sample issue of the trend curve™ for december, 2012

7/30/2019 Sample Issue of The Trend Curve for December, 2012

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The High Point urniture market was an active

place when it came to color. The landscape was

almost equally divided between already-emerg-

ing-color amilies that were strengthening, and direc-

tions that elt completely new and will ollow them.

With the benet o 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 pat-terns and as an accent to neutrals. E xpanding denim-

inspired mid-tones provided a red-cast alternative to

green and yellow infuences, while clean, light blues

began to ice things down in the pastel range.

Cool greens advanced as dark values joined minty mid-

tones to orm the leading edge o an important incom-

ing trend. Hickory Chair embraced this movement with

dark-green velvet that looked rich and elegant. Going

brighter, a tropical-lea print in malachite at CR Laine

looked positively lush. Wesley Halls soa was covered

in a watercolor-foral print that blended saturated

emerald with sapphire and yellow over a white ground.

Pearsons cut-and-uncut velvet also eatured a pattern

woven into the ground, layering three saturated green

values in a single unique abric.

With a resher perspective, yellows nally burst

through the barrier that had limited them to companionroles 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

eature at Global Views.

But the biggest shit or the yellow amily came rom

emerging gold. In lightweight mid-values or dramati-

thetr

endcu

rve

tomorr

ows

trends

today

T H E I N T E R N A T I O N A L A U T H O R I T Y O N T R E N D F O R E C A S T I N G F O R H O M E F U R N I S H I N G

2012 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES,

BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.

Brown was building quietly in High Point: CR Laine

12.12

Momentum for Brown


2/8

2012 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUD

BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERN

Nevertheless, many showrooms featuredversions o brown

Watch for browns momentum to pick up in2013 and 2014

Black/white duos had more visibility

Individually, white or black made casegoods eel resh

Oranges remained a factor, though a

declining one

Purple looked much better within a patternthan it did on its own

Going Up

One o the key trends in High Point had to dowith scale. It wasnt that urniture size changethat much. Continuing a trend that began during t

Great Recession, huge pieces backed o, and mod

erate 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 o enor-

mous icons that demanded attention at the turn

o the century. Instead, the look eatured ull and

generous designs that gave ample space to gure

even within a pattern repeat. Indicating a broad

infuence and volume potential, the preerence or

going big impacted all style categories, rom tradi

tional to global and rom glamor (incoming again)

to contemporary. Furthermore, surace designs o

every purpose also elt the shit.For example, ocal-point motis reached or larger

proportions on major upholstery pieces. I go-with

patterns on ottomans, chairs and toss pillows wer

not replaced by highly visible/high-low/all-over

cally saturated tones, gold with a hint o brown was

impossible to ignore. This was especially true or

upholstery, toss pillows and rugs. Just as impor-

tantly, gold metallic got lots o attention in lighting,

decorative accessories and tables o all kinds.

O course, silver nishes remained ar-and-away

bestsellers. But with momentum rom gold colors

to propel it, gold-metallic nishes looked ready to

expand by late 2013. Prepare or a broader accep-

tance o gold metallic by the end o 2014.

Reds also elt new. Thats because dark values gave

them a resh 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, soa and

cushions on an o-white

bed. At Bernhardt, dark

reds played o black ordramatic eect. Expect

all versions o dark red to

grow throughout 2014.

Other color notes rom

High Point:

Grays were stilltouted as bestsellers

2

Dark-red luxury from

Ferguson Copeland

Gus Design Groups

Carmichael Loft Sofa in Citrine

Dominican Tiles from Paragons Bobby

Sikes collection in a champagne frame

See Back to Black as the

story continues in the Members

area at: www.trendcurve.com


3/8



textures that dened 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 o ramed art.

Among those subjects, tile-work designs were an

emerging standout. Companies like Paragon com-

bined forals, stars, lotus leaves and other Persian

motis into wall art that was well received. Toss

pillows at Design Accents eatured similar icons. A

host o interlocking designs and especially quatre-

oil allovers rode the same wave o popularity one

that will last or at least 24 months to come.

These patterns emphasized an expanding global

style that recently avored ikat motis. New paisley

and foral patterns with jagged edges demonstrated

that, going orward, ikat infuences will be moreimportant than ikats themselves.

Kilim designs, however, remain on the trend land-

scape. They reach out in two important directions.

One reinorced the angular approach to motis

ound 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 personal-

ity 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 ofThe Trend Curve).

Florals went beyond a global point o view to

become a key direction in High Point. Watercolor

techniques popped up on a soa rom Wesley Hall,

accent pillows rom Dela Robia and ramed art rom

Art and Frame Source. This blurry look emerged

earlier this year, and is doing its best to be noticed

amongst prevailing ikat-infuenced textures. Flowers

and leaves looked lush and tropical at Century and

3

C.R. Laine, ollowing an incoming trend that will

have more visibility next year.

Another resh look or fowers took its cues rom tra-

ditional tree-o-lie designs, adding vines and leaves

back into a foral landscape that has avored only

blossoms or so long. Designs in this spirit, shown

by makers like Thibaut, Lexington and Norwalk con-

veyed a sense o simplicity. They stressed an edited

color story, outlines, generous scale, well-spaceddesigns over open grounds and a lack o texture

that contrasted with dominating ikats. These types

o forals will be perect additions to traditional

themes as the allure o Downton Abbey, Anna Kar-

enina and more advance into 2014 and 2015.

Style Shift

Dcor has been inormed by minimalism or sometime. Upholstered items have looked trim, linenwas the go-to abric and contrast piping the bestembellishment. When it came to case goods, lines

were slim and legs were either straight or curved in a

December201

Thibauts simple, over-sized tree-of-life floral

From Stanleys

Rustica collection


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4

cabriole style that t with key vintage trends.

Then last year, kilim rugs roared onto the trend

landscape with over-dyed and pieced carpets that

were so compelling they began to dri t into the

upholstery realm. Lately, soas, chairs and otto-

mans have shown up with heavy, kilim-rug covers.

This was a major challenge to the popularity o

linen. More importantly, it was just the beginning o

a broader shit to heavier looks in dcor that made

the jump rom upholstery to case goods at the

recent High Point market.

Hickory White was among the companies oering

more het. Their Manor collection was infuenced

by English antiques, primarily from the Elizabethan/

Jacobean era, a timerame that is interwoven with

the Renaissance, and thus Spanish and Italian infu-

ences are both requent and apparent.

Hickory White called this look sturdy, saying

heavy construction was a hallmark o well-built ur-

niture o the times. Details in their Manor collection

included medium-dark nishes on oak, barley twist

posts, marquetry, bun eet 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, or manyreasons, still

own the homes

they have lived

in or years.

Since these

homes were

built pre-reces-

sionbeore the

average square

ootage in new homes droppedrooms are gener

ously sized. They need to be urnished with larger

scale pieces. But with increasingly casual liestyle

those consumers are replacing ormal pieces with

something that eels relaxed.

Rustica is grandly scaled and heavily carved. That

carving is imperect. The resulting tendencies

not only increase the casual appeal, but also to

reinorce a handmade quality that adds value tothe collection. Tables have scrolled trestle bases

and chairs are Florentine-inspired, with cabriole

legs and carved trid eet. Dark stains on white

mahogany make pieces eel even more substantia

Finishes are Sorrel, a coppery chestnut with an

aged patina, and Raven, a rich translucent black.

While Stanleys inspiration is Italian, Hookers

Alicante collection o living-room and dining-room

urniture takes its cues rom Spanish design. That

opens the door to inlays in mahogany solids and

veneers, as well as elaborate metal accents. Nail-

head trim is applied to case goods. Using dieren

sized nails in a single design adds to the decorativ

nature o the group.

Universal was also drawn to a Spanish point o vie

in Escalera and Castella. Dark-medium brown or

antique black nishes make these collections eel

substantial. Generously scaled pieces have old-

world details like carved bonnets or cabriole legs.

Stylized egg-and-dart table edges, graceul over-

lays, uneven planked tops, bun eet and serpentin

upholstered dining-chair seats are key. Scrolled

accents, antique brass knobs, key escutcheons annail-head trim make metal an important part o th

designs. Acanthus-lea motis are repeated.

Mediterranean looks have been popular in the pa

but it has been more than a decade since Italian

style was on-trend. It has been even longer since

dark nishes covered urniture pieces, alluding to

a Spanish infuence. But makers reported that all

these collections were perceived as grand and ele

gant, yet casual. And all o them were well receive

Expect the countertrend for heavier/darker/more

ornate pieces to take hold during 2013, balancingsleeker and lighter-weight trends into 2016.

Materials Update

The Mediterranean trend was noteworthy ormore than a return to the style itsel. It alsomarked a shit in wood-stain direction. It demon-

strated a departure rom the range o light-to-dark

Universals Castella

Santino Writing Desk

Hickory Whites

nail-head detailing


5/8



medium nishes that have cap-

tivated dcor or the past two years.

These collections were dark and heavy.

Some were even stained black. (This ts

with a color trend that is bringing black

back onto the trend radar.)

At the same time, the preerence or light-

medium tones was in the mainstream or

all style categories. Tables in the Banyon

Bay collection rom Thomasville did a

good job o representing established

light-medium stains that were every-

5

collection was built in maple with an alabaster

nish, achieved with weathered-ivory paint and a

lacquered topcoat. Caracole created a new, classic-

contemporary collection eaturing 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 thatwood nishes are all over the board, they should

be viewed as in transition instead. Light-medium

nishes are todays volume choiceone that will

last at retail into 2014. But the uture will be about

countertrends o light and dark that will start taking

hold in late 2013 and move into 2015. Also o note

in High Point:

Nails trimmed and added design to everything

Glazed linen offered pops of luster

So did case goods in low-luster metallicsilver and gold

Gold took a big step forward in metalsand metallics

Damasks hinted at a return to glamourthat could include Art Deco

Art Deco items from Pearson and Centuryelt directional

Visual display was newly attracted toBaroque reerences

Tabletop TextureThe most noticeable trend at the recent NewYork Tabletop market was the attention paid totexture. Whether the topic was casual dinnerware

or ne china, fatware or crystal, decanters or cake

plates, companies were ar more adventuresome

with texture than they have been in some time.

Flatware showed the trend o well, with emerging

allover brushed eects that gave a sophisticated

matte appearance to patterns Edessa and Urbana

December201

Alexander Julians Herringbo

chest for Jonathan Charles

CaracolesFrenchLinesvanity

where in High Point. But other makers pushed into

much-lighter territory.

Copeland was one o them. Their Modulux contem-

porary bedroom, with a built-in look, came in solid

cherry with a natural nish (other options: walnutand white lacquer). Alexander Julians Herringbone

Chest or Jonathan Charles was crated rom white

oak in a natural nish, cut and inlaid to create the

herringbone pattern.

Henredon went not only light, but also dry. This

company applied a cerused nish to wire-brushed

quartered white oak veneers in Montaigne. The

resulting light, open-pore patina made the geomet-

ric lines o their designs look more relaxed. Ralph

Laurens Desert Modern table and buet, made

o solid oak in simple-yet-lovely orms, appearedcompletely unstained.

Hardens Artistry Collection was updated with a

new sheer nish 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 o the iceberg or white nishes debuting

in High Point.

At Hooker, o-white paint teamed with light-wood

nishes in Chic Coterie, a vintage-inspired group

with a eminine character. Hickory Chairs Alice Sec-retary, designed by Alexa Hampton, paired a white

exterior with a rich-mahogany interior in a classic

cabinet design.

Whites and o-whites were also showcased on

their own. Ivory Key case goods, rom the Tommy

Bahama Home collection at Lexington, were

nished in crisp white with parchment highlights

or a casual sensibility. The Salon collection, rom

Bernhardt, was decidedly dressier. This 50-piece

See the gallery of Light W

Finishes in the Members a

at www.trendcurve.com

Quilted texture from

Vers ace for Rose nthal


6/8



at Oneida. Mikasas Swirl hollow-

ware demonstrated a new use o

wire-brushed nishes or a dull

glow on serving pieces. Drinkware

also used matte-metallic texture

in interesting ways. Imperial Caviar

Gold, new in the Marchesa collec-

tion at Lenox, eatured the look o

hand-carved gold lines seeping

up rom the base o each DOF,

highball or champagne fute.

A carved and aceted character

appeared in other collections, as

well. One o the best was rom

Vera Wang or Wedgewood. Her Sequin Crystal vase

played with light to make it sparkle with upscale

elegance. Mosers Pebble martini glass had carved

and rosted areas (in clear or color tints). In metal,

Michael Arams diamond-aceted bowl suggested

the center o a sunfower in the Vincent collection.

Vista Allegres Matrix porcelain dinnerware withbisque/glaze contrast looked folded over in some

cases, carved rom natural erosion in others.

Pierced tableware oered another emerging texture

story, which was also noticed earlier this year at

Ambiente. Mikasas tiny dots and short, graceul

lines highlighted this emerging trend. It brought

another layer o pattern and texture to this com-

panys Italian Countryside serving pieces. Gits

rom Versace or Rosenthal translated the quilted

textures that are appearing in womens leather

handbags, belts and shoes to dcor. Selected blackor 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 or this

trend, joining with vertical r ibs, 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 fanked by knots that punctuated the

outer edge o each piece.

Basket-weave eects were called on oten enough

to notice. Nachtmann used this texture on Bossa

Nova, a non-lead-crystal cake plate that can fip over

to serve chips and dip instead. Waterords Marquis

brand launched Versa crystal gitware, including

ice bucket, barware, vases and bowls in a stunning

basket-weave design set o by an uncut rim.

Vivania Weave, one o three coordinating earthen-

ware patterns or the table rom Oneida, eatured

6

bold basket-weave accents on white. Mix and match

it with Viviana Floral and Viviana Lace. Ralph Lauren

Somerset Island Woven, a basket-weave design in

shades o indigo, expressed texture visually on the

dinnerware, yet was tactile on serving pieces.

Texture was exaggerated, as well. Ceramic din-

nerware rom Mateus eatured a dimensional but-

terfy on plate rims, or on the outside wall o cups

and bowls. At Spiegelau, grape-like indentationsmolded into the wide-diameter base o their newe

decanter not only provided visual interest, but als

a graceul way to hold the piece or pouring. Othe

trends to track rom the Tabletop market:

Transitional-style comeback

Downton Abbey inspiration

Emerging toiles

Butteries overshadowing birds

Increasing scale

Mixed materials Colored-glass drinkware

Return to black

Manila FAME

The 56th edition o Manila FAME, Asias Designand Liestyle event, showcased urniture andaccessories, Holiday dcor, gits and ashion. The

theme o this session was, The Art of The Crafts

man = The Soul of the Philippines

Several accomplished Filipino artisans designed

collections and environments using the country s

indigenous materials in inventive ways to create

their own design house. Design houses were

positioned at each entrance to the air (to see a ga

lery o design house concepts, go to Manila FAME

in the Members area at www.trendcurve.com).

A ocus on eco-inspired and handcrated pieces,

using indigenous, sustainable materials, contin-

ued as a signature o Philippine product. Eye-

catching home collections seen throughout theair expressed it in a blend o texture, color and

sustainable materials. They reinorced the over-

arching trends o eco-sustainability, hyper-localis

and being in connection. Linda Simpson, Contribu

tor to The Trend Curve, details the top three looks

or urniture rom this air:

Fond Embrace:Several seating pieces curved

and swirled like natures waves. Backs rose and

ell in graceul rhythm, as well as curving to create

Hampton Forge used raised/

epressed, organic and pebbled

textures to update t raditional

flatware shapes, moving them

into the transitional realm.

Ramekins at BIA Cordon

Blue updated with texture


7/8



7 December201

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

both varied seat-back heights and a sense o being

embraced. One lounger surrounded the user in seven

well-spaced bamboo rings encircling the length o the

chaise, like a series o magicians hoops.

Exaggerations:Furniture that was both low-pro-

le and over-scaled, or elongated and over-scaled,

was a key look in Manila. This movement included

cocktail tables, chaises, sectional seating and

chairs or indoors or outside.

Color Blocking: Contrast was an incoming trend

at FAME. The best interpretation came rom piecesthat included painted and unpainted areas.

On The Runway

Carole DArconte is a color-and-trend expert orapparel and an Editorial Correspondent or TheTrend Curve. She calls out two trends rom the all

runway shows with big potential or home interiors:

Piecing:Call it color blocking, piecing or patch-

work. Its all the same trend, and one that The

Trend Curve noticed emerging at Tendence and the

September version o Maison & Objet in urniture,

lighting, rugs linens and tableware. Use large elds

o contrasting color or 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 Re


8/8



Michelle Lamb

is the ounder and chairman oMarketing Directions, Inc.,

publishers o The Trend Curve and

numerous special reports covering

major markets.

Marketing Directions, Inc.

inorms national and international

manuacturers and retailers on

industry trends.

The Trend Curve is published byMarketing Directions, Inc. six timesyearly with inormation rom majormarkets and trade shows important

to the home urnishings industry.Subscription is available at $199.00per year when delivered within theU.S., $269.00 or all other countries.Back issues ($30 each) and custom

publications are available.

Marketing Directions, Inc.PO Box 44475Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA

(952) 893-1245or call toll-ree (800) 531-6614Fax (952) 893-1264

E-mail: [email protected]://www.trendcurve.com

The Trend Curve - ISSN#1080-1324

Michelle LambEditorial Director

Editorial Correspondents:

For FAME: Linda Simpson

For the Runway: Carole DArconte

While every eort has been made

to provide accurate inormation,Marketing Directions, Inc. cannot

be held accountable or any error or

omission and there is no warranty or

representation, express or implied,

that the inormation provided in this

publication is denitive. Marketing

Directions, Inc. is not responsible

or any costs, expenses or damages,

actual or consequential, resulting

rom the use o this inormation.

The weather turned cold in Minnesota the dayater Thanksgiving. It also snowed. Everyonewho loves crisp air, drinking hot cocoa by the

replace and playing winter sports was thrilled. I,

on the other hand, started planning my escape.

First stop: High Point, NC or the semi-annual

Showtime textiles market. This is a great early-

read event, because colors and designs seen

here will show up on upholstery rames during

the April urniture market. The urniture we see

in April will be on retail showroom foors in time

or 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 o to Ft. Lauderdale to present a

color-and-trend seminar to the Air Care division

o CSPA. Great group, welcome warmthnearly

80 degrees. A perect escape!

The ollow-up comes in January, when I begin

my European travel to Maison & Objet, Christ-

masworld and Ambiente. Its easy to get lost

in the colors, materials and motis that emerge

at these trade airs. 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 orTis The Season, our orecast or theHolidays, while I am still in Europe.

I actually do more orecasting and writing in

the rst ew months o 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 experi-

ence that keeps me completely ocused on the

uture o color and trend.

Im also escaping by shiting my thoughts to

Spring. The next version o ourSpring Forward

color-and-trend orecast is well underway andwill be released shortly (you can emailJanice@

TrendCurve.com i you want to preorder now).

Trends like 24-Carrot Garden, Party Animals,

Appalachian Spring and Picnic Guests are keep-

ing my thoughts not only on warmer weather,

but also on the cycle o renewal that makes us

all so optimistic year round.

the last word

Pattern Mash-Up: Adults o a certain age

grew up thinking o this as a clash. Now its an

incoming trend. Dries van Noten showed it best

in his autumn/winter runway showplaids withplaids, plaids with forals or plaids in dier-

ent orientations. Bass Bros liked the mash-up

look, too. They eatured it in graphic geometric

designs that work within a single pattern-

blocked piece, or in dierent patterns in the

same setting. This look is a perect t with theincoming 1970s-1980s style that is orecasted to

last into 2014.

Dries van Noten Bass Bros

sample issue of the trend curve™ for december, 2012

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