Trend Watch: 5 high-style ways to modernize your home

Switch Modern co-founder Roy Otwell has advice on all the spring trends
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Trend Watch

Photograph courtesy of Switch Modern, the Shade Store

This spring, everyone’s talking about rosy palettes, high-tech products, and edgy materials (hello, copper). Roy Otwell, cofounder of the contemporary home furnishings and furniture haven Switch Modern, takes us through his favorite current trends.

Mixed-Use Appliances

Nothing says modern like minimalism. Otwell likes mixed-use appliances like Miele’s speed oven, which also has microwave setting, for their form and functionality: “It’s an easy way to declutter your kitchen without sacrificing the ability to cook a great meal for friends and family.”

Light Fix

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Lighting is the most important aspect of modern bathrooms and kitchens

Photograph courtesy of Switch Modern, the Shade Store

“Lighting is hands down the most important aspect of bathrooms and kitchens—and technology has really changed the game for lights,” Otwell says. LED and low-voltage lighting not only conserve energy but also add a warmer ambiance to spaces compared to traditional fluorescent lamps. Moooi and Davide Groppi are two of Otwell’s go-to makers for a softer, tech-enabled glow.

Composite Surfaces

Photo Courtesy of Switch Modern, the Shade Store

“There’s a growing trend of people who want one-of-a-kind surfaces that can’t be replicated in someone else’s home,” Otwell says. For countertops, there’s been a move away from mainstays like Calacatta and Carrara marble and toward composite finishes with metals such as copper or antiqued brass, or even concrete. This trend has also extended to cabinets, where metals have been popular, along with stencil patterns and digitally printed surfaces.

Cult of Color

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Photo Courtesy of Switch Modern, the Shade Store

Introducing new hues can give a room a quick and modern update. For spring, expect to see a rise in pinks, roses, reds, and purples. “These palettes have been especially popular abroad in Europe, and they’re finally starting to take hold in the States, too,” he says.

Blended Spaces

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Photo Courtesy of Switch Modern, the Shade Store

Kitchens are no longer just a place to eat; bedrooms no longer a space just to sleep. “We’re seeing the barriers come down between rooms to create more connected spaces,” Otwell says. One popular combination to try? Connecting closet space to the bathroom in a master suite.

This article appears in our Spring 2018 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.

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