Home Improvement

The two launched Rail Yard Studios in 2010. Using century-old railroad steel and hardwood timber, they make one-of-a-kind chairs, desks, tables and beds. Some of the rails date back as far as 1898.

Call it Modern Country or Farmhouse Chic — it’s sparer and less cluttered than the old Country, but no less welcoming. It honors Country’s homespun roots without sending us too literally back to the past.

Whether it’s clearing out clutter, catching up on small repairs, bringing fresh style to a favorite room or organizing closets, many of us have home on the brain as the new year begins.

Moth-wing light fixtures? Thunderhead wallpaper? If you’re an armchair naturalist, you’ll love one of this year’s big home decor trends. The designs, translated into wall decor and furnishings, range from startling to serene.

Shoppers will hunt for treasures amid acres of used goods. A few will come home with just the right vintage art or quirky piece of furniture to make their home more beautiful.

Besides walls, there are stencils with intricate medallions for ceilings and other designs perfect for floors: Think of a curling vine pattern on an outdoor concrete porch.

Second homes, designed for relaxation, are often decorated with hand-me-down furniture and other cast-offs from the owner’s main living space.

Painting the front door a color that packs a punch is one of the quickest and easiest ways to change a house’s look and help it stand out from the rest.

Whatever a person’s taste, “I think almost everybody wants to maximize the light in their living space,” said HGTV host Genevieve Gorder.

As Gary Friedman, CEO of Restoration Hardware, said, “We’re coming out of a very modern, minimalist moment in design into a period where people are responding to a mix of historic periods and classical references.”