What’s new at market? Plenty, if the increase in crowds arriving at High Point this April were an indication of what’s to come. After a dismal market last season a glimmer of hope is upon the horizon. A scan of the design scene revealed an array of spice inspired colors from mustard and cinnamon tones, to plum, orange, and earthy citrus yellow. These colors wer especially apparent in bedding, accessories and lighting where a pop of color goes a long way. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showed luxurious plum and lavender pillows, poppy orange lamps and bold patterns with lemon yellow. Grey is without a doubt the new black being used over and over again as a neutral base for all the wonderful color combinations mentioned above.
Our love affair with green continues, literally, with multiple shades of the color ranging from acid yellow-green tones to rich shades of leaf paired with the woodsy hues of weathered grey. Our love affair with going green continues as well, with more and more manufacturers touting their 'eco-friendly' qualities. Designers and manufacturers are making items that are not only made from eco-friendly materials but are designed so that each piece is individual and tells a specific story. Two particularly intriguing ‘eco-story’ designs include an amazing dining table created by Noir Trading with a top made from a bowling lane floor, pin marker and alignment arrows still intact, and a giant glass coffee table created by Halo with a massive ship propeller as the base.
There is no doubt we continue to experience the influence of fashion on home décor and the proliferation of styles seen at market are as diverse as those seen on the runways. Popping up everywhere were the nautical influences so popular with fashion designers for their cruise and holiday collections.
Other fashion indicators of what’s to come include the return-to-the-earth vibe expressed in colors like mustard, plum, persimmon, and citrus yellow. Bondage inspired straps belted and restrained a bevy of accent pieces from pillows to lamps. And let’s not exclude the African inspired safari designs using animal prints, rustic carvings, and bold geometrics patterns, all with an eco-friendly sensibility.
Luxe bedding and fabrics were introduced in a sophisticated palette of neutrals including cream, putty, natural linen and shades of lavender to steely grey. Texture plays a key role in giving neutrals a deliberate presence and there were plentiful displays of pleating, embroidery, mix and match patterns, and sophisticated ruching. Pine Cone Hill and Legacy Linens displayed lush layered beds with a bevy of neutral tone on tone textures from linen to cotton and intricate crewel work. Mitchell Gold +Bob Williams introduced a new line of bedding and one that particularly caught our eye was a charcoal grey combined with shades of leafy green remind us of misty days in the Pacific Northwest.
What we found most intriguing at the show was the ‘urban’ aesthetic, which has been LOFT’s ‘look’ since its inception, becoming a more prominent design theme. Metal furniture with bold nail heads and gritty texture paired with industrial aged woods. These industrial metals provided a fresh inventive blend of recycled chic and architectural salvage. The appeal of this look is a comfortable combination of relaxed living and eco-friendly conscientiousness. Environment Furniture featured new rustic finishes and industrial details such as rebar with demolition wood and, new for them, American white oak. It seems obvious that rustic worn textures from the earth and sea will continue to inspire us for many more seasons to come.
