HIGH POINT — The fickle nature of trends poses challenges for the interiors industry, which wants its designs to be forward-thinking while also respecting the investment retailers and consumers are making in the products they buy. There may be cases.
In the seminar “Fashion, Trends, and Timeless Design: What’s Here to Stay,” held at the Howard Elliott Showroom, industry experts, led by moderator Alison Zisco, discuss the differences and the best ways to identify them. I explained it in detail.
“Think linearly” when defining what a trend is, said Patti Carpenter, global trend ambassador. “Trends are the direction things are going.” In contrast, fads are vertical, rising and falling rapidly, she said.
Gary Inman, president of Gary Inman Interior Design, points to outdoor living as an example of how important and enduring the trend is. “It’s a bigger structure,” he said of the trend, adding that it’s necessary both culturally and functionally.
For example, as outdoor living has become more popular, aesthetics associated with everyday life have been incorporated, such as richer fabrics and furniture that resembles indoor living, such as lamps and lighting.
Carpenter said outdoor living was on the verge of becoming a trend before the pandemic, but this event really kicked it into gear as people began living outside their homes every day. “The outdoors has become more decorative,” she said.
Jody Osman, director of design development at Howard Elliott, said active listening on the part of product developers is needed to determine how to respond to trends and incorporate them into home décor. . “The challenge is what to design and how to present it,” he said. “The best thing we can do is listen to and respond to our buyers.”
Christopher Grubb, president of Arch Interiors Design Group, said adopting the trend may be less obvious to customers installing six- or seven-figure kitchens and baths. “My customers don’t want trends,” he said, while high-end designers don’t want to keep replicating the same designs or using the same materials.
Regarding fads, Carpenter said fads are not a bad word. Referring to the pink Barbie doll, she said, “It was never meant to be in the house.” Or, if so, it’s an accent color like ‘Brat Green’, a bright lime hue perfect for incorporating as a pillow or tray.
She said you shouldn’t include trends in your assortment, but you still need special items. A good rule of thumb is 10% trendy, 20% trendy, and 70% timeless design. A large portion of a company’s assortment should be good sellers, but not all of them, she said.
“If they want to be good stewards of their customers, boutique hotels want designs that will last five to seven years,” says Inman. “It’s best to go for a timeless design, but add trendiness with accents.” is the best.”
Grubb said that by looking at how a particular color or finish is growing within the market, you can determine whether it will become a trend. He has observed satin brass, which first appeared in limited applications, steadily gain traction. “So it sells, and then you see it become more popular.”
Carpenter said sometimes knowing whether something will work is instinctual. “You know something hits you and it lasts. Other times you write it down and look at it.”
Social media is another way to determine trends, but as Carpenter pointed out, what the industry sees on social can be different than what the average consumer sees. When Inman mentioned the oversaturation of ikat, Carpenter replied, “Customers don’t look at ikat as much as people in the design world do.”
The world also has room for new product trends, such as antiques and designs from the past, reimagined for today’s market.
“I don’t shy away from the new, but I find comfort in the past, whether it’s French antiques or ideas from the ’70s,” Osman says. Osman said that as a designer, he asks himself, “What would happen if I went back in time and interpreted it?” There is a balance. That’s a big thing for me. We have to find balance in what we use as inspiration. ”
Panelists agreed that whether a product is trendy or timeless, it’s important to tell the story behind it. Grubb suggested using video in addition to social media, and Osman pointed out that Howard Elliott is trying to put stories into its products. Carpenter said another way to tell the story is to bring in artisans to show how the products are made. “It brings about a different evaluation of the product.”
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