Every April and October, I have the wonderful opportunity to attend the High Point Furniture Market. It is an exciting time when like-minded people come together from all over the world to see and discuss what’s available in the world of interior design. It’s always exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time!! One of the highlights of the week was seeing Kathy Ireland surprise Angelo Surmelis (Host of HGTV’s “Rate Your Space”) in his showroom where he was previewing his new line of home furnishings. Even Angelo seemed a little star-struck!
Of course, another highlight was getting to see the color and style trends up close and in person. And, thanks to Gaston Alive!, you, too, can be among the first to discover the current trends for interior design.
STUDS, STUDS AND MORE STUDS!
Everywhere I looked there were nailheads and metal studs. Nailheads have always been used on traditional upholstery styles. Now, we are also seeing them on more contemporary styles in a brighter, livelier fashion. But, it doesn’t stop there. Nailheads, or studs, are appearing on casegoods (wood furniture), accent pieces and accessories. And, they’re not just being used around the edge of pieces but they are being applied in patterns that truly make the pieces unique and interesting.
MARCHING TO YOUR OWN BEAT
Drum shades widely populated the showrooms, both in overhead lighting and lamps. They were seen in all sizes. In furniture showrooms, large drum chandeliers were used over dining room tables while oversized drum chandeliers were used as center lights over seating arrangements. And, the use of drum-shaped shades on the lamps dominated the scene, taking one back to the 60’s.
THE 60’S, REALLY?
Yes, really. The drum-shaped lamp shades weren’t the only thing which was reminiscent of the 60’s. The use of metal on upholstered furniture and the clean, uncomplicated lines of the furniture designs easily took one back to the 1960’s. However, many of these pieces easily mingled with the more transitional styles popular today. Some of my favorite items included the low barrel-shaped chairs. These can be pulled either toward the traditional or the contemporary side of design simply by the fabric used on them. In fact, great accent chairs are being offered by most of the furniture companies today. A couple of well-chosen accent chairs with coordinating throw pillows for your sofa can be a fairly inexpensive way to give your room new life.
LAYERS OF NEUTRAL
One of the predominate color palettes in the showroom settings was neutrals layered with neutrals. In these settings, there was no true color used. It was either a combination of varying shades of white and taupe or white and gray. These “non-color” schemes created a very soothing and relaxing, yet classic setting.
POPS OF BOLD COLOR
On the other hand, there is another trend towards bold pops of true color against a fairly neutral background, especially a white background. This is a fun and energetic look. It also creates a palette that is easy to modify as one’s mood or trends change! The key is to make sure the larger pieces in the room are white or neutral and the bold color is brought in through throw pillows, accessories and accent furniture.
All in all, it was a great market, leaving me inspired and looking forward to sharing these design trends with you. Just remember, your style never goes out of style. Let’s decorate!
by Anna McMahan Hastings
