<p>Watching HGTV I have confirmed today that:</p>
<p>Brass fixtures are so 80s
Wall mirrors in bathrooms are also way 80s</p>
<p>Hardwood floors are still excellent choices</p>
<p>Granite can be still good or not? The backsplash is now usually tile not the same granite.</p>
<p>Any natural stone on the floor, counter, bath, etc is usually going to be good.</p>
<p>I have not really paid attention for the last 10 years to where trends are going, what else should I know about what’s in & out?</p>
<p>While I know people get excited with natural stone, it is not very giving on the feet. If you are someone that spends a good bit of time standing in the kitchen, I would not go with stone or tile. Just my 2 cents worth!!</p>
<p>As was mentioned on the thread about selling a home “as is,” what is “in” in one part of the country might not be the same else where, but I bet they are close.</p>
<p>Proves you should go with what you like- today’s “in” will be tomorrow’s “out”… 99% of houses are going to be out of date. I also can’t figure out when “dated” becomes fashionable because it represents some period in time. </p>
<p>Granite seems to be a viable choice- many homes using it. Concrete- not. I feel sorry for homeowners talked into something trendy only to find it never catches on, and has maintenance issues.</p>
<p>The Tuscan look is on its way out. The Euro look is in (less is more and sleek lines) Gas fireplaces with a strip of flame versus fake logs are in. Bathroom mirrors are now framed with 4-5" wood. I see quite a few of those vessel sinks that sit on top of the bathroom vanity.</p>
<p>Based on what Kajon just reported, I bet that in several years people who bought into these trends will be:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Replacing their Vessel sinks (ya mean we hafta clean not only inside the sink but also outside - yuck?)</p></li>
<li><p>Replacing the rotting wood framing around bathroom mirrors with a more suitable material or stripping them of their varnish and painting them with moisture-compatible finish.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Especially in kids’ bathrooms :)</p>
<p>The vessel sinks can be quite striking, but they don’t seem like a family friendly option!</p>
<p>We completely gutted our new house, except for the kitchen, last year. My contractor told me that glass block was “out”. Too bad, I guess my brand new master bathroom is “out” because I refused to use solid glass unless he provided a cleaning women. Another thing I was told was very “in” by one designer and “totally out” by another was different color cabinets and trim molding. I chose to add a different color trim, still not sure whether I am in or out on that one! I was also advised to go with a smaller tub, because those big jacuzzi tubs are not “in”. Well, my 5’10" athlete begs to differ! The best one was the barely 5’ tall plumber who had to bring a ladder in to put in the shower heads, which we moved higher to accomodate previously mentioned daughter and 6’2" husband. He couldn’t understand why we wanted it so high, asked me to check the position several times.</p>
<p>Unless you are doing a house with the intention of selling in the near future, I think the livability factor outweighs what is “in” and “out”. </p>
<p>And I do agree that natural stone and tile can be hard on the feet, but the advantage to those in warmer climates far outweighs this easily remedied disadvantage(anti-fatigue mats). The house stays so much cooler. Flipside is it stays so much cooler in the winter also. We had an exceptionally cold winter this year and the house was uncomfortably cold for a couple of weeks. This is very unusual though, I have gone several years without ever turning the heat on.</p>
<p>Livability is a very important factor. And so is cleanability. The builder of our current house took a look at me and my H and asked, “Who’s the cook in the family?” When he got the answer, he took a closer look at me and said, “You look about the same height and size as my wife, so I will use the measurements from my kitchen to order cabinets for yours” Boy, I’m glad he did! He also made sure that the showerheads in the master shower were positioned to accomodate our heights. One quick look at a Jacuzzi tub with yucky residue around the jets convinced me that we did not want any jets in our tub. But we got a double-wide regular tub because the company shipped it to the builder by mistake. And I’m glad we did not make him ship it back!</p>
<p>I love the look of vessel sinks ! I think they are ok for the guest bathroom but not regularly used bathrooms.</p>
<p>^ BB- I second the livability and cleanabliity. Unless the house is an investment property or you plan to sell soon, it should be what you like. Granite countertop is very popular where I live but I still like my corian countertop from 12 years ago and I see no reason to replace it with granite at this time. By the time we sell (barring unforeseen circumstances, that will be awhile) something else will likely be “in”. </p>
<p>As for the jacuzzi tub, we had one put in when we built and I love it. People say all the time that I probably never use it, but that is so not true for me. I love it.</p>
<p>We are planning to change out some of our polished brasss hardware for the brushed nickel as that is an easy and relatively inexpensive update.</p>
<p>Not using the jacuzzi holds true for us. It has became a spot where I put my plants and other assorted junk. We figure having the jacuzzi made the bathroom looked nicer though.</p>
<p>My jacuzzi tub sees its fair share of use also! We got an air jet tub, which is easier to keep clean. And if anyone is considering one, I highly recommend getting a heater. We also changed all the fixtues out at our old house to brushed nickel and it made a huge difference. In the new house, we used oil rubbed bronze. It looks better with the West Indies/tropical style of this house. I will say that it is harder to keep looking nice, every little spot shows!</p>
<p>My considerations are comfort, ease of maintenance, cost and appearance.</p>
<p>We needed to replace our kitchen floor and had discussed all the options. I was dead set against tile or stone. They hard and unforgiving (as someone else mentioned) as well as cold. I also hate grout (yes, I know you can seal it, but I still hate it). I was really against wood because I do not want to be a slave to any water or liquid spillage on the floor. We also have always had a big dog and those nails can be murder. But I do like the look of wood and it would be warmer than tile.</p>
<p>What we finally settled on is vinyl wood-look strips. They are 3’ long and 6-12" wide. We installed them ourselves. It is oh so soft and comfy and warm on the feet! I have already spilled lots of liquids and no issue with cleanup. The dog and cats make a mess on it with their food - no issues. I have dropped glasses and dishes with no breakage. Also no dog nail marks. The real test was when my SIL (the home decorating princess) came over and said “wow, you put down a wood floor. It looks great!” It obviously fooled her! So for about $500 in a big kitchen we had a floor that matched our requirements. I never understood why vinyl flooring went out of popularity. But that’s just me, I guess.</p>
<p>^vinyl wood-look strips - I think I have seen them at Home Depot. I thought they looked very nice. I wanted to install them in the basement but the husband nixed the idea. They are slightly more expensive than laminate and contractors seem not to be as familiar with them and charge more.</p>
<p>I echo what has been said earlier. Good design and quality materials are always “in”. Keep away from ersatz “themes”, such as “French Country” or “Tuscan”. Fake themes age FAST.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yep. Got them at HD. They were easy to install ourselves and we are not geniuses when it comes to this stuff (although we can read directions and have some common sense 
). Believe me, I was nervous about how it would look, but to pass this SIL’s test was a big plus! Our kitchen is 25+ feet long and an avg. of 12’ wide, so it’s a big space. For $500 I’m extremely pleased and have a warm, soft floor that cleans up easily.</p>
<p>I would think they would be great in a basement. We are actually thinking about putting them in other living areas as well. They come in so many varieties of color and wood type.</p>
<p>green is “in” (and I don’t mean the color). And green can get you tax credits and rebates. For kitchen floors, consider marmoleum. For the kitchen counter, there are a number of choices, for my remodel I used Richlite, which is a paper-based product. Ecohome ( [EcoHome</a> Improvement offers ecological and healthy home paint, flooring, cabinetry, and countertops for all of your home renovation projects.](<a href=“http://www.ecohomeimprovement.com/]EcoHome”>http://www.ecohomeimprovement.com/)) is a store in Berkeley, CA that carries a range of green products for the home. Their website may be a good resource for ideas.</p>
<p>That said, good taste is always timeless.</p>
<p>We’re never going to sell out home so we just put in what we “like.” Designers would probably faint deadaway if they saw the mosh pit of old and new, shiny and not shiny, in-colors and “out” colors! I figure we probably have alittle of whatever is trendy for whatever decade we’re in so good to go.</p>
<p>I figure we probably have alittle of whatever is trendy for whatever decade we’re in so good to go. </p>
<p>I love it.</p>
<p>But I am already feeling that way about my brand new vessel sink.
:o</p>
<p>Our builder was unsure about our exterior color choice. “Are you sure you want it so bright?” Darn right we were! When I pull into my driveway with my windshield wipers going full speed, the last thing I want is to be greeted by my dark, gloomy, brown house. After almost twelve years, we still like the color choice. If I ever have to repaint, I’ll go with the same color.</p>
<p>However, I’m working on getting all brass knobs and other hardware out. Trends or not, I just do not like the amount of work it requires to keep it looking neat.</p>