So, after all that gushing about Joe Ruggiero and B. Smith, I suppose you might be wondering what else is new and different in the world of furnishing and design.
First, let’s talk about color. Pantone proclaimed Turquoise as the color of the year, and while I certainly saw splashes of it here and there at market, its primary use was as an accent. If you are a fan of design trends, you should know that there are people employed as experts whose sole mission in life is to predict the next hot color. They take it pretty seriously, too, and they should. Major dollars are at stake in producing and promoting products in the hopes that they will sell, and color has a significant impact on the buying habits of consumers. Of course you can’t just announce a new color; you must shout it from the mountaintops in terms that are seductive and compelling. Here’s a snippet from Pantone:
”In many cultures, Turquoise is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky…Turquoise represents an escape, taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting – even if it is only a fantasy.”
Ever hear color described like that? Furthermore,
”Whether envisioned as a tranquil ocean surrounding a tropical island or a protective stone warding off evil spirits, Turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors…Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.”
So if the evil spirits are getting you down, toss a couple of turquoise throw pillows on your sofa.
What I did see in most showrooms was a lot of green. From the contemporary kiwi and pear tones (lots of yellow) to herb or split pea…I must be hungry…green is everywhere which makes sense considering the trend towards earth friendly naturals. Pantone calls the hot green Woodbine this year, but I call it a cross between army man and day old guacamole. It’s an updated version of your parent’s avocado, actually, and is quite popular. Plus, it appears to have some legs so don’t let my snarky personal opinion sway you away from choosing it for your home. My designers love it, my wife loves it…it’s just not my cup of tea.
Navy blue made a smart and crisp appearance from the bedroom vignette in Joe Ruggiero’s collection to a deep blue leather sofa by Bradington Young.
Shades of purple have also been appearing in homes this spring as well as at market. Iris, orchid, eggplant, chocolate truffle, etc. We’ve had fun with some closet purple lovers over the years as they are perhaps the most loyal of any color fan, if you can be loyal to a color. Now they can proudly claim that they were just ahead of their time.
Also as an accent, orange was sprinkled liberally in many if not most of the showrooms. Burnt orange to bright tangerine. I saw a chrome chair with burnt orange leather that looked pretty sharp, and would make a bold statement in a contemporary home or office.
Gold seems to be coming back a bit, too, although with a tinge of copper. Keep an eye on that.
In case you missed my tweet, Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore is a popular wall color. It causes art and accessories to really pop. Call my friends at Gregory’s Paint and tell them I sent you. I saw the color Stampede in a showroom last year. Unfortunately for that vendor, I was more interested in the color of their walls than the product it was used to enhance, but such is life. We painted a couple of accent walls in the showroom this fall, and chose Revere Pewter to compliment Stampede. So if you want to see what they look like, stop by. Traditional Home is featuring Revere Pewter this month. I do so love to be ahead of things…
Above all else, the big news at market was the French Laundry look. French country crossed with American traditional. Lots of whitewashed vintage wood with a crackled finish or sanded to expose driftwood colored edges and corners. Tea stained fabrics. Eggshell linens and script prints. For accent chairs or throw pillows, fabrics are printed to resemble grain bags, seriously, with logos stenciled on center. My French being a bit rusty, ahem, I asked Veronique to translate a few words just to make sure they weren’t insulting.
Along the same lines, Hooker came out with a vintage collection called Sanctuary last market and it has been a big hit. Lexington, in their seriously over the top manner of display, built a HOUSE in their showroom, complete with sod and flowers, and toured us through their version of this hit style which is called Twilight Bay. It was spectacular and has been getting rave reviews as one of the best applications of the French laundry look. Imagine an antiqued whitewashed heavy table base with a tabletop clad in a patinaed stainless steel top with large matching nails around the edges. Outstanding. Lexington forbids photography and they were vigilant in this demand as they do not want this super hot collection to be knocked off before their product hits showrooms this fall. (Now, having said that, I have a couple of bootlegged photos that I got from, um, somewhere, and will show them to my customers if asked. Please don’t request to have me email them to you.)
The Shabby Chic collection that was unveiled this week is just another example of how explosive this style is right now. The difference being that French Laundry seems to be more tailored and traditional, while Shabby Chic is more antique, casual, and feminine with the reintroduction of florals, especially roses. A funny story, my friend Mary was so excited to show her design staff her newly autographed Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic book, she dropped it and broke the foot of her store manager. I guess that’s not that funny now that I am reading it. Get well soon!
Clearly simplicity is the presiding theme in design and décor. Contemporary casual to American organic, clean lines currently dominate the landscape of the home furnishing industry. There will always be a market for the timeless traditional and luxurious look, with rich tones, heavy carved wood, voluminous fabrics, and oriental rugs, but right now the spotlight is on it’s sleek and sporty little brother.
Thanks for the recap! Your blog is delightful and I feel almost as if I were at High Point Spring 2010 myself.
Thanks! We did have some fun there and I am glad you had fun reading about it.