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to m o r row s t re n d s to d ay

Momentum for Brown

Brown was building quietly in High Point: CR Laine

he High Point furniture market was an active place when it came to color. The landscape was almost equally divided between already-emerging-color families that were strengthening, and directions that felt completely new and will follow them. With the benefit of established roots, blues continued in strength. Peacock, teal and turquoise (Port 69 says these hues are not just popular, but loved by their customers) signatured a warm-blue story that touched all price points. It worked in solid colors, within patterns and as an accent to neutrals. Expanding deniminspired mid-tones provided a red-cast alternative to green and yellow influences, while clean, light blues began to ice things down in the pastel range. Cool greens advanced as dark values joined minty midtones to form the leading edge of an important incoming trend. Hickory Chair embraced this movement with

dark-green velvet that looked rich and elegant. Going brighter, a tropical-leaf print in malachite at CR Laine looked positively lush. Wesley Halls sofa was covered in a watercolor-floral print that blended saturated emerald with sapphire and yellow over a white ground. Pearsons cut-and-uncut velvet also featured a pattern woven into the ground, layering three saturated green values in a single unique fabric. With a fresher perspective, yellows finally burst through the barrier that had limited them to companion roles with gray. Sunny yellow showed up in embroidery over natural-linen cushions at Design Accents and in a powder-coated metal lamp base at Thumbprints, while a more-complex Solar yellow was the eye-catching feature at Global Views. But the biggest shift for the yellow family came from emerging gold. In lightweight mid-values or dramati-

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THE INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITY ON TREND FORECASTING FOR HOME FURNISHINGS

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 Nevertheless, many showrooms featured versions of brown Watch for browns momentum to pick up in 2013 and 2014 Black/white duos had more visibility Individually, white or black made case goods feel fresh Oranges remained a factor, though a declining one Purple looked much better within a pattern than it did on its own

Going Up
ne of the key trends in High Point had to do with scale. It wasnt that furniture size changed that much. Continuing a trend that began during the Great Recession, huge pieces backed off, and moderate scale progressed again in debut collections. Yet, when it came to print and pattern, the newest size was going up. This was not a repeat of enormous icons that demanded attention at the turn of the century. Instead, the look featured full and generous designs that gave ample space to figures, even within a pattern repeat. Indicating a broad influence and volume potential, the preference for going big impacted all style categories, from traditional to global and from glamor (incoming again) to contemporary. Furthermore, surface designs of every purpose also felt the shift. For example, focal-point motifs reached for larger proportions on major upholstery pieces. If go-with patterns on ottomans, chairs and toss pillows were not replaced by highly visible/high-low/all-over
Dominican Tiles from Paragons Bobby Sikes collection in a champagne frame

Dark-red luxury from Ferguson Copeland

See Back to Black as the story continues in the Members area at: www.trendcurve.com

cally saturated tones, gold with a hint of brown was impossible to ignore. This was especially true for upholstery, toss pillows and rugs. Just as importantly, gold metallic got lots of attention in lighting, decorative accessories and tables of all kinds. Of course, silver finishes remained far-and-away bestsellers. But with momentum from gold colors to propel it, gold-metallic finishes looked ready to expand by late 2013. Prepare for a broader acceptance of gold metallic by the end of 2014. Reds also felt new. Thats because dark values gave them a fresh perspective. Pearson showed oxblood, a hue appearing to rave reviews on the fall/winter 2012/13 fashion runway. Ferguson Copeland made a major statement with dark-scarlet upholstered dining chairs, sofa and cushions on an off-white bed. At Bernhardt, dark reds played off black for dramatic effect. Expect all versions of dark red to grow throughout 2014. Other color notes from High Point: Grays were still touted as bestsellers

Gus Design Groups Carmichael Loft Sofa in Citrine

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C.R. Laine, following an incoming trend that will have more visibility next year. Another fresh look for flowers took its cues from traditional tree-of-life designs, adding vines and leaves back into a floral landscape that has favored only blossoms for so long. Designs in this spirit, shown by makers like Thibaut, Lexington and Norwalk conveyed a sense of simplicity. They stressed an edited color story, outlines, generous scale, well-spaced designs over open grounds and a lack of texture that contrasted with dominating ikats. These types of florals will be perfect additions to traditional themes as the allure of Downton Abbey, Anna Karenina and more advance into 2014 and 2015.
Thibauts simple, over-sized tree-of-life floral

textures that defined the most-innovative wovens, they came in a meatier, mid-range size that worked better with larger showcase patterns. Designs on painted chests and mirrored credenzas got bigger, as well. So did the subjects of framed art. Among those subjects, tile-work designs were an emerging standout. Companies like Paragon combined florals, stars, lotus leaves and other Persian motifs into wall art that was well received. Toss pillows at Design Accents featured similar icons. A host of interlocking designs and especially quatrefoil allovers rode the same wave of popularity one that will last for at least 24 months to come. These patterns emphasized an expanding global style that recently favored ikat motifs. New paisley and floral patterns with jagged edges demonstrated that, going forward, ikat influences will be more important than ikats themselves. Kilim designs, however, remain on the trend landscape. They reach out in two important directions. One reinforced the angular approach to motifs found in Persian rugs. The other, a Navajo-blanket look, included not only bolder kilim geometrics, but also narrow-to-wide stripes, some interrupted by diamonds or arrowheads. The second personality has quietly used the interest in angular ethnic designs as an on-ramp to an updated Southwest style (see Ethnic Evolution in the August issue of The Trend Curve). Florals went beyond a global point of view to become a key direction in High Point. Watercolor techniques popped up on a sofa from Wesley Hall, accent pillows from Dela Robia and framed art from Art and Frame Source. This blurry look emerged earlier this year, and is doing its best to be noticed amongst prevailing ikat-influenced textures. Flowers and leaves looked lush and tropical at Century and

Style Shift

cor has been informed by minimalism for some time. Upholstered items have looked trim, linen was the go-to fabric and contrast piping the best embellishment. When it came to case goods, lines were slim and legs were either straight or curved in a

From Stanleys Rustica collection

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December 2012

footage in new homes droppedrooms are generously sized. They need to be furnished with largerscale pieces. But with increasingly casual lifestyles, those consumers are replacing formal pieces with something that feels relaxed. Rustica is grandly scaled and heavily carved. That carving is imperfect. The resulting tendencies not only increase the casual appeal, but also to reinforce a handmade quality that adds value to the collection. Tables have scrolled trestle bases and chairs are Florentine-inspired, with cabriole legs and carved trifid feet. Dark stains on white mahogany make pieces feel even more substantial. Finishes are Sorrel, a coppery chestnut with an aged patina, and Raven, a rich translucent black. While Stanleys inspiration is Italian, Hookers Alicante collection of living-room and dining-room furniture takes its cues from Spanish design. That opens the door to inlays in mahogany solids and veneers, as well as elaborate metal accents. Nailhead trim is applied to case goods. Using different sized nails in a single design adds to the decorative nature of the group. Universal was also drawn to a Spanish point of view in Escalera and Castella. Dark-medium brown or antique black finishes make these collections feel substantial. Generously scaled pieces have oldworld details like carved bonnets or cabriole legs. Stylized egg-and-dart table edges, graceful overlays, uneven planked tops, bun feet and serpentine upholstered dining-chair seats are key. Scrolled accents, antique brass knobs, key escutcheons and nail-head trim make metal an important part of the designs. Acanthus-leaf motifs are repeated. Mediterranean looks have been popular in the past, but it has been more than a decade since Italian style was on-trend. It has been even longer since dark finishes covered furniture pieces, alluding to a Spanish influence. But makers reported that all these collections were perceived as grand and elegant, yet casual. And all of them were well received. Expect the countertrend for heavier/darker/more ornate pieces to take hold during 2013, balancing sleeker and lighter-weight trends into 2016.

cabriole style that fit with key vintage trends.

Hickory Whites nail-head detailing

Then last year, kilim rugs roared onto the trend landscape with over-dyed and pieced carpets that were so compelling they began to drift into the upholstery realm. Lately, sofas, chairs and ottomans have shown up with heavy, kilim-rug covers. This was a major challenge to the popularity of linen. More importantly, it was just the beginning of a broader shift to heavier looks in dcor that made the jump from upholstery to case goods at the recent High Point market. Hickory White was among the companies offering more heft. Their Manor collection was influenced by English antiques, primarily from the Elizabethan/ Jacobean era, a timeframe that is interwoven with the Renaissance, and thus Spanish and Italian influences are both frequent and apparent. Hickory White called this look sturdy, saying heavy construction was a hallmark of well-built furniture of the times. Details in their Manor collection included medium-dark finishes on oak, barley twist posts, marquetry, bun feet and leather-clad doors with a nailed-shield pattern. Stanleys Rustica casual-dining collection leans in a traditional direction. It is targeted to Baby Boomers who, for many reasons, still own the homes they have lived in for years. Since these homes were built pre-recessionbefore the average square

Universals Castella Santino Writing Desk

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Materials Update

he Mediterranean trend was noteworthy for more than a return to the style itself. It also marked a shift in wood-stain direction. It demonstrated a departure from the range of light-to-dark

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medium finishes that have captivated dcor for the past two years. These collections were dark and heavy. Some were even stained black. (This fits with a color trend that is bringing black back onto the trend radar.) At the same time, the preference for lightmedium tones was in the mainstream for all style categories. Tables in the Banyon Bay collection from Thomasville did a good job of representing established light-medium stains that were everywhere in High Point. But other makers pushed into much-lighter territory. Copeland was one of them. Their Modulux contemporary bedroom, with a built-in look, came in solid cherry with a natural finish (other options: walnut and white lacquer). Alexander Julians Herringbone Chest for Jonathan Charles was crafted from white oak in a natural finish, cut and inlaid to create the herringbone pattern. Henredon went not only light, but also dry. This company applied a cerused finish to wire-brushed quartered white oak veneers in Montaigne. The resulting light, open-pore patina made the geometric lines of their designs look more relaxed. Ralph Laurens Desert Modern table and buffet, made of solid oak in simple-yet-lovely forms, appeared completely unstained. Hardens Artistry Collection was updated with a new sheer finish called oyster that made cleanly styled wood pieces look almost white, yet still allowed the woods grain to show through. This transitional collection with modern overtones was just the tip of the iceberg for white finishes debuting in High Point. At Hooker, off-white paint teamed with light-wood finishes in Chic Coterie, a vintage-inspired group with a feminine character. Hickory Chairs Alice Secretary, designed by Alexa Hampton, paired a white exterior with a rich-mahogany interior in a classic cabinet design. Whites and off-whites were also showcased on their own. Ivory Key case goods, from the Tommy Bahama Home collection at Lexington, were finished in crisp white with parchment highlights for a casual sensibility. The Salon collection, from Bernhardt, was decidedly dressier. This 50-piece

Caracoles French Lines vanity

collection was built in maple with an alabaster finish, achieved with weathered-ivory paint and a lacquered topcoat. Caracole created a new, classiccontemporary collection featuring pieces in black and/or white. White pieces with names like Snow White and Ice Cube were sometimes accented with mirror or metallic. While the various introductions may suggest that wood finishes are all over the board, they should be viewed as in transition instead. Light-medium finishes are todays volume choiceone that will last at retail into 2014. But the future will be about countertrends of light and dark that will start taking hold in late 2013 and move into 2015. Also of note in High Point: Nails trimmed and added design to everything Glazed linen offered pops of luster So did case goods in low-luster metallic silver and gold Gold took a big step forward in metals and metallics Damasks hinted at a return to glamour that could include Art Deco Art Deco items from Pearson and Century felt directional Visual display was newly attracted to Baroque references

Alexander Julians Herringbone chest for Jonathan Charles

See the gallery of Light Wood Finishes in the Members area at www.trendcurve.com

Quilted texture from Versace for Rosenthal

Tabletop Texture
he most noticeable trend at the recent New York Tabletop market was the attention paid to texture. Whether the topic was casual dinnerware or fine china, flatware or crystal, decanters or cake plates, companies were far more adventuresome with texture than they have been in some time. Flatware showed the trend off well, with emerging allover brushed effects that gave a sophisticated matte appearance to patterns Edessa and Urbana

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December 2012

at Oneida. Mikasas Swirl hollowware demonstrated a new use of wire-brushed finishes for a dull glow on serving pieces. Drinkware also used matte-metallic texture in interesting ways. Imperial Caviar Gold, new in the Marchesa collection at Lenox, featured the look of hand-carved gold lines seeping up from the base of each DOF, highball or champagne flute. A carved and faceted character appeared in other collections, as well. One of the best was from Vera Wang for Wedgewood. Her Sequin Crystal vase played with light to make it sparkle with upscale elegance. Mosers Pebble martini glass had carved and frosted areas (in clear or color tints). In metal, Michael Arams diamond-faceted bowl suggested the center of a sunflower in the Vincent collection. Vista Allegres Matrix porcelain dinnerware with bisque/glaze contrast looked folded over in some cases, carved from natural erosion in others. Pierced tableware offered another emerging texture story, which was also noticed earlier this year at Ambiente. Mikasas tiny dots and short, graceful lines highlighted this emerging trend. It brought another layer of pattern and texture to this companys Italian Countryside serving pieces. Gifts from Versace for Rosenthal translated the quilted textures that are appearing in womens leather handbags, belts and shoes to dcor. Selected black or white vases, jars or decorative plates were also detailed with raised-gold-metallic dots, mimicking studs, in this exciting and directional look. Texture merged with pattern throughout the market. Dots were an important vehicle for this trend, joining with vertical ribs, horizontal lines and lattices to update ramekins at BIA Cordon Bleu. Hancock, a black-and-platinum bone-china design with classic architectural sensibilities, included raised dots flanked by knots that punctuated the outer edge of each piece. Basket-weave effects were called on often enough to notice. Nachtmann used this texture on Bossa Nova, a non-lead-crystal cake plate that can flip over to serve chips and dip instead. Waterfords Marquis brand launched Versa crystal giftware, including ice bucket, barware, vases and bowls in a stunning basket-weave design set off by an uncut rim. Vivania Weave, one of three coordinating earthenware patterns for the table from Oneida, featured

bold basket-weave accents on white. Mix and match it with Viviana Floral and Viviana Lace. Ralph Laurens Somerset Island Woven, a basket-weave design in shades of indigo, expressed texture visually on the dinnerware, yet was tactile on serving pieces. Texture was exaggerated, as well. Ceramic dinnerware from Mateus featured a dimensional butterfly on plate rims, or on the outside wall of cups and bowls. At Spiegelau, grape-like indentations molded into the wide-diameter base of their newest decanter not only provided visual interest, but also a graceful way to hold the piece for pouring. Other trends to track from the Tabletop market: Transitional-style comeback Downton Abbey inspiration Emerging toiles Butterflies overshadowing birds Increasing scale Mixed materials Colored-glass drinkware Return to black

Ramekins at BIA Cordon Blue updated with texture

Hampton Forge used raised/ depressed, organic and pebbled textures to update traditional flatware shapes, moving them into the transitional realm.

Manila FAME
he 56th edition of Manila FAME, Asias Design and Lifestyle event, showcased furniture and accessories, Holiday dcor, gifts and fashion. The theme of this session was, The Art of The Craftsman = The Soul of the Philippines Several accomplished Filipino artisans designed collections and environments using the countrys indigenous materials in inventive ways to create their own design house. Design houses were positioned at each entrance to the fair (to see a gallery of design house concepts, go to Manila FAME in the Members area at www.trendcurve.com). A focus on eco-inspired and handcrafted pieces, using indigenous, sustainable materials, continued as a signature of Philippine product. Eyecatching home collections seen throughout the fair expressed it in a blend of texture, color and sustainable materials. They reinforced the overarching trends of eco-sustainability, hyper-localism and being in connection. Linda Simpson, Contributor to The Trend Curve, details the top three looks for furniture from this fair: Fond Embrace: Several seating pieces curved and swirled like natures waves. Backs rose and fell in graceful rhythm, as well as curving to create

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Manila FAME clockwise from top left: Vito Selma; Designs Ligne; Milo Naval and Kenneth Conbonpue

both varied seat-back heights and a sense of being embraced. One lounger surrounded the user in seven well-spaced bamboo rings encircling the length of the chaise, like a series of magicians hoops. Exaggerations: Furniture that was both low-profile and over-scaled, or elongated and over-scaled, was a key look in Manila. This movement included cocktail tables, chaises, sectional seating and chairs for indoors or outside. Color Blocking: Contrast was an incoming trend at FAME. The best interpretation came from pieces that included painted and unpainted areas.

Piecing: Call it color blocking, piecing or patchwork. Its all the same trend, and one that The Trend Curve noticed emerging at Tendence and the September version of Maison & Objet in furniture, lighting, rugs linens and tableware. Use large fields of contrasting color for a bold look that is also an on-ramp to the emerging mixed-materials trend. We believe in color blocking into 2014.

Left : Fendi Right : Tracy Reese

On The Runway

arole DArconte is a color-and-trend expert for apparel and an Editorial Correspondent for The Trend Curve. She calls out two trends from the fall runway shows with big potential for home interiors:

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December 2012

Michelle Lamb
is the founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, Inc., publishers of The Trend Curve and numerous special reports covering major markets.

Marketing Directions, Inc.

Dries van Noten Bass Bros
informs national and international manufacturers and retailers on industry trends.

Pattern Mash-Up: Adults of a certain age grew up thinking of this as a clash. Now its an incoming trend. Dries van Noten showed it best in his autumn/winter runway showplaids with plaids, plaids with florals or plaids in different orientations. Bass Bros liked the mash-up

look, too. They featured it in graphic geometric designs that work within a single patternblocked piece, or in different patterns in the same setting. This look is a perfect fit with the incoming 1970s-1980s style that is forecasted to last into 2014.

The Trend Curve is published by

Marketing Directions, Inc. six times yearly with information from major markets and trade shows important to the home furnishings industry. Subscription is available at $199.00 per year when delivered within the U.S., $269.00 for all other countries. Back issues ($30 each) and custom publications are available.

he weather turned cold in Minnesota the day after Thanksgiving. It also snowed. Everyone who loves crisp air, drinking hot cocoa by the fireplace and playing winter sports was thrilled. I, on the other hand, started planning my escape. First stop: High Point, NC for the semi-annual Showtime textiles market. This is a great earlyread event, because colors and designs seen here will show up on upholstery frames during the April furniture market. The furniture we see in April will be on retail showroom floors in time for Holiday selling in 2013. I also like attending this event in December, when the temperature in High Point is about 60 degrees, as compared with temps around 30 in the Twin Cities. Ill be home long enough to swap suitcases, and then Im off to Ft. Lauderdale to present a color-and-trend seminar to the Air Care division of CSPA. Great group, welcome warmthnearly 80 degrees. A perfect escape! The follow-up comes in January, when I begin my European travel to Maison & Objet, Christmasworld and Ambiente. Its easy to get lost in the colors, materials and motifs that emerge

the last word T

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at these trade fairs. I will write about all three events in The Trend Curve, as well as in special Trend Album reports that will be available in the Trend Store. I also begin developing trends and colors for Tis The Season, our forecast for the Holidays, while I am still in Europe. I actually do more forecasting and writing in the first few months of the year than I do at any other time. Because so many events come in such a compressed time period, attending and analyzing them becomes an immersive experience that keeps me completely focused on the future of color and trend. Im also escaping by shifting my thoughts to Spring. The next version of our Spring Forward color-and-trend forecast is well underway and will be released shortly (you can email Janice@ TrendCurve.com if you want to preorder now). Trends like 24-Carrot Garden, Party Animals, Appalachian Spring and Picnic Guests are keeping my thoughts not only on warmer weather, but also on the cycle of renewal that makes us all so optimistic year round.

PO Box 44475 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA (952) 893-1245 or call toll-free (800) 531-6614 Fax (952) 893-1264 E-mail: info@trendcurve.com http://www.trendcurve.com The Trend Curve - ISSN#1080-1324

Michelle Lamb
Editorial Director

Editorial Correspondents:
For FAME: Linda Simpson For the Runway: Carole DArconte

While every effort has been made to provide accurate information, Marketing Directions, Inc. cannot be held accountable for any error or omission and there is no warranty or representation, express or implied, that the information provided in this publication is definitive. Marketing Directions, Inc. is not responsible for any costs, expenses or damages, actual or consequential, resulting from the use of this information.

2012 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOL ATION OF FEDER AL COPYRIGHT L AW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FA XING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.