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, were 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 isnt 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 thats 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: Pantones colour of the year for 2015 is a sexy, dark pink called marsala (see below).

In this May 14, 2014 file photo, American actress Blake Lively poses for photographers on the red carpet during the opening ceremony and the screening of Grace of Monaco at the 67th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. Marsala, the wine-influenced, red-kissed color of 2015, was chosen by Pantone. Pantones yearly picks can herald a marked presence of a color in fashion, beauty, housewares, home design and consumer packaging, though some years the influence is stronger than others.

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?

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.

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Designers embrace new feminine trend in home decor

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February 9, 2015 at 11:32 am by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Trim and Moulding