Sam Simon’s Look Back at 2013

Each year around the holidays, many people (including moi) take stock of the year that has passed. These days, most of our lives are richly photographed and documented via social media, and I found myself taking a look back at 2013 through the images I posted to piece together my year in design. One thing is certain: 2013 was a year that was not just black and white.

I saw a lot of colors blend together this year with an increased interest in painted ombre wall treatments. Also on trend was taking a classic motif like branchwork and filtering it through a modern lens. The project below comes alive with a mix of matte and metallic white paint and a bevy of Swarovski crystal-encrusted fruit.

People are very design savvy right now, and I like it! This year I observed an openness to brave, juicy bolts of color, as well as the mixing of bold graphic patterns—so cute, so chic!

As I look ahead to 2014, I see the use of black and/or very dark hues within nursery and children’s room design. Furniture is going to continue to trend towards classic modern. Saturated colors will remain very important, as will the opposite end of the spectrum—very restrained color palettes. Abstract wall art will become more widely used like the happy pieces below (learn how to make these pieces in my next DIY post coming soon).

With the new also comes the tried-and-true—I will continue to use metallic paint and glitter with abandon, lots of people will continue to buy gray and white chevron bedding, and we should all continue to keep reaching for the stars (and a third of those stars should be covered in glitter). Happy holidays, everyone!