TRENDS
I hadn't planned on it but I found myself in New York at the same time as the New York Gift Fair now known as NY NOW. The show has shrunk and is now limited to the Javits. It used to flow over onto the Piers and at one time had a pier devoted entirely to home: furniture and accessories. Since then the Architectural Digest Show and ICFF have commandeered that segment of the market leaving the home section at NY NOW a little on home lines.
With such a thin selection deciphering trends may be a bit skewed but here are the things that either impressed me or made me say WTF.
COLOR
We've written about color trends for 2016 a couple of times already so bear with me one more time. I kept looking for Pantone's pink and baby blue but didn't see a whole lot of it.
The most prevalent color seemed to be a faded aqua that I felt was far more sophisticated than the baby blue Pantone was pushing.
Orange seemed to be hanging around in all its juice spitting pizzazz.
Tangerine Tango was Pantone's selection last year and it seems to have some real staying power in the world of furniture and accessory design.
FAUX FUR
It seems everyone was looking to make life a little bit fuzzier and a little softer than I had seen in the past. The fur flew on the obvious elements like pillows and throws but
who thought you'd see it as a holiday Christmas tree
or as jacket for a book.
METALS
The use of metal is always present at the show but some of the more ingenious uses could be seen at Zenza with their perforated metal lighting fixtures. There was a definite Moroccan feel to many of the patterns but these fixtures could fit very comfortably into many of the popular interior design styles prevalent today.
One of my favorite design lines for a long time has been Ercole, a design firm whose strength is in its finishes. This year they've unveiled a new finish called Galaxy, a reflective space age finish that shimmers luxury.
Bungalow set out a selection of metal based magnifiers that are both quirky and functional. Perched on pedestals these binocular inspired accessories were something new in the accessory market, an appropriate addition to any library.
OVER-DYED RUGS
It seemed as if every rug vendor was highlighting the very popular over-dyed Oriental and Persian rugs. The process first appeared at ABC Home where vintage patterned rugs that had seen their better days were dyed in vibrant colors allowing the patterns to show through but giving the rugs new life via some very sexy contemporary color palettes.
RAINBOWS
Several vendors used infinite variety in their color offerings tapping into any color you could imagine.
Thanks to them you can now dress your library in a monochromatic line of faux books or make your bookshelves in a rainbow of color. The faux book library is becoming a popular option for a new generation that no longer purchases their reading material in hardcover but instead stores everything on a tablet or Kindle making all those library shelves obsolete and begging for some faux company.
Candles come in variety of scents but now the containers that they come in can coordinate with your décor, no matter what color palette you've chosen
And now for what to do with all those cords that connect our home outlets to our technology. The Color Cord Company has developed cloth covered cords that will compliment any décor. They look like very fancy bungee cords but how much fun are these. You no longer have to figure out a way to hide those annoying cords, instead let them snake around your home office spreading a colorful smile where just plain ugly used to reside.
FEATHERS
The popular West African Juju hat made its appearance in several booths. Now reproduced in a variety of exotic feathers these circular bursts of color have become a popular wall decoration.
Barloga Studios exhibited a selection of fine art photographic prints of feathers. These digital photos are printed on Nepalese handmade papers giving them an old world feel. Reproduced in black and white or sepia toned these twenty by thirty inch pieces come in with a very low price tag. They can be ordered unframed or you can have them delivered handsomely framed in an archival shadow box where the image floats like a feather suspended on a gentle midair breeze.
OUTSIDE-THE-BOX CHAIRS
Since furniture wasn't a hot product for the show it was a real pleasure to see one when it went on display. Some stuck out more than others. Jonathan Adler's take on the medieval jaws of chastity was one that drew my attention. It was like a Venus Fly Trap masquerading in the form of a chair.
Contrasting fabric and big prints were making a statement for people willing to make a statement.
A wrap chair out of worn leather with a very high back made its appearance in the industrial market but keeping a very cozy appeal. It was seating you could really sink into.
Then there was this laminated wooden chair that rode the surprising waves of comfort with a slight bounce incorporated into its design
OFF THE CHARTS
Here's what I would have bought if I had the need, the money, or the store to put it in. Candles are always a weakness for me and it was hard to pass up some of the new shapes and scents I found at the show. Lafco is always near the top of my list and this year was no different. I'd buy these for their presentation alone but the scents are just as enticing and the bonus is even after the smell has dissipated into the air on a thin trail of smoke you have this beautiful piece of art glass left. Now their incense sticks come with a beautiful glass decanter that can be used as a bedside water container or a vase for a single flower.
Then Zodax came out with a new line of candles that range in size from the diminutive five inches to the incredible twenty inch version with a 300 hour burn time. How do you say magnificent in Italian?
I also loved these utility bags. They're made by eqpd out of coated fabric. They have a holding strength of up to ninety pounds. That's two cement blocks. Function comes first but I thought these bags had incredible visual appeal.
In addition to the utility bag they also make a grocery bag and a tote. And they come in delicious orange as well.
THE GALLERY
Buy Now, Pay Later
David Graham, photographer
Represented by Laurence Miller Gallery
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