What was hot in homes in 2008

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - This election year there was a clear winner on the home front: traditional with a twist.

In 2008 we enveloped ourselves in yesterday's classics that were freshened up for today's tastes.

"Everything has been about a return to tradition and formality," said Michelle Lamb, an internationally recognized trend forecaster based in Minneapolis. "The T-word is not a decorating faux pas as long as it's not too literal."

Traditional Home magazine this year looks hip and, well, modern. The lines between traditional and modern are indeed blurring, experts say.

"Furniture isn't so squared off and clean-lined anymore because people want to feel comfortable," said Shawn Henderson, an interior designer in New York City and design director for eBay home and garden. "There's more detail, more texture and more color, which reflects our times."

1. The new neutral

Gray is making a triumphant return as a wall color, giving people an alternative to tried-and-true beige. The moody hue tends to gain popularity in times of war and turmoil.

"We haven't seen gray in a big way since the Great Depression and World War II," said Ann McGuire, Valspar color consultant and lead designer of Beehive Studios in Pennsylvania. "Gray feels fresh because it's soft and cool."

Gray offers great support for fun, vibrant colors, such as yellows (this year's popular accent color), purples (next year's color) and even teals. It's a sweet pairing with geranium pink or warm lilac for a girl's bedroom, and it can be a sophisticated backdrop for shiny surfaces such as mirrors and art glass.

"Think of grays as silvers, crystals and ice," McGuire said. "Grays can be sad if you think of them as the color of battleships or the basement."

2. Wingback chairs

We haven't seen a whole lot of wingback chairs since "The Cosby Show."

"In the '80s wingbacks felt so upper crust, and they needed a rest," Lamb said. "Now they feel refreshing."

Wingback chairs are even appearing in modern furniture catalogs. Their shape is being used for settees, headboards and ottomans.

Old wingback chairs can be spiffed up with fashion-forward fabrics.

"They're great to read in and lean back in," Henderson said. "They're fun, and they'll always be a staple."

3. Nailheads

This detail was once synonymous with grandpa's wingback chair. Now nailheads are glam, stylishly studding upholstered furniture, even creating patterns on the backs and edges.

"There are so many pieces that have them," said interior designer Jaclyn Banash, who lived in Southern California until opening Urban Dwellings Design furniture store this year in Kansas City, Mo. "Initially I felt like the nailheads were too much, but now I feel like they really up the ante on a piece, making them stand out."

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Lamb says nailheads will keep flourishing. She's even seeing spit tacks, smaller and more randomized nails, being used in furniture as a rustic accent.

4. Ikat

The chic fabric (pronounced ee-cat) was all over the runways this year and fashioned its way into our homes. Ikat, a symbol of prosperity, is a style of weaving that uses a dyeing process before threads are woven to create a pattern.

"It's a great antidote to rooms that are too eclectic or infused with culture," Banash said. "It says global without going overboard. It's a wonderful, clean look, and I love it."

Banash thinks ikat is best used for pillows and accent chairs with more basic furniture.

5. Owls

You're seeing the big-eyed bird of prey in the daylight hours on aprons, prints, candles, ornaments, sake sets. The whimsical guys have been hot sellers in recent months on eBay.

"Just the other day I was out shopping and saw some ink-blot owls on pillow linens I liked for a client," Henderson said.

But remember, as with ikat, a little owl goes a long way. A menagerie of owls can start to look like Halloween.

6. Bare wood

More organic pieces are being used with formal pieces. Banash paired a local artisan's tree stumps, used as end tables or stools, with nailhead-studded chairs.

"They've been one of the most popular things at the store," she said. "People loved the juxtaposition of the rustic with the refined."

Wood furniture finishes are looking raw and lighter, almost naked. It's a definite departure from the popular chocolate brown-stained wood of recent years.

7. LED

Light-emitting diodes, invented in 1962, shone brightly in 2008. LEDs can last more than 50,000 hours or more than 20 years, about five times longer than compact fluorescent bulbs and 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

LEDs are increasingly being used for under-cabinet lighting in kitchens and in innovative products such as garment bars in closets. Locally, a store specializing in LEDs opened this year. Green Light, 7927 Floyd St. in Overland Park, retrofits existing light fixtures to use LEDs.

Look for the LED trend to keep growing as the price comes down.

8. 'Mad Men'

The AMC Emmy-winning drama, set at a high-powered ad agency in early 1960s New York, is eye candy for design lovers.

Consequently the teak furniture and metal wall sculptures of mid-century modernism remain hot little numbers on eBay.

The clothes are inspiring home design. Using men's suit fabric is chic _ think gray flannel and pinstripes. Look for more to come, because fashion designers keep gushing about the show, and as we know, fashion and home design go hand in hand.

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© 2009, The Kansas City Star.