Style Exchange

Trend forecast for home furnishings 2009-2010.

  • Timber & Wood – Rich, deep to medium stains are strong. Exotic timbers are becoming popular & texture such as carving or inlays have been revived in formal décor.
    A countertrend is that texture is making a comeback with distressed & weathered timber featuring in furniture.
    Raw unfinished oak is one of the newest ways to say “contemporary” & gold metallic paint over embellishments kicks this into the luxury stratosphere.
    But going forward raw, rustic & light will be sought after characteristics, & domestic wood –not imported – will have increased status.
  • Colour – Purple with red undertones creating a rich & inviting feeling will be very strong up to 2010.
    Pink in the warm form of Coral will also be trend forward.
    Yellow with a green tinge teamed with all kinds of grey & silver metallic is directional. Yellow will become brighter as it forges its place among the most popular hues. Going into 2010, expect an sharper, neon yellow that will lead a palette of similarly intense colours.
    Gold will be prominent in metallic forms as the metallic trend continues to gather momentum. Butter yellow is climbing the list of painted wood colours as well as making a comeback in linen fabric.
    Blue will feature prominently in the form of Aqua, teal, & the almost purple hue Iris is making a buzz. Red cast blues are the most sought after. Denim is poised to surge in fashion.
    Reds are heading to the warm side & orange is strong as an accent hue.
    Dark greens are creeping back.
    Neutral Off whites are still on the radar.
    Grey is being warmed up, rather than stark.

Trends to watch...

  • Pattern will be prominent.
  • Texture is increasingly important in the form of pleats, crunched up paper & fabric, lace, overlays, glass, crackling.
  • Pastels will feature in pale soft colour schemes.
  • Flowers, butterflies, piping, femininity, watercolour, crochet, embroidery, braiding, add softness & detail.
  • Design with a conscience, recycling, reused objects, such as tyres, wood, shells, soy, bamboo, hemp, natural dyes, will all help reduce the carbon footprint.
  • Country style will increase, but in a shabby form. Weathered & painted timber, calico, plaids, florals, sunflowers, cup cakes will all feature.
  • More living space will be made by connecting to nature – outdoor kitchens, living walls as dividers, growing your own organic food, chandeliers used outside urns. Moroccan influences will be visible & Asian is still strong but using deities (saints) other than Buddha.
  • Contemporary styling will be crisper & angular with geometric elements. Monochrome colours & facets, circles, disks & holes will add to the mix.
  • Graffiti, long written messages, camoflague, abstracted animal prints, ribbons, bows & hardware such as buckles & belts create contrast to soft looks.