What's on the Horizon in furniture fashion?
Keep your eyes out for these emerging trends:
Retro Runway- Mad Men and a mad, mad world have us reaching back for a nostalgic feeling. Retro looks were all the rage on the runways, and those styles will be stepping into the home.
French Connection- Ah, Paris...the romance, the history, the je ne sais quoi. Forget the Brit invasion, we’re feeling a need for joie de vivre.
Color Is Coming- Color is on the horizon. Look for the ’70s to be a major influence on future color palettes.
Pattern Play- As always, we find inspiration in nature and travel, but it’s where we focus our attention next that garners the buzz. Look for bee and hive inspired patterns.
Verne’s Victoriana- A heady mixture of Victorian and industrial is gaining ground as a cultural phenomenon as much as a fashion statement, and it’s beginning to make an impact in home furnishings.
Art Gallery- Art has always inspired, but look for interpretations featuring grand works directly on the furnishings themselves.
Glass Act- The material of choice for forward-thinking designers, glass is finding its way into fascinating forms.
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Trend Spotter
7 hot trends in today's home furnishings.
- by Trisha McBride Ferguson
If you want the latest scoop on what's hot and what's not in home furnishings, it's best to go straight to the source. When it comes to trend spotting, the High Point Market is to home furnishings what New York’s Fashion Week is to the world of fashion. Held twice a year in High Point, NC, this trade-only show sets the stage for the latest styles, fabrics, colors and home accessories that make their way into our homes.
Here's a look at 7 furniture trends experts say we'll be seeing more of in the near future:
1- Comfort Mood
People are in need of a respite in their homes, and home furnishings manufacturers are responding with warm and comforting looks that have a strong nostalgic spirit. Expect to see:
- Heritage Americana looks that are homespun but not kitsch
- Stylized florals and quilted patterns of folk art
- Proper lines and authentic American Federal details
- Vintage touches such as vintage stamps, Victorian animal prints, handwritten letters
- Handcrafted, hammered and forged hardware, and other hand-touched details
- Silhouettes—particularly birds and 50s-style fashions
- Classics, Western and preppy themes
- Textural treasures that offer tactile touches in a high-tech world
2- Take Me Away
Exotic excursions are intriguing, yet those who can't afford to travel to faraway lands can fulfill their wanderlust with these worldly looks.
- Mediterranean cruise-inspired collections that run the gamut from Tuscan to Spanish, and include Moorish influences
- Peacock feathers, turquoises and pinks, and sari patterns that say 'Eastern Safari'
- Exotic animals prints continue to be on-trend
- Ming blue is still a top color, but it’s more Ming vase than navy
- Sailor stripes, bright blues, and sophisticated nautical touches
3- Al Fresco
An escape to the high-tech world, these looks have us stepping into the great outdoors.
- Romantic garden looks with lattice patterns, romantic florals, and butterflies
- Au naturel materials such as linens, burlaps, and natural leathers
- A flock of bird motifs from owls and hawks to peacocks or feathers
- Organic materials—whether real or faux, including tortoiseshell, cocoa twigs, shells, banana leaves, and onion skin
- A 'trench coat' of neutrals with a focus on the high demand for greys and tans
4- Color Me Glad
Bright colors are stirred in with grey and neutrals to bring a pop of happy color to an otherwise calm and soothing palette. Look for:
- Turquoise—The 'color of the year' for 2010 is still going strong
- Lime green
- Mid-range pinks
- Chartreuse
5- Shape of Things to Come
This trend draws a line from point A to point B, so get out your compass.
- Stripes ranging from menswear looks to broad patterns
- Step-and-repeat repetitive patterns
- Geometric art featuring Art Deco circles, diamond patterns, and crisp rectangular shapes
- Just a sliver of the crescent shapes
6- The Way We Live
The way we use our living spaces is changing dramatically, and home furnishings companies are responding with products to fit the new reality.
- Furniture collections are less matchy-matchy and more eclectic
- Armoires are being replaced by chifforobes to tall chests to higher-profile dressers that support flat screen televisions and components
- Designers are paying close attention to high-tech trends, and responding with laptop desks, wired writing desks, gaming stations, and Wii® storage pieces available in a variety of styles
- Motion furniture (recliners) are hitting the high-end with sleek and subtle designs
- New styles for bar and wine storage are 'setting the bar high' at all price points
- Youth and kids furniture is selling at a brisk pace, particularly as parents and grandparents choose to invest in their kids before themselves
7- Finishing the Story
It’s all about the finishes, or the lack of finishes. Take your pick. These looks are distinguished by the color, depth and richness of their final coat.
- Distressed, particularly scraped finishes
- Worn, waxed finishes that are super-soft to touch
- Unfinished looks that offer wood in a rustic feel
- The mix-and-match look of mixing wood tones, either on one piece of furniture, or with several woods mixed together in one collection
- Metallic sheens are lighting up in brushed finishes and bronzes
