Leading forecasters have identified "The Considered Home" as the decor trend of 2016. More a way of living than just a way to decorate your home, it represents a cultural melting pot of decorating genres. A CONSIDERED HOME FOR CONSIDERED LIVINGIt's based on curating our environment to exude individuality and quality. Steering away from overly decorated homes created as once-off projects, and then simply maintained, the home is seen as a work of art in the making. It has spaces for rest and for work. It's a home comfortable in its own skin and able to adapt to the nuances of each day and the changing seasons.QUALITY IS AN INVESTMENTNo attention is paid to short-lived decor fads; instead, coherency is achieved through quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail. Objects come from places as diverse as the antique market or the junk heap, treasured for the story they tell, not for their price tag, defying labels and morphing cultures, genres and eras.HOT SEAT: Mix and match items that make you happyCURATE, CURATE, CURATEThe look is not created instantly. Curating your living space requires finding specific pieces that complement each other, and are layered over years. Instead of buying the wrong piece, rather live without it until you find what you're looking for. The home should develop depth and character as it grows with you.INDIVIDUALITY IS HIGHLY CELEBRATEDIn the natural world no two things are identical. So, too, no two handcrafted pottery bowls will be identical. A pair of chairs constructed by a craftsman will have an inimitable character formed by the craftsman's hands and the natural grain patterns of the wood.MAKE IT PERSONALEach item should be selected for its ''spirit" or personal meaning and inherent appeal, rather than because it blends with a colour scheme. It's the comparison and contrast between the elements that creates interest. Again, nature is the inspiration. Each element has a place not because it matches another but because it doesn't.For more ideas, get to Decorex Joburg 2016, Gallagher Convention Centre, August 5 to 9, www.decorex.co.zaWIN TICKETS TO DECOREX JOBURGThe 20th Decorex Joburg starts next week, and its many pavilions will exhibit everything you need for your home. The stands include Kitchens and Bathrooms, District Delicious (gourmet food and wine), a Greening exhibit with environmentally friendly products, and Dream Rooms, which will feature the work of top decorators and designers.Designers such as Tessa Proudfoot and Dave Nemeth will present trend reports.To win one of five pairs of tickets, answer the following question: Name one of the showcased designers at this year's Decorex Joburg. Send your answers to tellus@thetimes.co.za before August 6.Decorex Joburg is on from August 7 to 11 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. See www.decorex.co.za..