Hi from Breathe’s new DIY gal

Like most things in life, trends ebb and flow and we are constantly doing our best to keep up with the latest “big deal.” Luckily, if you allow yourself to ride that tide rather than swim against it, the consistent chase can actually be quite fun. Home and nesting trends, for example, are one of those things that make “keeping up the Jones’s” an adventure in fun patterns, a rainbow of color and endless textures. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but no matter the outcome the sweat equity and sense of accomplishment are worth it. At least that’s how I feel.

Trend: Chevron

Every day I open myself up to the latest fads in home renovation and redecoration. From swanky real estate and budget-friendly design shows on television, to the vast expanse of blogs and websites online, I peruse all available resources to soak it all up. If you’re anything like me, your remote control thumb can punch out the channel for HGTV in about .2 seconds without even having to watch what you’re doing (that is, if it’s not already tuned to that channel when you push the power button). It sounds like a job, but I love it. And my home is certainly much better for it.

I am certainly no professional, but I have all but dedicated my life to home redesign. Ever since I was child, I would beg and plead with my mom to let me rearrange or repaint my room to suit my style of the moment. We joke together now that my childhood bedroom is probably about an inch smaller because of the layers and layers of paint on the walls: There was a pink phase, an evergreen phase, a tan phase, a perriwinkle blue phase (which my mom cleverly dudded “Carrie-winkle”). The list goes on.

Today, I have taken that love to a whole new level with the home design blog I started with my fiance, John. When he and I first started dating it was clear early on that we both loved to keep our hands busy with projects. Our “date nights” consisted of rewiring light fixtures in the kitchen , painting a bathroom and  spray painting a nightstand . We’ve tackled quite a bit and our home is slowly transforming into our dream space. It’s definitely been a journey, but we do our best to learn from the mistakes and just have fun with it.

Trend: Gallery Wall

So I might be able to tell you what you should do to your home to bring it into the trend of the minute, but there is no substance in that whatsoever. The beauty of home trending is that it’s almost entirely subjective. You ask four different home DIY (i.e. do-it-yourself) bloggers what their favorite 2011 trends are and you will get four vastly different answers. There is no right or wrong answer, it’s simply what works for you, your style and your little (or big) abode.

To help you out, I’ll be bringing you a “Tricks and Trends” feature right here on Breathe’s blog twice a month. It’s a place for you to come to sample a variety of the ring leaders in the design world. You will find links and resources that give you that little push you may need to get out there and explore the viral world of inspiration. There’s a lot out there and it’s easy to get lost (I do all the time!), but the point is to scan and hunt for the trends that jump out at you. The satisfaction you get when you transform a space into something noteworthy with a little inspiration and your own two hands is priceless.

For a little taste of what I mean, I thought I’d spout off about a few that have caught my eye and inspired me to jump to action. One of the biggest trends I’ve seen this year is a gallery wall. It’s a great project for a novice to start off with because it has big impact and the sentimental factor is explosive. I have approximately five gallery walls in our modestly-sized townhome and I’m probably not finished with them yet.

Another big one is chevron: It’s just a pattern, but this simple zig zag has taken off in the design world and can be found on anything from floors to curtains to walls. It’s modern and versatile and home nesters everywhere are using it to spice up their spaces in all manner of colors.

Trend: Ikat