Going gray takes on whole new meaning, look for 2008

It's time to peek into the looking glass and see what's hot for the coming year. Global decorating is indeed with us, which allows for a tremendous variety of styles and accessories. It has never been easier to fix up your home to suit your lifestyle.

You will notice a shift in attention from black to gray, both on its own and also as a balancing color. Going green continues to grow in importance as manufacturers champion the recycling spirit. Textures are tactile and enticing and if you love saturated color, you will be blown away by the potent palette for bed and bath linens.

Gray has been out of vogue for a while, but the new softer shades of stone, putty and granite are making a huge impact next year. As is usually the case, and a trend in its own right, the boutique hotels are one step ahead of homeowners in interior design. I was delighted to spend a couple of nights at the new London Hotel in New York City, made famous by my favorite chef, Gordon Ramsey, who has an incredible restaurant within the hotel. The restaurant, lobby and especially the suites have used a palette of gray in a sensual way reminiscent of how colors were used during the art deco period.

Mixed with glass and smoky silvery greens, this palette of delicate grays has given a whole other notion to the rather tired beige groupings of the past decade. Gray is being paired with anything -- fresh and funky oranges, classy coppers, reserved olive green and pure white. Although more muted than in the past, purples are still hot and are a good pairing with gray.

Going green must become a way of life for us all rather than a trend, and its global importance is captured in the many ways designers and manufacturers choose to create new products. Plastics may not seem to be earth friendly, but they are if the product has been re-created from recycled plastic, which is the case today. Leather continues its strong position, but look for printed leather and new furniture designs. Wood, bamboo and cork are renewable resources that have continued staying power for furniture, flooring and accessories.

Motifs from nature are still favored patterns; you'll find florals with oversized blooms, sculpted leaves and birds on fabrics and wallcoverings. New colorways keep these well-loved patterns fresh and current.

The rush over steel is not stopping any time soon. It took a while to get here, but once the kitchen manufacturers caught on, steel swept in like a tidal wave. However, textures are shifting toward hammered or distressed in all metals and some wood as well. Clean lines can be defined by fabrics spun through with metallic threads, and distressed furnishings stained driftwood gray. Reflective surfaces bring a lovely gleam to any room.

Glassware is veering away from the straight and narrow, taking on enchanting new curves and bubbles that work well with contemporary design and add a note of surprise to traditional settings.

Watch for my future columns where I'll being showing you the latest in window coverings (films and frostings!), fabulous furnishings with a twist and the newest take on form and texture for accessories. It's all exciting and clever stuff.

Debbie Travis is a columnist for King Features Syndicate. E-mail questions to her at house2home@debbietravis.com.