This happens every recession – in an effort to get away from the grayness and depression that everyday news brings, we get a return to brightness and joviality in the form of color. This recession isn’t any different, except this time, we’re getting a double dose in the form of the first wave of generational influence in home and design:

The average home stock in the US and Canada is made of homes that are approximately 30-35 years old.

The next wave of homeowners are in their late 20s-early 30s.  Beige is what their parents and grandparents liked.

Just as I went all futuristic and white everything in my 20s, this generation wants a bit of sparkle and color. Here’s what I’ve seen in the media universe lately:

Colored stoves

(Celebrity Cooker line from Aga – designed by Emma Bridgewater)

Furniture

(Squint Furniture via Apartment Therapy)

Colors and shapes for tiles

(Fap Ceramiche via Trendir)

Will they like these things forever? We didn’t, but here’s the difference in values:

1) Baby boomers – Lasting, timeless, pay once for quality, still carrying over values from a Depression they didn’t live in

2) Gen-Y – Fun! Quirky! Can replace it when we get tired of it! 4 billion choices and climbing…

Although the media seems to push a great divide, there’s nothing wrong with either mindset.

While I envy the choices this generation has, I figure my job is to point out all the quirky! fun! of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s and how tired we got of our shag and wallpaper. My design core is built to point out that constant replacement doesn’t fit in with a green agenda –- not that many are going to replace a 6-figure range.

Yet I’m still a designer. If you love the new turquoise color of 2010 and want to combine it with pink and orange to go with your range, you bet you and I can design the heck right out of it! (My, that sounded modest.   But you know what I mean, I hope.)

Because here’s the thing: if you’re going to be a designer into the next decade and refuse to accept this next generation of homeowners have this difference, you’re going to be left behind. Also, if you don’t think some Baby Boomers won’t embrace this new fun! decade of style and perkiness, or that some Gen-Y aren’t timeless design stylists, you’re going to struggle. For all that there is a divide, there is also a melding of thoughts and ideas that feels very exciting.

So, if you’ll just accept I have a Krytonite-like resistance to avocado (I’m so not loving those tiles above *sigh*),  I promise the sky’s the limit on the rest of the colors. Deal? Deal.

What are you planning that’s new and colorful for your home this year?