With February almost upon us, it's now or never to make some predictions for what is gonna be HOT this year. But before we dive into our thoughts on what should be on everyone's radar, we asked a few of our fellow designers to share their worthy opinions. Like...

STUDIO MCGEE

You read that extra large print correctly - Shea McGee of Studio McGee! We asked Shea if she would share her 2018 predictions with us, and she was kind enough to give us her thoughts on what interior design trends to pay attention to in the coming months. So, get out a pen, pencil, crayon, sharpie, whatever...here's what she had to say:

"This year, I'm hoping that we'll continue to see more refined rustic aesthetic coming in finishes, furnishings, and even accessories. I love the warmth that raw textures brings. Also, whether it's in wood form or painted, I love the dimension that vertical paneling gives a space." - Shea McGee

You know how much we love texture and we totally agree that natural and raw finishes are a current, yet timeless way to bring them into your home. Here are a couple visuals to demonstrate Shea's insight (they both come from Studio McGee's Park City Canyons Remodel). The raw wood stools and floating shelves are giving that "refined rustic aesthetic" and the skinny, vertical, black paneling is a fresh twist on all that horizontal shiplap we've been seening for the past few years.

CC AND MIKE CREATIVE

We were also lucky enough to get some predictions from CC and Mike Creative. You may have read the awesome interview they gave us last month (click here to read it). CC also gave us her predictions for 2018 trends, we just saved this wise nugget until now:

"I am in love with the green tones and recently painted our dining room Benjamin Moore’s Dark Harbor and couldn’t be more pleased with the results. I also painted our pool bathroom Benjamin Moore Newburg green. I think the navy and jewel tone trends will continue into 2018. I also predict that we will continue to see more and more return to natural wood cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms. I love the return to natural wood, especially paired with patterned tile floors!" - Carissa of CC and Mike Creative

Well, you know how much we LOVE green these days, so we were so pleased to hear that CC is on board with our current obsession. Also really interesting to hear similar thoughts to Shea McGee when it comes to natural wood.

This is CC's dining room in Dark Harbor. Completely and utterly stunning.

BRIA HAMMEL INTERIORS

And the fun continues with a prediction from the insanely talented Bria Hammel of Bria Hammel Interiors. Here is what she told us about the 2018 trends she's predicting (and loving):

"We are so excited for the new shift towards traditional styles. I never really got on the mid-century bandwagon but so happy to see more brands and designers embracing this updated traditional look coming on. Finally people aren’t afraid to use pink and florals, but in a really fresh cool way. We have never had so many male clients open to us adding a soft feminine color to their rooms as they are now! Bring on the classic pinstripe fabrics and floral wallpaper!" - Bria Hammel

We couldn't agree more. While we do love mid-century furnishings and stylings, nothing is more timeless than traditional. And if there's anyone who hasn't gotten on board with pink yet, even after the millennial pink craze, it's officially time.

This gorgeous living room is from Bria Hammel Interior's Mendota Heights Townhome project. You can see where she's going with this pink, floral, traditional prediction - subtle and soft and completely inviting. PS - keep your eye out for a full blown interview with Bria next month. She had so much design wisdom to share with us and we are excited to pay it forward!

GRAY OAK STUDIO

And, last but not least, us. What are OUR design predictions for this glorious new year? We think cozy is the name of the game this year.

Everyone wants to live in a space that is beautiful, but, more than anything, feels like home. Hence the absolute rage of modern farmhouse style (Thanks Chip and JoJo, we all owe you). While we don't think modern farmhouse is going away just yet, but we do think that it's taking a more streamlined turn. A little more minimalist, a little more traditional. We think neutral palettes will rule, and not just gray, but all neutrals. From white to beige to taupe to tan to...alright, fine, gray.

Natural wood and natural fibers are part of this neutral trend. Like Shea and CC, we think that raw woods are just at the beginning of their climb to HOT HOT HOT. And with that, we'll see a lot of mixing of wood tones. You don't have to buy everything in "walnut stain" anymore. Just like you can mix and match throw pillows, you can mix and match wood finishes, you just need to find the right balance. Finally, pops of deeply saturated color (black, caliente red, blue and, of course, green) will provide the whimsy and fun that every space needs to give it some personality and interest.

And there you have it. Documented predictions ready to be affirmed...or WAY OFF (Swim? Swammi? Slippy? Slappy? Swenson? Swanson?)

- Leah, Michele & Sonia

Hope you had an absolutely wonderful Christmas. Can you believe it's over? Neither can we. We're still in our flannel pajamas nursing a snickerdoodle hangover. Coffee is always good, and movies. Because you can't see National Lampoons Christmas Vacation too many times. It's not possible.

Well, we have a late Christmas gift...for US. And you, of course. We were lucky enough to interview the amazingly talented CC & Mike and today we're sharing the genius they had to share. We should back up though and fill you in on how this interview came to be.

For starters, we're huge fans of CC & Mike. So, if you happen to not know of them, let us introduce you:

They are an amazingly talented husband and wife team that runs a home design, remodel and renovation business. They also have a fantastic lifestyle blog and print shop where you can score budget-friendly, beautiful art. A few months ago, we reached out to CC & Mike to ask if they'd be willing to share some thoughts on home design. It was on a whim and we can't believe we did, but we're so glad we did because they responded almost immediately with a Yes! (Of course we geeked out and began a group text message made 90% of emojis).

I mean, can you handle this? This is from their Tulsa Remodel. It's truly perfect.

Ok, ok, enough fangirling. Onto the interview.

Gray Oak: What advice do you have for someone on the fence about hiring an interior designer for a home redesign or new construction build?

CC & Mike: You get what you pay for! If you want your home to look beautifully designed and don’t have the skills to do it yourself, then you should most definitely hire a designer!

Gray Oak: What is an aspect in design that you think people should not skimp on? And then, when is going budget a no brainer?

CC & Mike: When we are designing a home, we always say to spend your money in the kitchen and the exterior. Those are two places that you should definitely not skimp on. I am all for doing things on a budget but the kitchen and the exterior are two places we definitely allocate plenty of money to so that we don’t have to skimp there.

Gray Oak: Has a client ever been skeptical about your creative vision? How do you get clients on board with some of your more "crazy" ideas?

CC & Mike: We have had both! We have had clients who buy into our vision 100 percent and clients who are skeptical. We always say “This is your home so ultimately the decision is yours,” but truly, our best projects are the ones that our clients trust us and trust our vision and let us go for it!

Gray Oak: We LOVE your print shop. Such beautiful, accessible art. Do you have any tips for people who aren't sure where to start in choosing artwork for their homes?

CC & Mike: Art work is so personal. To me, art should speak to you. If you see a print and it “speaks to you“ (i.e. you can’t stop thinking about it, it stops you dead in your tracks, etc…) then that is a good sign you should have it in your home! From there you have to decide what room you want the art to go in, take measurements, and plan the space! But my advice is this: if a piece of art speaks to you, then buy it!

And that's that! Aren't they so fun?! And talented...