The Rustic Industrial style is popping up everywhere and warming up home décor in its wake. Channeling an industrial past, the furniture and décor features worn woods, rough surfaces and natural elements mixed with metal. Think metal piping for bookshelves, coffee table wood pallets on wheels and salvaged beams.

“Today’s design is all about the unexpected,” explains Kate Hart, Philadelphia-based designer and renown home stager. “Homeowners are choosing new materials for countertops like poured concrete or concrete colored quartz. They are also adding touches of rustic elements to their sleek modern spaces to give them some warmth.” 

During the 1980’s and early 90’s, brass was the gold standard for hardware in the home. Shiny gold door knobs and chandeliers were the go-to. Over the years the gold look was replaced by Nickel and Oil Rubbed Bronze faucets, fixtures, lighting and pulls – but today, a comeback is in the works.  We’ve seen a resurgence of brass among the trendsetters in design, gracing the pages of Traditional Home, home shows and the work of interior designers over the last couple of years. This resurgence is hitting the mainstream, with leading manufacturers of faucets, fixtures, hardware and lighting generously adding to their line with offerings from Polished Brass to Brushed Gold and Champagne Bronze.  Be clear: this is not the 90’s brass.  It is a softer, lighter gold – a more modern twist to the classic color.

It’s hard to believe, but this April marks 15 years since our CEO, Lisa Huntting, sold her first MirrorMate frame crafted and shipped from garage! Through the years, the idea of empowering homeowners to frame their existing mirrors with a simple mirror frame kit has brought both beauty to the bath, and the satisfaction of a job well done to hundreds of thousands of do-it-yourselfers nationwide. The idea of an affordable, easy upgrade with big wow factor has been embraced by the commercial sector as well – gracing the mirrors of hotels and multifamily communities, and as the perfect finishing touch to interior design jobs and new construction.

Back in 2004, Lisa had moved into a new house in Charlotte, North Carolina with her young son and began making it into a home.

The trend toward black accents in both kitchens and bath design is truly taking off.  This is not a shiny, contemporary black, but a matted black that beautifully brings texture and depth to the room. It’s easily incorporated through an abundant selection of matte black faucets, fixtures, mosaic tiles and clawfoot tubs newly brought to market.  The color adds a sophisticated touch to the room and makes a true statement.  While matte black easily skews modern or industrial, it also works well in more traditional or farmhouse settings, giving a current feel to the room.

Most interior designers will tell you that to have a truly beautiful home, you need to have a coherent style. At the same time, you want your home to be a personal space. From colors and patterns to furnishing and décor, you want something that really reflects who you are and how you live your life.

Unless you are an interior designer, though, it can be difficult to decide on which style suits your personality best. You could just decorate your home one part at a time, following whatever mood you’re in when you do it, but this mishmash, eclectic approach only rarely works well.

We were smitten with this bathroom renovation by the very talented Ebony Stephenson of Designs by Ebony in Newport News, Virginia. Though we shouldn’t be surprised!  She’s earned quite a reputation in the field, named as a National Kitchen and Bath Association 30 Under 30, Professional Remodeler 40 Under 40 AND a Kitchen and Bath Design News Top 50 Innovator. Ebony was kind enough to share with us below just how she was able to upcycle both the vanity and mirror in the space while still achieving a completely new and remodeled look…