Ask a Designer: 'New feminine' style gives prettiness a modern, eclectic edge

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In this photo provided by Brian Patrick Flynn/HGTV.com, a den designed by Flynn showcases a fresh, feminine drapery fabric by Tilton Fenwick and a less expected feminine color scheme of mint green and fire engine red. (AP Photo/Brian Patrick Flynn/HGTV.com, Rustic White Photography)

A year ago, menswear-inspired decorating was wildly popular. Interior designers hung sharply tailored draperies alongside furniture covered in pinstripes. Sophisticated shades of grey were everywhere, as was navy blue.

But "since the pendulum always swings, we're starting to see fresh feminine spaces," says interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, "regardless of who lives in them."

The trend that designers are calling "the new feminine" isn't a return to an excess of florals, shabby-chic lace and other cliches of feminine decor from a decade ago. Instead, "feminine style" has evolved into "an esthetic that's classic with a soft, eclectic spin," says Flynn, founder of Flynnside Out Productions.

Pretty is back, but designers are using traditional florals on furniture with edgy, sleek lines to create modern mashups. Even the colour pink has enjoyed a makeover: Pantone's "colour of the year" for 2015 is a sexy, dark pink called "marsala."

"There was a period in design when 'pretty' or 'feminine' were considered bad words," says New York-based designer Young Huh. "It was considered lightweight and not serious. Ideal rooms were masculine, a bit sombre, devoid of pattern and softness. Recently, there is a return to appreciating traditional design and also pretty rooms."

Believe it or not, Huh says, "there is a new generation discovering chintz and florals."

So how do we pull off this new look to give rooms a beautiful, feminine touch without getting too "girly"?

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Ask a Designer: 'New feminine' style gives prettiness a modern, eclectic edge