Art and craft give interiors their soul. They personalize, like all things bespoke, and make a house your own, with an intimacy that really is hard to match, especially when there's a backstory.

These objects speak to you, especially when they have a memorable provenance that adds a touch of romance. A piece of tinwork you acquired while traveling. Or a one-of-a-kind decorative ceramic pot that you fell in love with in an artist's studio. Perhaps folk art from a museum. You may have learned about the inspiration for a rug and how it was woven. Just seeing these pieces in your foyer or living room brings you back and adds to the enjoyment.

Particularly in the last few decades, the appreciation for handcrafted objects has swelled. Seeking the artisanal extends to everything from aromatic soaps to chocolates, like the hand-decorated signature ganaches from MarieBelle New York Chocolates, which look like a box of 16 miniature paintings, each with a different flavor.

The appeal, says Caroline Hipple, president of Norwalk Furniture, which has featured craft-inspired looks on its fabrics for upholstery and pillows, is authenticity. "It's an antidote to mass consumerism, the opposite of technology. We want to feel the touch, know the source, relate to the maker. Celebration of indigenous materials, using them in new ways -- that's what I love."

Bolstered by globalization and easier access online, sites such as the handcrafted product marketplace Etsy foster relationships, introducing and connecting makers with buyers. Artisans may be discovered, like Justin Bieber, on YouTube, Instagram or other social media. Or they meet up through local or international craft shows.

In Dublin, Ireland, there's an annual creative expo entirely devoted to Irish artisans called Showcase, organized by Enterprise Ireland. Alanna Gallagher, who curated the Home and Gift editors choice selections at Showcase this year, says, "The story each piece tells is vitally important. Products I consider worth featuring must first and foremost be functional, but they must also be covetable and engaging."

At shows like Maison et Objet in Paris and Salone del Mobile in Milan, booths are well scouted by retail buyers, designers and manufacturers looking for new creative craft.

Art museums collaborate with manufacturers on licensed furnishings collections, including Traditions Made Modern, which holds the Museum of New Mexico Foundation at its core. The rich resources include traditional and ethnographic materials from the Santa Fe, New Mexico-based Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the New Mexico History Museum. Themes from these institutions are adapted into modern pieces of furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories. Its latest licensees include Hickory Chair, Maitland Smith, Jaipur Living, with African Kuba cloth-inspired, hand-knotted carpets, and Wildwood lamps, whose inspirations include Turkish ceramics, Native American jewelry and indigo-dyed Japanese coats.

At a recent design summit in Santa Fe, Pamela Kelly, vice president of licensing for the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, spoke of the importance of expanding its brand.

"Using the resources of our four museums," says Kelly, "we inspire with new ideas, exploring materials and methods. The alchemy is an intersection of technology and tradition -- one fast; one slow. We believe they're two sides of the same coin."

Consider the art of New Yorker George Venson, whose signature style is bold graphics and color. His inspirations take him to his Greek roots with urns and vase imagery, the Ballets Russes, new takes on chinoiserie and flora and fauna, all in a vibrant expression. His paintings are translated into wallcoverings and fabrics with digital printing.

Digital printing has revolutionized such production, as well as that of porcelain tile, creating texture as well as pattern. Printing with 3-D technology is reportedly saving some designer careers in Italy, where numbers have been dwindling due to competition from China.

For contemporary artists, it's often difficult to market wares without gallery or retail representation. The Artful Home catalog, launched in 1985, has been one forum, representing more than 19,000 original works of art in a curated collection.

Forward-thinking retailers like West Elm, which in the past has done pop-ups with Etsy, launched a local initiative to discover artisans -- painters, furniture makers, potters, quilters -- to spotlight in area stores. Its network now includes more than 500 makers, with 4,500 products, some one-of-a-kind works.

Other companies regularly seek out artists. Currently, one of Venson's new chinoiserie papers is available on Anthropologie's website. The retailer also has its own creative team that designs in house, with inspiration from contributors' various travels.

Romo, a high-end fabric manufacturer based in the UK, nodded to London watercolor artist Jessica Zoob for a riveting collection a few years back. Described as a modern impressionist, Zoob's dreamy large-scale florals and lush palette are especially enchanting on velvet and linen.

Irish artist Sue Gifford's large-scale splash of roses printed on a linen pillow at Showcase Ireland were breathtaking.

Drawing from ancient, antique or vintage pieces can often assume a more modern sensibility with a shift up in scale or by changing media (pottery to glass) or design and technique (as in Waterford's edgy Punk collection from four years back). At Maison et Objet in Paris, technique dazzled with colored crystal bowls from Swarovski that feature new laser jet crystal printing.

Mixing media also intrigues. Last year's trend in teaming wood and marble continues with a fresh wrinkle: a black-and-white-striped resin set into a beautifully figured acacia bowl by Juliska.

Old World crafts, like lost wax and sand mold casting, also are shaken up with modern aesthetics. Jonathan Glatt of the O&G Studio created a series of brackets and hardware that steals the show from the white lacquer shelves it supports.

Even contract furnishings companies -- which service hospitality venues, offices and hospitals -- spotlight craft or the craft-inspired. The Milan-based Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, art director for Hayworth (a company based in Holland, Michigan, that includes Poltrona Frau, Cappellini and Janus et Cie), created a group of modern rugs for Gan that look like giant knit and crocheted patchworks in a perky palette. Knoll often takes inspiration from the fashion world, and a recent launch by designers for SUNO features Japanese motifs.

Computers, 3-D printing and new technologies have generated a maker's movement, with DIY a big component. Spirited by MAKE magazine, which launched in 2005, there now are Maker Faires, billed as festivals of creativity and invention, all over the country (www.makerfaire.com).

But there are some who still prefer -- and are trying to keep alive -- the good old-fashioned by-hand methods.

Ger Collins, who designs a range of soft furnishings for the nursery under the label Pippablue, is passionate about passing the tradition to children and grown-ups. With pop-y patterns, including tweeds and bold, non-traditional colors, she and her business partner, Eve Esteve ("two mums and sewing teachers"), create charming kits cut and packed in their studio on the west coast of Ireland.

With an early start, perhaps the enthusiasm of maker can be nurtured -- especially when it comes to defining one's style. And creating, above all else, for the pure joy of it.

Sources

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- Avoca, online@avoca.ie, www.avoca.com

-- Claire Newell Ceramics, clairenewellceramics.com

-- Cole & Son Ltd., customer.service@cole-and-son.com, to the trade through Lee Jofa, 312-544-2965, www.cole-and-son.com

-- Hickory Chair, 800-225-0265, www.hickorychair.com

-- Horchow, 877-944-9888, www.horchow.com

-- Knoll, 866-565-5858, www.knoll.com/textiles

-- Maison Christian Lacroix for Roche Bobois, 212-980-2574, www.roche-bobois.com

-- Nambe, 800-443-0339, www.nambe.com

-- Pierre Frey, 212-421-0534, www.pierrefrey.com

-- Pippablue, info@pippablue.com, www.pippablue.com

-- Rejuvenation, 888-401-1900, www.rejuvenation.com

-- Sue Gifford Design, hello@suegifford.com, www.suegifforddesign.com

-- Sundance, 800-422-2770, www.sundancecatalog.com

-- Swarovski, 888-207-9873, www.swarovski.com

-- Valdese Weavers, 828-874-2181, www.valdeseweavers.com

-- Voutsa, 646-892-7797, www.voutsa.com

-- West Elm, 888-922-4119, www.westelm.com

There is a shift in the kitchen landscape, and most of it is seasoned with modern style -- if not in form, then in function. Cleaner lines in cabinetry and more streamlined hardware and appliances have been trending, but what's really making a huge impact is what is under the hood.

Most striking has been the impact of technology, both in terms of mechanics -- hardware that allows touch to open, soft close, easy slide drawers, LED lighting -- as well as expanding the universal "Internet of Things," which now allows us to communicate with our appliances by smartphone and even utilize personal assistants such as Amazon Echo's Alexa.

More than ever, manufacturers are thinking about what makes cooking, cooling, washing and prep better and more efficient. Add to that specialty niches, like built-in coffeemakers that handle barista-quality lattes or macchiatos and even wine coolers. Or nugget ice makers that deliver that popular, chewable crushed ice. Viking has a new one that even can be used outdoors; and U-Line's (debuting later this year) requires no drain.

Part of the thinking here has to do with providing more options for customization, while continuing to provide pro looks and functionality that consumers like. To that end, one new buzzword: column refrigeration. In recent years, fridges have perhaps gotten fancier, with French-style double doors, drawers and even cameras inside to record what's there so you can have a virtual grocery list at the supermarket. Now there are built-in options for 18-, 24-, 30- and 36-inch-wide versions of all refrigerators and all freezers. This allows configuring to your needs. But there are also side-by-side and even triple alignments. Dacor's newest Modernist series has an all stainless interior, three-sided tunnel LED lighting and auto-open doors, and is equipped with a camera that snaps and shares via mobile phone what's inside every time you open the door.

It's a similar story with cooktops and ranges, with many commercial features now available for the home, combined energy-delivery systems like gas and electric, and even products designed for multiple styles of cooking. Thermador's new 60-inch Pro Grand range offers side-by-side ovens, including one 36-inch convection and one 30-inch steam/convection, as well as a warming drawer.

And although induction cooktops have intrigued and are raved about by chefs, they have been slower to catch on, perhaps because of price. But some feel that once prices come down, the segment will take off. Frigidaire's new induction cooktop hits a price point of less than $1,000.

Frigidaire also is banking on black, which seems to be gaining traction. "It's the first time black stainless steel is in our product line," says Frigidaire brand spokesman John Weinstock. "We really think it's the next look."

"It's both sophisticated and handsome, and it will up the ante in any kitchen," says designer Nate Berkus, who developed a black stainless collection with LG Studio. "I've always believed that a kitchen should feel timeless, using classic materials and design elements that will look good today and in 10 years' time." Berkus adds that he feels the black stainless is elegant.

The beauty of many of the new finishes is that they're smudge-proof, which has been an issue with untreated stainless steel. Black matte has a particular appeal -- in faucets, cabinets and surfaces as well. The Canadian manufacturer Miralis introduced a true matte black surface that is not only smudge-proof, but antimicrobial as well.

At the recent Kitchen and Bath Show in Orlando, many stone and quartz manufacturers offer the same looks in two finishes -- honed and glossy.

Quartz and now porcelain, which come in slabs and stone lookalikes have pretty much supplanted granite as a go-to counter. One innovative product from Caesarstone called TRANSFORM is what is billed as the first 13-millimeter quartz overlay surface, allows fitting over existing countertops, a big saver of both time and money. The product is low-maintenance, scratch-, stain- and heat-resistant, and comes with a lifetime warranty. More than ever, the scope of available finish options is mind-boggling -- from wood-grain looks, including laminates like Formica's oak herringbone veneer, to materials such as leather and even porcelain tiles, which themselves offer a range from stylish shagreen to geometrics to metallic mixes and even 3-D.

As in other areas of the home, warm metallics have been trending. So we're still seeing brass, sometimes with sheen and sometimes burnished, and a little bit of rose gold. There seems to be more of a comfort level mixing metals as well. So faucets, appliances and hardware don't all have to match up.

Black does seem to be striking a chord, and one of the most striking combinations recently debuted was a black and gold chic contemporary model, part of the Litze collection at Brizo.

The pull-down, commercial-style faucet is ubiquitous, distinguished by finish, motion tech (touch-free) and a variety of sprays. One at Delta creates a perfect bubble. Kohler has a three-spray option -- one for fragile fruits and veggies, one for heavy-duty cleaning and one for filling pots.

Many hardware manufacturers are featuring a full range of metal choices for each collection, with both matte and shiny choices available. You'll also find elongated pulls, which seem more modern than knobs. This larger scale, whether chunky or skinny, is better suited to the proportions of taller cabinets and longer drawers -- a trend we're seeing from Europe

And Grohe adds fun to its line of faucets with a wardrobe of silicone sleeves for a pop of color.

Cabinetry still is popular in gray tones that range to warm brown -- stained, grains, painted. Walnut is emerging as a new favorite; so is horizontal planking -- smooth or rough for more rustic looks. Modern styles are so significant that more traditional manufacturers are wading in to answer growing demand, including Wellborn, which introduced a frameless collection called Aspire.

Open shelving is offering visual relief to rows of cabinets, either in floating planks (wood or stone) or those supported with decorative brackets. Islands also float, or they get support from a pair of front legs, a welcome lightening up of the familiar monolithic form. And the island "table" is gaining traction, much in the spirit of the sexy red grill on castered legs that architect David Rockwell designed for Caliber, so that people could gather 'round.

As ease of use and smartphone connections ramp up, some companies already are looking to kick it up a notch. London-based Moley this year launches what it calls the first robotic kitchen, which will include an "iTunes style library of recipes." On the demo video (www.moley.com), someone touches a digital screen, programs in Grandma's spaghetti Bolognese, and you see a pair of white robotic arms doing all the work with ingredients set up at the stove. "It can mimic the skill and flair of a master chef" boasts the website. The hands even clean up. Bravo!

Sources

-- Brizo, 877-345-2749, www.brizo.com

-- Caesarstone, 818-779-0999, www.caesarstoneus.com

-- Dacor, 800-793-0093, www.dacor.com

-- Formica, 800-367-6422, www.formica.com

-- Frigidaire, 800-374-4432, www.frigidaire.com

-- GE Appliances, 800-626-2005, www.geappliances.com

-- Hafele America, 800-423-3531, www.hafele.com

-- InSinkerator, 800-558-5700, www.insinkerator.com

-- Kohler, 800-456-4537, www.kohler.com

-- Liebherr, 866-543-2437, www.liebherr.com

-- LG Studio, 800-243-0000, www.lgstudio.com

-- Monogram, 800-626-2000, www.monogram.com

-- Rev-A-Shelf. 800-626-1126, www.rev-a-shelf.com

-- ROHL, 800-777-9762, www.rohlhome.com

-- Scavolini, contact@scavolini.com, www.scavolini.com

-- Smeg, 212-265-5378, www.smegusa.com

-- Thompson Traders, 336-272-3003, www.thompsontraders.com

-- U-Line, 800-295-5510, www.uline.com

-- Viking, 888-845-4641, press 2, www.vikingrange.com

-- Wilson Art, 800-433-3222, www.wilsonart.com

Sidebar

A look inside

Besides slide-out drawers, what improves interior storage? Lots of compartments and bins, which are even better when you can configure them to your needs. Add LED lights, and you won't have to squint while you search.

And even though you may not see it, you're certainly aware of the sometimes bad smells that come out of that sink disposal. InSinkerator has an answer: citrus-scented baffles; and even cleaning pods to keep things smelling fresh.

Change is good. And a new year seems to coax list-making aspirations, whether it's to lose weight, exercise, be more productive, get organized, streamline or rethink your home decor.

Well, rethink at least some of it, that is. A top-to-bottom redo probably is cost-prohibitive for most. Extreme makeovers will take more of a time and energy commitment, too, but tackling smaller spaces is so much more doable. Tweaking also is possible with strategic additions and subtractions. Simple things like eliminating clutter or switching out accessories can go a long way.

If possible, consider a different layout, creating an alternative grouping of chairs, floating a sofa or clustering small stools that can double as tables. Paint or wallpaper a wall for a subtle or dramatic difference. Think about small things for big impact -- like hardware on cabinetry or trims on sofas, chairs, pillows or drapery.

From Pinterest to Houzz, most everyone now is weighing in on what will be the hot trends for 2017. What's in? What's out?

Don't get obsessed, because while home design is closer to fashion than ever before, it's still more long-term. So big-ticket investment items must have staying power, which means, at the end of the day, they should fall into the "classic" camp. Save the edgy, shock-and-awe items for the occasional accessories that shake up or amuse.

Those of us who cover international design markets pick up on currents and undercurrents, and forecasters note directions and trends a few years out.

You still can read those lists. But temper your response with what really speaks to you, rather than what's trending. What makes you feel good? Is it a riot of color or a layering of neutral hues with textures and warm metallic accents? Are you missing a single piece of furniture that will make a difference? What do you like -- or dislike -- most about your decor?

As we head into a new cycle of home furnishings, kitchen and bath, and housewares shows, here are some subjects that are on the design radar:

-- Of course, green. Greenery is the Pantone Color Institute's color of the year. We talked about green last spring, when such fresh shades always make sense, with the after-winter longing for regeneration.

"Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate, revitalize and unite, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

"Through its reassuring yet assertive vibrancy, Greenery offers us self-assurance and boldness to live life on our own terms, during a time when we are redefining what makes us successful and happy," Eiseman adds.

-- Expect to see green in pattern, as well. Designers at York Wallcoverings and Chella Textiles feel that Greenery is a powerful mood-maker that complements corals, enlivens yellows and balances blues. Whether splashed in whimsical watercolors, set in straight-up stripes or fused into florals and paisleys, their designers say that Greenery sets a welcoming tone, indoors and out.

-- Shades of amethyst. From rich regal purples to violet purples to lavender grays, the hue can be either robust or laid back, but always interesting.

-- And white. Layering shades of white in mixed textures never goes out of style. Ditto for black and white's longevity. Whether it's a modern toile, punchy op art print, geometric pattern (as in a fabulous painted glass table from Sauder), stripes (a small-scale, curvy stone striped pedestal table from Ambella Home Collection). And don't forget blue and white -- another perennial favorite.

-- Performance rules. For years, there has been a growing appreciation for performance fabrics. Companies like Sunbrella and Crypton have been partnering with well-known fabric brands such as Thybony and Kravet. The result? Amazing textures, including chenille and boucle weaves and extraordinary velvets, colors and patterns that most definitely push indoors, as their fade-proof, easy-to-clean and durable attributes especially appeal to families with children and pets -- and just about anyone else who loves a good look with no-fuss and low maintenance.

-- Details make the difference. Hardware can be FUNctional, as an embellishment that totally enhances the design. In modern style, overscale pulls on buffets or dressers are dramatic. Unexpected jewelry-like features, such as in the acorn pulls on Larry Lazlo's acorn chest for Guy Chaddock, look like dangling earrings.

-- Details, part deux. An extra well-edited touch in upholstery makes a noticeable difference. It can be simple, homespun, elegant and lush, but the newer styles are not over the top (as in piles of bullion fringe). Contrasting buttons in tufted back cushions, tape trims that read like striping, contrast welts that define the edges, or even sparkly crystal buttons on a burlap cushion. It may translate as larger scale nailheads, or nailheads in contrasting colors to punctuate. In draperies, it's about ties, unusual borders and bands and decorative modern tassels, all in a modern mode.

-- Handcrafted. Other ornamentation, such as embroidery, is again coming on strong, as is an appreciation for crafted furniture, like Ryan Dart's dimensional functional art tables and chairs.

-- Geometry. Geometric looks definitely make their mark in patterns on wallcoverings, fabrics or tiles. Others, especially circles, can make quite the statement in casegoods, particularly table bases and consoles.

-- 3-D. The extra dimension is surfacing on the fronts of cabinets, on wallcovering, and even in a new look we first saw last year -- an Arte 3-D paper covering the front of cabinetry, from a Roche Bobois collection.

Carved or laser-cut wood and layered metals and woods are another approach. And at the last Cersaie tile show in Bologna, Italy, there were plenty of eye-popping tiles that made flat counterparts simply boring.

-- Masculine notes. From pinstripes to herringbone and plaid, there's a decided input from men's fashion.

Speaking of plaids, they are most definitely having a moment again. At French Heritage, there were full-out traditional Tartans. But more neutral grays seem so right and gender-apropos for all. And there are unexpected color pairings and applications, as at Guy Chaddock, where an open furniture console is "lined" in a fetching colorful plaid.

-- Mixed media. A modern patchwork mixes up metal, wood and upholstery, as in a chair by Bernhardt.

-- Bar stools. They play a huge role in kitchens that spill into breakfast or family rooms, so manufacturers are offering more of a range of interesting designs.

-- Pendant lighting. This option continues to enthrall, especially with newer applications, such as over nightstands next to a bed.

-- Good as gold. Metals such as brass, both shiny and burnished are feeling at home, are continuing to edge into the kitchen and the bath with faucets. Pairing warm and cool metals has never been cozier. There are some who say that copper is over -- just don't tell that to Tom Dixon, whose copper lighting and accessories are iconic.

One or more of these ideas may resonate. Otherwise, there's always next year.

Sources

-- Ambella Home Collection, 877-242-3939, www.ambellahome.com

-- Bernhardt, 828-313-0795, www.bernhardt.com

-- CR Laine, 828-328-1831, www.crlaine.com

-- French Heritage, 800-245-0899, www.frenchheritage.com

-- Guy Chaddock, 855-535-6992, www.chaddockhome.com

-- Hancock & Moore, 828-495-8235, www.hancockandmoore.com

-- Italgraniti, www.italgranitigroup.com

-- Joanna Gaines/Loloi, 972-503-5656, www.loloirugs.com

-- Joe Ruggiero/The MT Company, 336-889-3424, www.themtcompany.com

-- Layla Grayce, 770-599-7896, www.laylagrayce.com

-- Nima Oberoi, Lunares Home, 415-621-0764, ext. 100, www.lunareshome.com

-- Norwalk Furniture, 419-744-3200, www.norwalkfurniture.com

-- Paragon, 800-547-7746, www.paragonpg.com

-- Regina Andrew, 734-250-8042, www.reginaandrew.com

-- Robert James Collection, 619-397-1484, www.robertjamescollection.com

-- Sauder Furniture, 800-523-3987, www.sauder.com

-- Sunbrella, 336-221-2211, www.sunbrella.com

-- TA Theodore Alexander, 336-885-5005, www.theodorealexander.com

-- Universal Furniture, 336-822-8888, www.universalfurniture.com

-- York Wallcoverings, 717-846-4456, www.yorkwall.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)