The look and feel of luxury design is changing. The “New Luxury” is “about clever design, intuitive products, simple spaces, quiet moments to disconnect from technology and enhance well-being, and a new shift in minimalism rooted in the natural environment.” That’s the assessment of Jaye Anna Mize, Home Interiors Director for Fashion Snoops, a leading global trend forecasting firm. Mize moderated a recent all-star #HPMKT panel on “The Future of Home Fashion.”
In color, white-on-white and creamy whites are moving to center stage, but in a warmer approach. “You want the room to feel warm, not cool or pristine,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, and one of the panelists. “You may want to go with a creamier white, add in pale grays or combine white and gray, and texture for warmth.” Gray and white pair up for both warmth and texture in the new striped marble Cynthia Rowley for Hooker Furniture console below.
Other key colors are blues, muted earth tones, earthy neutrals and beach tones, but the rising color star is blush, Mize said.
“People want and need soft, light colors to create calm and soothing environments to shut off the noise in our ever louder and more complicated world,” said Randy Rubin, chairman and founder of Crypton Home Fabrics. Yet even soft, white and earthy colors must be stress-free and problem free, the panelists agreed. “Thanks to technological advances embedded in the fibers, you can surround yourself in soft white and not worry about stains–combining luxury with performance,” Rubin said.
THE COVE
As part of the New Luxury, Fashion Snoops forecasts two major design directions for 2017: “The Cove” and “Old Havana.” Inspired by the rugged beauty of the Pacific Coast Highway, Cove is a shift in minimalism heavily rooted in the natural environment. The Cove applies a new value to luxury through escapism and quiet spaces, often using organic and mixed materials. “The Cove combines transparency with raw textures and indigenous woods,” said Mize.
The vignette above is from the Fashion Snoops Trend Gallery at #HPMKT that displayed examples of Cove and Old Havana directions. The Phillips Collection table illustrates the raw wood aesthetic, while the Calligaris chairs show transparency and the table accessories from Regina Andrews and glass decor from GoHome have a clean but soft minimalism inspired by nature.
A major new collection introduced at the Fall #HPMKT , the Palms Collection from luxury furniture brand Marge Carson, celebrates organic motifs, textured surfaces and mixed materials. Shown below is hand-cast brass hardware with a swirl-effect reminiscent of wind-blown sand or ripples of water. The hardware is set against a surface of environmentally-friendly tropical plantation-grown raffia on the case front and a tactile wire-brushed American White Oak on the top:
The intricate twig-like design of the mirror above is another organic reference that allows the piece to fit into upscale contemporary interiors in a softer, more naturalistic way that offers an emotional, authentic appeal. It’s not surprising that the design world is gravitating to nature as inspiration today, said panelist Stephen Orr, Editor-in-Chief of Better Homes and Gardens. “If you look back at the Arts and Crafts movement that was based on nature and artisan looks, that came at a time when people were freaked out by the industrial revolution, just as they are now by the events in the world.”
JOURNEY-Old Havana
The Journey design trend reflects “an awakening to a global nomad spirit,” said Mize. “There is a desire to disconnect from online, to get off the grid to find a more authentic experience.” In 2017, Journey will find its expression in a design direction called “Old Havana. As America’s long-standing trade embargo with Cuba eases, “There is an untapped sense of exploration and discovery on this once-forbidden island,” said Mize. “There’s a desire to explore and discover the art and the timeless appearance of retro re-purposed relics and reinterpretations of Art Deco styling in gold and sun-bleached hues.”
A big buzz at the recent Fall #HPMKT was the introduction of the 102-piece Havana Crossing Collection by Stanley Furniture, shown in a setting above and below. The collection blends European Colonial and Mid-Century Modern designs in a style that fits perfectly in its Caribbean environment.
Just as the Cove suggests rugged coastlines, remote beaches and serene deserts, Old Havana recalls the idyllic pace of island living against the island’s rich heritage and vibrant traditions.
“It is a fascinating process to discover how cultural movements translate into future products and designs,” reflected Mize.
Photo Credits:
Special thanks to courtesy of Crypton Home for photos 1, 2, 4, 5 and 13, which each feature Crypton Home Performance Fabrics
Photo 1 & 4: Thibaut; Photo 2: Rowe Furniture; Photo 3: Cynthia Rowley for Hooker Furniture; Photo 5: Pottery Barn; Photos 6 & 7: High Point Market Authority; Photos 8-10: Marge Carson; Photos 11-12: Stanley Furniture; Photo 13: Vanguard Furniture
Kim Darden Shaver
for
Leslie Hendrix Wood
Leslie Hendrix Wood Interiors
Interior Designer
Midland, Texas
Owner, the Hadley Court blog
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