5 Intoxicating Design Trends for Fall and Beyond

Photo by Blackstone Edge, courtesy of Brock Design Group.

Fall is right around the corner, and it’s one of our favorite times of year. Those long summer days give way to earlier nights with enough chill to sneak some big reds back into our lineup. And in the Northwest, it’s harvest time, and we can all raise a toast to our favorite winemakers and the massive effort that goes into those bottles we savor and treasure. 

It’s also a time to get back in gear, and we have some exciting things in the works at Sommi with plans to release new cellar designs later this fall. With that in mind, we caught up with one of our favorite design partners, Lori Brock of Brock Design Group, to chat about what trends she’s seeing in interior and wine cellar design. 

Lori is a Northwest native with decades of experience in remodeling and interior design who specializes in beautiful spaces that truly complement her clients’ lifestyles. 

So what trends does Lori see on the horizon?

1. Choosing furniture that functions

Pieces need to have both aesthetic and purpose, and one that can serve multiple needs? All the better. Lori says, “to be able to customize a unit that acts both as a wine cellar and a buffet or other piece of furniture is a huge win.” This is a big part of why we custom build every Sommi wine cellar to order, and we’ve loved seeing how they become part of our clients’ homes. 

Furniture takes on double duty when a wine cellar can also be used as buffet. Photo courtesy of Brock Design Group. 

2. Open your kitchen, open your home

Don’t expect kitchens to be closed off anytime soon. Lori says most of her remodels open up walls to connect the kitchen to the main living space so cooking and entertaining can go hand-in-hand. 

An open concept kitchen lets hosts mingle while they cook. Photo by Blackstone Edge, courtesy of Brock Design Group.

3.  Protecting what you collect

While kitchens are expanding into the home, gone are the days when wine rested in a dusty nook or cabinet. Lori is seeing a huge increase in the number of clients who want to have a chilled wine system. That’s a trend we’ll drink to!  

A chilled wine system protects a treasured collection of rare wines. 

4. Entertaining outdoors, all year long

Even in the rainy Northwest, outdoor spaces are being designed to be used year round. We know our dream home definitely comes with a covered patio so we can savor a glass of wine outside while the stars come out. Now if we could just train the dog to fetch the next bottle.

Eat your heart out in this amazing, all-seasons outdoor kitchen. Photo courtesy of Brock Design Group. 

5. Going beyond local — shopping for pieces with a story

Choosing local, sustainable materials is almost a given these days — and it’s why we source everything from the Northwest. To create a true heirloom, Lori is seeing clients look for materials with a story. 

“We had a client who wanted a live edge dining table, but it HAD to have a local history. We met with a log vendor and looked at all the slabs of black walnut they had. When we found the one that came from a local historic building and had a story that was tied to my clients, we bought it on the spot and had their family dining table made from it - they’ll hand it down for generations.”

Create new heirlooms by shopping for pieces you connect to. Photo by Blackstone Edge, courtesy of Brock Design Group.

Whatever you’re doing with your home this fall, or next year, it’s all about creating a space where you can do what you love — whether that’s creating a sanctuary for your Sancerre, a temple for your Tempranillo, a pad for your Pinot (okay, you get the point). If you need a designer to help with that, we can’t think of a better choice than Lori and Brock Design Group.