One word can describe the direction of home trends in 2002: More.
More space, more rooms, more appliances, more built-ins, more gadgets, more ceiling height, more color.
"We're seeing people that just want more stuff," said Bruce Cutler, a Naples, Fla., architect.
The post-9/11 world has Americans wrapping themselves in their homes. Instead of going out to a restaurant, they're creating the look of a commercial kitchen at home. Instead of going out to a movie, they're stepping into their home theater with the 50-inch flat screen. Instead of going to an arcade, they're sitting down to an evening of board games. Instead of going to a hotel for some pampering in an opulent suite, they're installing it right upstairs.
And while the kitchens may have a clean, stainless steel veneer, the rest of the home is getting warmer. Dark-stained, natural wood grains are all the rage, and people are turning toward rich colors in their fabrics and wall color.
"I do think it has to do with 9/11," said Chris Madden, an author of numerous design books and a frequent contributor to Home & Garden Television. "Comfort is still the operative word."
But the comfort level isn't fussy. Styles are becoming more minimalist, less cluttered. That means opting for leather and glass over tchotchkes and chintz.
Los Angeles designer Michael Payne, another HGTV host, was elated when a client brought one of her rooms into 2002, getting rid of its "country" theme and decorating around an Italian red leather chair.
"It stood by itself like an architectural piece, like a piece of sculpture," Payne rhapsodized. He was especially happy to see his client, a woman in her mid-50s, get rid of all those framed family photos on the room's credenza.
"They went," he said, pausing. "Somewhere else. I don't want to know," he whispered, as if the offending frames were pornographic.
His point: long, clean surfaces are the operative terms, with no more decoration than perhaps a single orchid.
This style, which harkens back to the '50s and '60s, is known as "mid-century modern."
In it, "I saw a whole new direction emerging more clearly this year than last year and in previous years," Payne said.
Back in the kitchen, builders are responding to an overwhelming demand for the commercial look.
"In 2002, for whatever reason, that commercial styling just really took off," said David Burcher, a kitchen designer with the Genesee Development Co. in Denver.
Just like commercial kitchens, the residential ones now have six- and eight-burner stoves and multiple ovens, microwaves, sinks and even dishwashers. Companies such as Kitchen Aid and GE are responding with new product lines catering to that demand.
Burcher's company also switched to Corian countertops as a standard in 2002, abandoning laminate finishes such as Formica. Granite has also become the company's most popular upgrade, he said.
As kitchens expand, at the expense of little-used dining rooms, so have bathrooms. The master bath now includes large dressing and storage areas, not to mention separate shower and toilet areas.
"When I've done jobs, it's almost like the bathroom is as big as the kitchen," said Michele Daenzer-Sapp, a kitchen and bath designer in Naples, Fla.
The new trends that took off in 2002 don't stop inside.
Forget the Weber kettle and the vinyl lawn chairs. Think plush outdoor furniture alongside a built-in patio island with sink, icemaker and double-level gas grill.
From the big-box Lowes to the specialty Frontgate, outdoor furniture and appliances were huge sellers.
"The plastic chairs that used to be OK are not working for homeowners anymore," said Amy Crowley, a spokeswoman for Frontgate. "They're really looking for quality items that are going to last."
Most of the trends should continue into 2003. But experts said people could expect to see more leaning toward natural and sustainable materials, such as bamboo floors.
Homebuilders will strive to build "green," and the yearning for convenience will continue with new products such a home version of the dry cleaner.
But one trend won't be a trend at all. "People are starting to trust their taste more," Madden said.
And that means anything goes.