As the owner of Bricks & Birches design and consultation firm, Robyn Manning likes to be on top of recent trends–and she’s always looking ahead. A couple of her current favourite looks contrast with one another: The monochromatic “organic modern” trend and the eclectic, more colourful aesthetic. Manning dished out some advice on how to embrace trends in a small space and how to accessorize without breaking the bank.
Are these trends things we’re going to see more and more as we get to 2018?
Oh, big time, especially 2018. Colour is definitely back. Grey was huge
When we’re looking at small spaces like condos and somebody says, “How do I incorporate colour into my smaller space?” what are the kind of things you might suggest?
Accessories are a great way to play with trends, of course. You can do the cushions, throw blanket, artwork—things you don’t necessarily have to feel like you’re tethered to
You work with a variety of budgets. When you’re advising people to get a certain look for less, how do you do that?
For example, I’ve got a client that’s got a huge wall in their family room. Large pieces of art can be quite expensive, so in this situation, we’re using a bunch of their photos that they’ve collected over the years, printing them out in black and white so they’re cohesive, and using inexpensive frames to do a gallery wall. Sometimes I even accessorize with the homeowner’s personal clothing items. For example, do a hat wall. Or like, if you have a really great pair of shoes