Posts from — July 2012
Showtime Market Report
Colors palettes are heading to the dark side with B&W patterns, deep purples, emerald greens, and dusky pinks taking the lead.
Ikats are still popular
Velvets are back in softer styles and in burnout designs. Chenille is no longer as much a favorite as it used to be.
July 29, 2025 No Comments
Sneak Peek: 2013 Trends
The Maison & Objet Observatoire( trend forecasting board) is breathing in the current atmosphere; exploring and gathering clues that forecast the future; analyzing our new attitudes and spying on our latest quirks to dissect our wants. The result:
The September 2012 edition of their trend forecast: Essentials.
It is crucial to calm down, to come back to what’s crystal clear and is the essence of life. Beyond the crowded, noisy world, we can unburden ourselves. We find we prefer the best to excess in all things. Minimalist luxury is reestablishing a bare, serene timelessness. The contemporary design spirit is contemplating Beauty in its most elementary state. The past, present and future are merging. Discoveries in the techno-sciences are reinvigorating an optimistic vision of the future. Attitudes and styles are maximizing the senses and sensations and giving a highly desirable art of living a vibrant new spirit. Here is the Essential theme translated by three renown trend forecasters:
MINIMUM by Elizabeth Leriche
We are turning our backs on overloaded, blinged out luxury by editing our things, by choosing less and by buying the best. Bare geometry, simple lines, transparent materials, lighter forms and gradations of colors are producing high emotional wattage. Design is creating a minimalist art that plays the card of discretion and invites contemplation. Stylistic asceticism is freeing space from the weight of things and revealing the essence of Beauty in all its purity.
ELEMENTS by Francois Bernard
Living well is changing the parameters. Now is the time for a simple timelessness that is nevertheless rich in emotions and sensations. Geometrical, archetypal, molecular or abstract forms are referencing elements like water, earth, fire and air. Design is drawing inspiration from meteorology and climatology to invent new expressions of today’s atmosphere. Between lightness and weightiness, power and transparency, force and fluidity, a new generation of objects is inviting us to dream.
Yes Future! By Vincent Gregoire for Nelly Rodi
Here’s to tomorrow! Emerging technologies are tracing the territories of an innovative new world. Against the grain of déjà vu, modernity is sending a gentle change into orbit, activating our imaginations. Innovation is speeding up positive energies in all fields of design. Materials and their performance are sketching out a future in which the senses and sensuality are combined. With fluidity and light, we are exploring new ways of living. Tomorrow is already here.
To see these trends up close and personal join us on our Paris Decor Tour- September 2012 Edition. We’ll be exploring M&O, Paris Design Week and exclusive design destinations around paris.
July 24, 2025 1 Comment
Life Without Textiles is Hard
IKEA does it again! Their new catalog ‘s theme is textiles; so their ad agency collaborated with French director Olivier Babinet coming up with this innovative way to promote it. It also represents IKEA’s desire to reposition themselves as a fabrics retailer, not just a place to get furniture. GENIUS! ( being a window fashionista I love the part when they guy tries to pull down the shade…
July 20, 2025 2 Comments
New + Notable: Wallpapers
Wallpaper is making waves again. It was a top takeaway at ICFF -popping up on walls, inside cabinets and under glass. NeoCon also saw new collaborations launched as artisans draw inspiration from all kinds of places to create some amazing papers. Here are some of the new and notable finds:
Tracy Kendall
UK designer, Tracy Kendall known for pushing paper’s limits doesn’t disappoint with these new intros.
The new Drape design plays with reality, is it real, is it fabric, is it paper - can I touch it, will it move? The answer of course is yes to all. Hung like wallpaper but as soft and organic as fabric, the perfect combination.
Because I am all about curtains and draperies; I LOVE this paper! It’s soo-phisticated 60′s !
Designed for a silver medal award winning garden at London’s Chelsea Flower show in 2011, the outdoor wallpaper puts together the most modern of materials with hand crafted workmanship producing a wallpaper which withstands the wind and rain, but still looks beautiful.
Schumacher
Schumacher reproduced from a cotton print by interior designer Michael Taylor in 1963, this graphic, feather-like pattern resembles brush strokes across a canvas, and is a wonderful example of mid-twentieth-century modern textile design. Now produced on a 48″ wide, non-woven wallcovering ground, it is printed in its original scale and striking black-on-white color.
This large scale, multihued hand printed wallcovering features a traditional Moroccan star pattern, which is derived from an elaborately tiled wall. It is paired with an allover design and Cadiz Mosaic Border to create a dramatic tiled effect on the wall.
Trove
Trove celebrates past queens by getting a glimpse at bygone royalty through the August pattern! August puts a unique spin on royalty by exploiting the anonymity of former queens from around the world. Past monarchs of Denmark, Japan, Greece, and more join together as a decaying collective -here on silver matte foil. Trove won the ICFF Editors Award for Wallcovering for their new Spring 2012 Collection, which includes this one-of-a-kind design
Trove moved onto Neocon and launched the Vivid collection with Knoll. Winning 2012 Best of NeoCon Silver, the Vivid collection is a study in painterly patterns, dynamic colors, and elegant movements. The patterns are each named for the unique gestures used to create them- Swerve, Sway and Swoosh.
Flavor Paper
Flavor Paper’s Brooklyn Toile - Paying tribute to all things Brooklyn with a ” French Country” flair with some great references including Notorious B.I.G
Just in time for Comic Con- Super Hero paper.
Flat Vernacular
Brooklyn-based Flat Vernacular specializes in original hand-drawn, hand-printed, and bespoke wallpapers.
Yes! It’s glow in the dark wallpaper!
The Eyes have it with Stare wallpaper- look close to see if thr paper is watching you…
You can buy Flat Vernacular ‘s test prints. Amazing framed. My fave …
Check out our Lookbook in the sidebar for more wonderful wallpapers
Images via Schumacher, Trove, Tracy Kendall, Flat Vernacular and Flavor Paper
July 15, 2025 No Comments
IFDA Chicago- iPad for Design Pros
| July 19, 2025 |
The iPad for Design Pros 2.0- Beginners 9:30- 12:00
Tablets, smartphones and the cloud offer endless possibilities for business, marketing and managing the design process. Take the leap and then jumpstart the learning curve with this small group interactive session. We’ll start out with a “how-to” primer to get you off to a quick start and to help you integrate the tablet into their business. Then we’ll show you how to use the native apps already on your iPad. Finally we’ll explore must-have utilities- Sugar Sync, Dropbox, Evernote. Back by popular demand, we’ve created this is hands-on session to delve deeper into how to use basic apps and utilities, sync your business and get you off and running. Bring your mobile devices, laptops and tablets to share with and learn from others while exploring the benefits of the online world. The session is geared to beginners on iPads /iPhones and is PC based . Register early as class size is limited. There will be a pre- class assignment too.
The iPad for Design Pros 2.0- Advanced 1:00- 3:00
Tablets, smartphones and the cloud offer endless possibilities for business, marketing and managing the design process. Take the leap and then jumpstart the learning curve with this small group interactive session. We’ll show you how to set up and explore in depth the must-have utilities- Sugar Sync, Dropbox, Evernote. Finally, we’ll explore must- have apps for every designer like Notes Plus, Moodboard, and Home Design 3D. Back by popular demand, we’ve created this is hands-on session limited to 10 people to delve deeper into how to use various apps and utilities, sync your business and get you off and running. Bring your laptops, mobile devices and tablets to share with and learn from others while exploring the benefits of the online world. The session is geared to iPads /iPhones users that have experience with downloading apps and creating admin structures and is PC based. Register early as class size is limited. There will be a must do pre- class assignment too.
July 5, 2025 No Comments
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