloured boxes can also become a de- sign focal point with a utilitarian purpose. Smaller ones up high can hold the adults’ things, while larger boxes down below can be filled with toys, books, play mats and other fun stuff.

Thin Rubbermaid boxes can also slide under the sofa for out-of-sight, out-of-mind storage.

At the Bar The final touch for bringing grown-up style back to the home’s heart? A bar cart, Ewen said.

Nearly every furniture shop has one, so they can be found at every price point, she said.

A wheeled version can be moved from room to room to be an extra surface for food preparation or serving.

Just keep the alcohol hidden in the kitchen when the little ones have the run of the place.