Alena Capra of Alena Capra Designs has been called the “queen of space planning” because her specialty is reconfiguring rooms to be more functional. She especially loves reconfiguring kitchens and bathrooms.

She’s also one of the Coverings 2017 Attendee Advisory Council Ambassadors.

Here are 4 of Alena’s predictions for next year’s hottest trends in shapes, colors, and materials.

1. Hexagons. “In the last two years, we have seen the emergence of the hexagon shape in tile. It followed suit in lighting, textiles, wallpaper, and furnishings.”
   
   
2. New Grey. “Grey has been strong for a long time–and still is–but the movement towards more taupe shades of grey has been big in everything from tile, to paint, to furnishings.”
   
   
3. Bold accent colors. “Watch for emerald greens and cobalt blues.”
   
   
4. Organic influence. Rustic, reclaimed and even organic woods have also been strong themes.

Afraid of going bold? Here’s Alena’s cautionary tale…

Too many homeowners choose a “safe route” when selecting shapes, colors, and materials for a renovation because they’re “good for resale.”

But she’s also seen many of those safe kitchens torn out by new home buyers and replaced with the bold look they prefer.

So Alena always gives the same renovation counsel: “Choose things that make you happy. After all, you’ll be living there, and you need to enjoy it.”

As a Coverings Ambassador, Alena has access to new trends, and it’s helped her design firm grow.

“Being involved with Coverings has helped my business tremendously. It has allowed me to be at the forefront of many of the upcoming tile trends, and has exposed me to so many different types of tile, as well as new manufacturers.”

She has advice for designers who are new to Coverings who would like to follow her lead in using the show to grow their business this year. 

Here are her top 3 tips:

1. Sign up for one of the guided tours. It helps simplify the process, giving a general overview of the way the show is laid out and providing insight into some of the key trends you will see throughout the show.
   
   
2. Download the Coverings App. It’s such a great and useful tool at the show. The app will be available for download in Spring of 2017.
   
   
3. Attend Coverings’ segment-focused Appreciation Days to enhance learning and networking opportunities. Appreciation Days feature tailored guided tours of the show floor, lunch, focused education sessions and more.

If you’re looking for more design inspiration, check out Alena’s design portfolio.