ECLECTIC, ELECTRIC, EASY BREEZY

For spring decor, pay less attention to season and more to personal expression

The biggest trend in decor may be that there isn’t a big seasonal shift in style any more. In an era of democratic design, there’s a relaxed approach to home decorating that has put the notion of “in” or “out” on a back burner. We can decorate our homes more freely.

There are furnishings, palettes and materials in the spotlight, to be sure. But we’re more inclined to decorate in a personal and emotional way, making home a happy refuge in an uncertain world. “We’ve started doing indoor/outdoor fabrics mixed with the most delicious mohairs and alpacas, combined with textured chenilles and weaves.”

Miami-based designer Phyllis Taylor says her eponymous firm is getting many requests for ethanol-based fireplaces, which are easily retrofitted into homes because they don’t require venting. Taylor’s team is using the fireplaces as room dividers, and situating them in master baths, dining rooms and on television walls. “These fireplaces are a luxurious focal point, giving a space an unexpected touch of coziness and glamour.”

Farmhouse sinks, like Stone Forest’s hammered-copper version (www.stoneforest.com), meld relaxed rusticity with modernity.

Eclectic décor is part of this trend, too — a curated mélange of whatever makes your inner decorator’s heart beat. Pieces from different eras, travel souvenirs, favorite finds — the shelter magazines have embraced eclecticism for its ease and personality.

Quiet color palettes are part of this aesthetic. Think muted sugar hues, deep limpid blues and fog.

Hastings Tile & Bath’s new collec-

AMY BARTLAM/AMY SKLAR DESIGN Amy Sklar, of Amy Sklar Design, loves bold floral prints that feel modern and classic, such as these chairs — classic shape with a pattern that pops.

AMY BARTLAM/AMY SKLAR DESIGN The nook under these home stairs was designed by Amy Sklar Design. The fabric, by Raoul Textiles, is called Elephant Leaf.