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High Point Style
B usiness at the High Point furniture market was
not great. On the other hand, it wasn’t nearly
as bad as earlier in the year. More than one company
characterized the change from April to October as “a
little bit better,” which was enough to justify some
amount of product development. It was interesting
that much newness came in the more-moderate
sizes that had only inched ahead before October.
This market confirmed it as the new normal as
companies like Century revealed that smaller scale is
being equated with refinement. Pearson and Taylor
King also saw a drop in upholstery-frame size.
Designer Jiun Ho described his Kinkou line of Con-
temporary pieces for Bolier as having, “…deliberately
scaled-back dimensions to make each an easy fit in
homes and apartments that are often less expansive
than they once were.” Lexington may have taken a
page out of the same playbook when they said the
scale of their product keeps coming down. Consum-
ers may have a few big pieces, but the requests today
are for smaller ones that are easier on the budget and
more in keeping with the reduced-square-footage
homes selling today.
Pieces that start small, but grow and expand are
similarly right for this paradigm: drop-leaf and espe-
cially flip-top tables (flip-tops will build into early
2011), more nesting tables (the newest with pivot
functionality) and ottomans with pullout trays. These
clever items are not only immensely useful, but also
Orange made a major Note: Today’s broad acceptance of Orange will serve have a more-for-your-money sensibility that makes
statement at Global Views as a perfect jumping-off point to Coral. Under the them feel like a doubly smart purchase.
influence of Orange, Coral (emerging now) will begin The market’s limited product-development
a journey that will take it through 2011. This journey resources stayed focused on a few styles. Americana
will include Pink types as well, especially in products was one of them. Craftsman or Arts & Crafts picked
for kids. up enough momentum to join Coastal basics as safe
While Orange stole the limelight, Blues were quietly
surging ahead. Warm types with Green overtones
excited the color landscape. Some companies even
called them Teal, which is the same name the market
will use in 2011, when Green-cast Blues evolve into
™
thetrendcurve
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and viable options that will sell as the Great Reces-
sion continues to ease. Visible structural elements,
like X and sawhorse bases, exposed joinery and
rustic finishes provide authenticity and the rough-
luxe look that Stanley and Aspen Home say consum-
ers are looking for.
The Eco trend evolved with chunky wicker for indoor
use (Laneventure), lightly polished petrified wood
(Palecek), rope or jute (Jamie Young) and papier
maché art (Phillips Collection) that kept neutrals
from looking dull. That said, color was easing into
the Eco realm via inlaid slices of semiprecious stones
(Palecek), recycled denim (Four Hands) and geodes
(John-Richard’s lamp bases). These decorative
touches suggested that color will be required to
boost Eco sales in the next two years.
Contemporary’s well-earned down cycle acknowl-
edged its successful surge over the past several
seasons. The new embrace of geometric form and
negative space takes a more abstract direction
that will appeal to core-Contemporary consumers.
Expect rectangles, grids and parallelograms to be
most important.
Restrained Traditional stepped out the most in
collections designed to be much less fussy than
Traditional looks of the past. Barely there finishes
on wood and subtracting carving, depth, trims and
detail, while focusing on clearer forms renewed the
style. It also cleared the visual field, allowing pattern
to take a fashion-forward role. Makers like Hickory
Chair say high-end customers prefer that major
upholstery pieces remain neutral. Then the pattern
and color stories begin, applied to pillows, ottomans slumber. They allowed exotic looks to stretch and From Stanley’s Modern
or accent chairs that become focal points in the grow beyond established African and Asian geog- Craftsman collection
room, but can be easily changed or updated. raphies, while introducing a directional tribal flavor
that put Global looks on the trend radar again.
Increasing the breathing room between design ele-
ments, and using small-scale textures within figures Suzanis will still make a major (and mainstream)
or grounds, makes these patterns just as restrained as statement into 2011. They will do so by exploring
the shapes on which they appear. Why is that impor- neutral combinations, colors that feel unpredictable.
tant? Because even though consumers are taking Unexpected textures will be achieved with both hard
stock of what is meaningful in their lives (history, and soft materials. But they will also move toward
customs, traditions) and want to emphasize these
mature status. As this takes place, two other direc-
things in their décor, they will still pass it all through a
tions will be taking hold.
21st Century filter. A streamlined and simplified view
of Traditional style feels modern enough for today. It The first interprets Suzanis into icons that retain a
provides the momentum this style needs to solidify its circular form, conveying a feeling of symmetry and
place as a top trend over the next two years. a floral disposition, but not an exotic point of view.
They are no less complicated than Suzanis, but still
Pattern Priority feel more understandable. Patterns like these are
already emerging and should be used through 2010.
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that might have been personal correspondence with
wildflowers. Picture galleries layered it over colorful
poppies scaled up so only portions of them could
be seen. Haute House paired hand-written and
mechanical type with images of postage stamps from
the late 1800’s in a large-scale, well-spaced pattern.
Taylor King’s chair featured an antique-look print with
script evoking the same time period.
thetrendcurve
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depth and sophistication that made these neutrals
so immensely compelling.
These features also provided neutrals with new
stand-alone status. Varying the techniques used
from one surface to another demonstrated how pil-
lows on a like-colored sofa will capitalize on not only
the play of light and shadow, but also fluctuations in
tone, to create a more complex visual landscape than
all-neutral upholstery has offered in the past.
While some tanneries pushed the single-neutral
message, another group showed several enhanced
neutrals together. Still others featured them as impor-
tant grounds for a band of warm hues punctuated by
spicy Amber, Rust, a rich Red and a Green-cast Teal
that had been updated with the look of oxidation.
Color at LINEAPLELLE came in a distant second to
neutrals, so embracing layers of pattern and texture
was an important way for them to get noticed.
Gray with style from Ausonia
Surface Interest
Washes, embossing, metallic and more added a
dulled-down look that was directional. One group,
a sophisticated collection of muted hues, recalled
the traditional deepness of retro upholstery fabrics.
Classic Olive, Chianti, deep Violet and a dark Pea-
cock Blue harmonized together and contrasted with
A “More-is-More” attitude was expressed in the
many mixed manipulations of techniques the
tanneries at LINEAPELLE used to invent new surfaces.
neutrals. They also confirmed that deep values will These textures—both visual and tactile—are just
have more status in 2011 than they have had in more what the market needs to keep a neutral pallet inter-
than a decade. Other notes from LINEAPELLE: esting and enhanced. Here are the layers of note:
SHINY, GLAZED finishes appeared on natural buffalo,
• Red was the bright spot, especially as an goat, shrunken and pebble grains, sometimes with
accessory, like Red shoes or a handbag tonal or Blackened antiquing. Patent had disap-
updating a Black/White/Gray ensemble. peared, as had bright and brash metallics. Green at Conceria Italiana
• Orange kept its role to minimal-accent METALLISING aged and softened into more- were cool and creamy
status.
• Greens were more inclined toward cool
personalities, whether shown in creamy
mid-tones or in mid-tone Teal.
• Purple backed off; only a chameleon
Purple-Gray neutral was seen on one com-
pany’s color card.
• Blackened Navy lingered in the back-
ground; Peacock made the real statement.
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subtle, frosted washes in newly
antiqued, burnished, rusted and Tabletop Trends
A
oxidized finishes. Bronze, Copper
t the New York Tabletop market, unique shapes
and Rose-gold metallics paired
easily stood out among a sea of classic-rounds
with warm colors, while Pewter
and modified coupes. Though riskier than the basics,
and Gunmetal skimmed over
these silhouettes have a one-of-a-kind sensibility
Grays and Black, or worked on
that has not decreased in consumer appeal (Villeroy
color bases to impart an irides-
& Boch debuted several additional designs in their
cent effect.
New Wave collection).
REPTILES continued in genuine,
Two directions were worth noting. The smaller of the
embossed and printed versions.
two had a space-age feeling, led by retro-futuristic
They looked newest in restyled,
forms in the Rocks collection from Nambé. Their
oversized and unnatural versions
Cake Plate with Knife and 2-Tier server, both combin-
that evoked, rather than mim-
ing granite and metal, recall landing pads in the
icked, the real thing. Reptiles were
Jetsons’ Orbit City neighborhood. Comet flatware,
reinvented with antiquing and
from Oneida, featured flat, sleek-contemporary
metallising, sometimes convey-
handles with a slight taper. Watch for these refer-
ing a fish-scale effect that felt
ences to expand as a penchant for whimsy increases
completely new.
noticeably into 2011.
ANIMAL PRINTS embraced fan-
A second, larger direction for shape was signatured
tasy species that made authentic
by the advance of soft-square plates that has not
leopards and zebras look old.
hit its peak. It was also found in pieces with organic
Renovated fauna were recolored
edges that suggested movement. For example,
and sized up or down on hair sur-
Liquid dinnerware from Portmeirion gave the
TOP: Antiqued and embossed faces. Or they were washed with
impression that molten pottery had not quite cooled
metallic effects from Samanta metallic and sometimes antiqued, or over-embossed
into sensually shaped White plates, cups and bowls
with texture and finished with a glaze on leather.
BOTTOM: Pollock-inspired splatters that might still be malleable. Rogaska’s Splash lead-
from Santori Pellami TIMELY TEXTURES were explored in an abundance crystal bowl and vase featured irregularly scalloped
of three-dimensional effects: new organic quilting openings with an equally fluid feeling.
patterns, pleated, wrinkled, crinkled, puckered, per-
Some pieces were not only amorphous, but also
forated and bubbled-shrunken leathers. Add to this
intentionally evocative of drifting sand or water.
metallic washes and embossed-leather bases, plus
Nactmann’s Sahara (Gold metallic) and Ocean (clear)
artisinal embroidery, weaving, appliqué and intricate
stitching details. These herald an incoming Ethnic
influence, employing color on warm neutral bases.
PRINT and PATTERN on smooth leather, suede and
hair calf employed printed, embossed and flocked
upholstery effects in swirling, medallion, jacquard
and brocade prints. Retro embossings with metal-
lized and optical-geometric characteristics emerged.
Abstractions borrowed from the 50’s and 60’s
recalled Pollock splatters, featuring brights and
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thetrendcurve
6
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glass tableware combined irregular form with a replace? And where can inspiration for new home
rhythmic line design that looked textural, yet was furnishings products be found?
tactile only on the underside. Mikasa called on more One of the freshest places to look is the Sculptural
pronounced wavy lines for clear glass in Oceanus. Objects & Functional Art show in Chicago. Fine
Metal ice buckets, bowls and tiered servers in Nam- artists, like those showing at SOFA, often set the
bé’s Copper Canyon collection featured undulating stage for color, texture and design trends that are
edges with rippled and ridged sides to mimic drift- translated from handcrafted to machine-produced
ing desert sands. Those ridges, highlighted by an products 2 – 3 years down the road. But that’s only
irregular verdigris finish (incoming, recommended), one reason to track what they are doing. Even more
provided multiple layers of directional texture. incentive is found in the fact that fine artists typically
Texture, whether tactile of visual, was freshest when strive for what’s next, regardless of the economy. At
it appeared to be achieved by chance, rather than SOFA, thousands of pieces of fine art and craft were
meticulous craftsmanship. Silver Dust from Rosen- showcased from galleries around the world. Several
thal put a new spin on classic bands with a Platinum emerging trends were found in the character and
ring that appear to have been blown on lightly before details of these works. Some felt ripe for interpreta-
it dried. The result was a blurry effect similar to the tion into machine-made products.
feathered-metallic detail of Wedgwood’s Silver Aster The first was rooted in three different mash-ups that
dinnerware. Uneven sandblasted and hand-painted Copper Canyon from Nambé
merged elements from the past with those from today. evokes drifting desert sands
rings of Gold metallic and Ivory on Vento’s dinnerware First, modern manufacturing and detailing technolo-
and stemware made each piece appear to be spinning. gies co-mingled with traditional ones. Second, in
Even without metallic emphasis, the tendency some cases, traditional motifs were juxtaposed with
toward visual texture was apparent. An array of well- new ones. And third, in a handful of directional others,
spaced dot clusters on Vera Wang’s Ikat Dinnerware radically contemporary elements crashed headfirst
mimicked the texture of woven textiles. Mikasa’s Ikat into those from ancient tribal cultures.
collection did the same with diamond-geometric All three looks were fascinating, but mixing classic
bands of color on White. An ikat approach to visual and modern has been seen before (though never
texture will be on-trend into 2011. taken to this sort of jarring extreme). What felt really
Where there is trend, countertrend is never far new was the update on ethnicity, where the lines
behind. In addition to textural looks, graphic pat- of distinction between time frames were not even
terns also had a role. Giant-sized dots paired with blurred so much as they became irrelevant. What is
flowers at Global Design Connections or were ringed combinable may be combined because it is exciting
by Platinum at CRU. Savinio Designs took a positive/ to do so—and perhaps because it illuminates the
negative approach, while Royal Crown Derby filled way to the next Global-trend evolution.
dots (and figure eights) with snippets of classic The second big direction came from an attention to
color-on-White patterns. Other designs of note: detail, finesse, texture, fit, finish, joins, and literal
and figurative embroidery that was astonishing. At
• Grillwork and tile work offered an intricate
the high end, time is available to ruminate over every
approach to pattern (Villeroy & Boch, Royal Doul-
point, perfect every element and deliver artisanship
ton, Michael Aram for Waterford)
where that very artisanship is the product.
• Jewelry was an incoming influence in a chain-
inspired watchband design on Ralph Lauren din- Case in point: Joey Richardson’s amazing turned-
nerware, and a multi-strand necklace look band at wood products. While the mainstream is focused
Noritake on connecting with nature via earthy chunks of
found-wood, Richardson has taken another route.
• Plaids continued as subtext, including hounds-
Her abstract blossom was both organic and sensual.
tooth repeats from Marc Blackwell.
It mixed irregular, small-scale piercings in light wood
with blurry or gradient-effect painted color. A small
butterfly was perched on the inside edge of one
W
vene in wood accessories to take the natural trend in
hen the economy is weak and fear is strong,
a more refined direction.
when unemployment is up and consumer
spending down, how does product development Pairing dimension and transparency resulted in
venture ahead? What gives décor companies the unusual pieces where layers upon layers (or figures
wisdom and courage to cull, create, refresh or hidden within figures) caused onlookers to stop Brendan Tang’s mash-up
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ing glance to careful examination, pieces are
revealed to be incredibly nuanced and intrigu-
ing. In the end, each object is quite unlike what it
appeared to be at first. Other topics from SOFA:
M y staff asked me for a Christmas list, but they print would make it easy for them to choose. Even per year when delivered within the
U.S., $269.00 for all other countries.
weren’t looking for my favorite gemstone though the lowest carbon footprint will not win if Back issues ($30 each) and custom
(sapphire), my sweater size (M) or the name of the the color and design are not trend-right, knowing publications are available.
book I’d like to read on my next flight to Europe what it is lets consumers make informed decisions.
(SuperFreakonomics). They were challenging me Marketing Directions, Inc.
4. Off The Grid: Steve, our resident techie, wants 14850 Scenic Heights Road
to come up with the best gifts consumers could the new mats that charge your electronic gadgets Suite 155
receive from the industry for 2010. without plugging them in to be integrated into the Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA
I didn’t have to think too long to come up with a base of the lamp in his office. This feels like a no- (952) 893-1245
couple of features that are well within reach today, brainer—the lamp is already plugged in. What’s or call toll-free (800) 531-6614
and would keep consumers in a buying mood more, everybody’s phones and iPods are now Fax (952) 893-1264
beyond the Holidays. Then my staff chimed in with small enough to fit into a compact space like this. E-mail: info@trendcurve.com
their wishes. Here are a few of our top picks: 5. Going Hairless: Janice, The Trend Curve’s Office http://www.trendcurve.com
1. Original Design: Stop copying! Do your own work Manager, is desperate for textiles and furniture that The Trend Curve - ISSN#1080-1324
and give consumers real choices, not the same resist the hair her Labrador-mix seems to shed on
choice with different names on it. More differenti- a daily basis. I think the other 74 million pet dogs, Michelle Lamb
Editorial Director
ated options will increase sales, not split them. This and 88 million cats, in the US have owners who
is an easy fix. probably want the same. Editorial Correspondents:
2. Portability: If furniture makers are going to all the 6. Feed Me: Alex, our teenage mailing expert,
For LINEAPELLE: Nancy Collins
bother of designing tables, cabinets and consoles wants a mini-fridge built into the nightstand next
For SOFA: John Currie
with multifunctional capabilities, why is there no to his bed. He thinks lots of other teens do, too. The
easy way to move them around to take full advan- compact fridge has been a basic for dorm rooms
tage of that versatility? The company that figures for years, but to integrate it into bedrooms at home, While every effort has been made
out how to move heavy pieces easily, without the aesthetic needs to jump. The timing is right to provide accurate information,
Marketing Directions, Inc. cannot
resorting to visible casters, will reap the same ben- for this concept. Personal appliances, like built-in
be held accountable for any error or
efits seen when the lug was taken out of luggage. It coffee makers and warming drawers (for towels)
omission and there is no warranty or
can’t be that hard or expensive (I already have a few have been moving into the master suite for a couple representation, express or implied,
ideas). Just do it. of years. Why not give kids the same convenience? that the information provided in this
3. Full Disclosure: Consumers want to be kind to the You can add to the wish list by sending your ideas to publication is definitive. Marketing
Directions, Inc. is not responsible
environment, or at least better to it, but they don’t MichelleLamb@TrendCurve.com. I’ll post the best!
for any costs, expenses or damages,
really know which green features have the most actual or consequential, resulting
impact. Calculating every product’s carbon foot- from the use of this information.
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