Like fashion, kitchen design goes through trends in color, materials and style. For years the big trend in kitchen design has been beautiful wood cabinets, granite counter tops and traditional styling.  We’ve seen white return as a popular kitchen cabinet and backsplash color. And now we are seeing black and dark grays becoming popular choices for cabinets.  These dark colors create a dramatic space that can work in most style kitchen designs, from farmhouse to contemporary, traditional to modern.

Dark colored cabinets are trending to black, a range of grays, and deep navy. Dark chocolate brown is also being seen. What kind of countertops can work in a dark, dramatic kitchen? That depends on your own style.  Some dark cabinets are being paired with dark granite and marble, soapstone and even cement counters.  Others are using lighter granite, quartz and white marble to balance the deep color.

Floors throughout the home are going darker, as seen in the ebonized wood floor trend.  Kitchens are seeing this trend as well.  Dark wood floors, slate and other dark floor materials work well with the dramatic cabinet colors. A colorful runner or rug can incorporate color into the design as well as provide a comfortable surface underfoot.

When going dark in the kitchen, lighting is even more important.  Under cabinet and task lighting will provide enough light to work and highlight the drama of the room. Metal hardware will stand out against dark cabinets like the perfect piece of jewelry against a little black dress.

When we think about seasonal decorating, we usually think of the seasonal holiday colors; red, white and blue for summer; foliage colors for fall and so forth. For winter decorating, think outside of the typical red and green for Christmas or blue and white of Chanukah for inspiration. Winter white is a warm white that is less yellow than cream, but lighter than a beige.

Taking a cue from fashion, winter white is a terrific choice for richer tones of white that work well with the deeper tones typical of winter: deep green, crimson, and jewel tones. Or you can create a winter white wonderland and layer this rich neutral with other neutrals and textures. Like the picture, mixing in different textures in the form of textiles, pillows and throws can make a monochrome palette interesting and far from bland. Thick throws inspired by winter sweaters and knit covered pillows in winter white create a cozy feeling that is perfect for a bedroom or a room with a fireplace.

Winter white accessories are also easier to live with than crisp, pure decorator’s white. Soft, warm whites on walls and trim can give a nice hint of color to a room. If you are afraid of white carpet, wood floors with a winter white area rug might be the answer. You could choose a light or white washed wood floor to keep the space monochrome. A dark floor in a winter white room would be much more dramatic.

Whether you chose to paint or just add a few accessories, consider using winter white for a seasonal color that is sophisticated and subtle.

When you work from home, it’s smart to set up your own location for basic office supplies. You can buy a simple two-door cabinet like this one, or add shelves and doors to a closet so that you’re able to recreate this type of storage space.

Before you set up your cabinet, choose a location with hard even flooring like the one in this photo, and then use a level and shims to make sure that the cabinet is even. This will keep the doors from falling closed or open and keep your supplies in place.

It makes sense to limit your choices so that you don’t have to use up too much space. Think of your office basics. To start, what do you need for your computer and printer? You may want to buy a case of paper because it’s less expensive than buying it by the 500-sheet ream. Ink in an ink-jet printer often runs out without warning, so it’s a good idea to have an extra set of color and black and white ink cartridges.

Make a list of supplies that you use regularly, and those that could cause trouble or inconvenience if you ran out of them unexpectedly. Add to that list those items that are less expensive if bought in bulk. Now you have a good start.

To avoid unnecessary clutter, look for a few boxes or containers to hold things such as paper clips, staples, pens and other small items. Don’t overcrowd the shelves so that you can keep track of materials easily. If you want, place a small clipboard or notepad on the inside of one door to write down a shopping list when you use up your extra supplies or start running low.

While a cabinet like this may take some time and effort to set up, your office supplies will then be permanently under control with very little additional effort on your part.

Ready for a little more personality in your home office or bedroom? How about thinking outside the shelf when determining how to store books?

This zigzag approach actually holds quite a few volumes while adding a touch of design daring to your home. This style can be found on the Internet or easily built if you’re handy.

Want even more of a design feel? How about sorting the books by color on each shelf? Combining red, green, blue and black covers would increase the sculptural feel. Some designers also cover books in white or brown paper to keep them looking clean and simple. Of course, this turns them into accessories rather than functional objects.

By choosing a light color for the shelves, furniture and walls, this homeowner chose to have the furnishings almost fade into the background and the accessories and books stand out. If your accessories are more functional than attractive, using a brightly colored or black set of shelves and dresser or buffet would put the accessories in the background. This might be a better choice in a commercial application such as an office.

Shelves like these have only become possible since the development of shelf holders that become invisible once the shelves are installed. This clean approach allows the shelves themselves to become part of a clean and contemporary look.

Don’t choose the simplest or most standard options when you decorate your home. Even something as simple as a bookshelf can become a statement of your personality if you look outside the standard in your home’s design.