Shay’s Design Picks: 2024
As the new year sets in, I'm reflecting on this latest trip around the sun and all the creative endeavors it’s offered. It's been a fulfilling year of design projects! We’ve tackled several in-home consultations, e-design packages and personalized projects (for local & remote clients), local renovation projects, and more! I have been on-site with clients a lot more lately as I’ve emerged further away from newborn baby days (not to mention further away from peak pandemic days). A highlight this year was bringing new life to an outdated semi-formal room at a Michigan State University sorority house — a house I’ve enjoyed working on consistently in recent years.
I'm so grateful to all of my clients who have welcomed me into their homes and trusted me with designing their sacred spaces. And I so appreciate all of my trade partners who have made things happen for me and my clients this (and every) year!
As the new year approaches, I’m also reflecting on my favorite design elements from recent projects. Here I’ll share some timeless and trendy picks I’m taking with me into 2024!
Trends come and go, and timeless looks aren’t the best fit for every space. You’re sure to stumble into several “trend spotting” articles as we near the new year, a la “Here’s how to make your home look good in 2024!” But here’s a reminder to us all: Design is ever-evolving! What matters most is not the latest design trend, nor the most timeless living room; what matters most is how you feel where you dwell.
If you’re looking to elevate your space and aren’t sure where to begin, connect with me, and I’ll prepare a personalized plan for you!
Fluted details
From structural elements to decorative details, I’m digging the flute — and I think it’s safe to say we’ll see a lot more of it through 2024 and beyond. Fluted table bases, wall paneling, candles — it’s a lovely look for all sizes. I’ve added a fluted rose-colored glass pendant light in my own bathroom this year, and I love the depth and interest it add to the space.
West Elm | Ellington 6-Drawer Dresser
Pottery Barn | Kähler Hammershøi Miniature Vases
Fully painted monochromatic rooms
Single spaces, single paint color — sound intimidating? The truth is, many of us have already embraced this approach with white tones. So it’s like that, but, in color! I’ve found that I’ve craved more color throughout my own home since the onset of parenthood/the pandemic (the two overlapped for me, so they’re hardly distinguishable…). Something about spending far more time at home and less time out in an over-stimulating world has me craving bolder tones in the home, and yet, I still want a calm, lack-of-clutter feeling that a monochromatic look offers. I like that a monochromatic look offers color without sacrificing elegance.
Shay Gabriel Interior Design | Semi-Formal Room Design Concept
Warm beige is the not-so-new neutral
Beige offers a warm, versatile neutral that works well no matter how minimalist or maximalist your style is. It’s been my go-to neutral for some time, and I don’t see it leaving anytime soon, despite what any beige-haters might have to say about it. I also love an earthy clay or rust brown for layering neutrals or adding balance to colorful spaces. Even my fave pick for “white” paint is a warmer alabaster tone.
West Elm | Dallas 2-Piece Chaise Sectional
Deep greens & blues are the paint colors I choose
My most frequently sourced paint colors are deep greens and blues. Give me a perfect dark blue-green mix, and I’m sure to love it! While I tend to embrace the darker side of blues and greens for a more classic, timeless look, softer blues and greens are trending, too.
Benjamin Moore | Yorktowne Green
Sherwin Williams | Studio Blue Green
Slab & vertical stack backsplashes
White subway tile had its resurgence moment in kitchens all across the country — no shade, I’ve used it in some kitchen designs, too. And while I wouldn’t rush to refinish any subway tiles you already have installed, I would encourage you to consider a different look for any brand new backsplashes: vertical stack tile backsplashes and continuous slab backsplashes carried over from countertops are my picks for 2024.
TileBar | Curve Fluted White 6x12 3D Glossy Ceramic Tile
TileBar | Curve Fluted Green 6x12 3D Glossy Ceramic Tile
Ornate moulding
I live in an old house, built in 1890, and oh how I wish it had maintained more of its original charm before we bought it! There’s one small section of the original baseboards in our house, and they are so tall, so gorgeous. Sometimes older is better — and there’s nothing that beats ornate solid wood moulding, if you ask me. Victorian and colonial profiles, when done big, make a statement I have and always will appreciate in design. I sense taller baseboards, more crown moulding, and more frame moulding in the near future.
Etsy | TangoCharlieDesign
Antique-inspired details
Add to that anything that has antique, artisan details, and I’m bound to love it for my own home and for the right design projects. There’s just something innately comforting about intricately detailed antique brass switch plates, or elegantly made wall hooks with a beautiful patina, for example. Actual antique furnishings are a treasure and can be incorporated just about anywhere.
Anthropologie | Joan Switch Plate
Smokey & colored glass
Minimalism had us all stocking up on clear, perfectly-smooth sets of drinkware and vases... Now, I’m all about smokey hues, deep jewel tones, basically anything that looks vintage — but, ahem, is no longer made with lead. Intentionally choosing glass objects to suit your own style is a fun way to add interest to your space, that beautiful bouquet, and your holiday cocktail/mocktail.
CB2 | Buchanan Glasses
Pottery Barn | Stephe Glass Table Lamp
Crystal-esque light fixture details
Crystal-esque light fixtures of all shapes and sizes? I’m digging them now more than ever. I think we’re all familiar with the dew-drop style crystal chandeliers beloved by shabby chic in more recent design eras, or perhaps a more traditional style you might see in a heritage home, but I’m talking across the spectrum of time and style. A MCM sputnik-inspired fixture with crystal diffusers rather than exposed bulbs? Love! An art-deco inspired layered look with smart bulbs? Check! Crystals bring a comforting elegance to every style.
Wayfair | Craggie Dimmable Drum Chandelier
Restoration Hardware | Boule de Cristal
Embrace what you love!
This is a (non comprehensive) list of design elements I’m loving lately. What are you loving? Take note, and let me know — I’ll be sure to consider your personal preferences in a cohesive design you’ll love to call yours.
