image via Emily Henderson
I am not one to follow trends (which is why I titled this post ‘forecast’ to share whats coming in a general aspect versus predicted specifics). I may follow suit on occasion and layer in a few trendy elements, but overall for my home and for client interiors I steer clear of changing every element or incorporate whats ‘to die for’ and ‘gotta have now’.
As an Interior Designer and Blogger, it’s my job to be on the forefront of ‘whats in’ and ‘whats to come’ in the general sense of how the design world – home + fashion – are shifting in style & color. Whether you are interested in trends or not, consciously or subconsciously, they affect the choices and decisions we make for our homes and our fashions.
While at the Wayfair conference earlier this month, one of the sessions was about 2016 Design Forecast. The panel of 5 was unanimous in seeing the pendulum swaying towards quieter, cleaner, simpler tones versus the bold + bright of years past. Even though I am a color lover, I understand the thought behind the change.
With the convergance of home, fashion, AND technology, what we are seeing in the design world goes back to how our lifestyles have changed to the current. With technology over-saturating our lives with an unbelieveable amount of pressure most of the day, we need more quiet, relaxing spaces. In our technology-driven world, our minds are going full speed all day and the one time we can relax and have quiet is at HOME.
To sum it up, design is going quiet, more muted.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR.
I was slightly surprised, and a bit disappointed as a color lover, but overall excited about by what stood out as ‘what to watch’ for over the coming year…
COLOR. dusty pink / blush / metallic / pastels / silver / neutrals / champagne beige (a different beige than what we all just steered away from)
TEXTURE. leather/ bamboo / cork / wood / linen / wall hangings
STYLE. Scandinavian (moving away from the current popular mid-century) / California – simple, relaxed style /retro / 70s glam
GENERAL THOUGHTS.
>With the availibility of ‘things’ at our fingertips, we are moving towards choosing elements that are made buy beautiful artisans rather than mass-produced by big box stores.
>With technology being a major driver in design, the use of 3-D Printing is forecasted to be more present in our home design.
>More international wares, like turkish and persian rugs. Pottery and ceramics that evoke meaning. Hand dyed fabrics.
>In our digital environment, every element needs to be well thought out. It can’t just be functional, but also beautiful.
>Engaging patterns.
>Family-Friendly and relaxing.
>Organic, natural elements.
WHATS OUT
Copper
Bold Rugs
Mid-Century style
Fiddle Fig trees
Reclaimed Wood
Edison Bulbs
Burlap
Word Art
Mirrored Furniture
Distressed Furniture
Images via Emily Henderson
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN.
Interestingly, many in the panel of 5 admitted that they have most of the elements on the ‘whats out’ list in their own homes now. You have to realize, the general public is exposed to ‘trends’ many years after the design community starts seeing it. They started thinking + talking about the ‘whats out NOW’ items 5-7 years ago, where the everyday person is just now designing with them.
It certainly doesn’t mean to redesign your entire home ridding the bold, but what it does mean is design is ever-changing and this is what you will see over the coming years. In 5 years when all we see is muted tones + lots of texture, the design community will be on to setting the path for the next wave.
If you’ve ever watched the movie The Devil Wears Prada, you might remember the scene where Miranda and her assistants are choosing a belt for an outfit. Andy laughs because she feels they look the same.
MIRANDA: Something funny?
ANDY: No. No, no. Nothing’s… You know, it’s just that both those belts look exactly the same to me. You know, I’m still learning about all this stuff and, uh…
MIRANDA: ‘This… stuff’? Oh. Okay. I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select… I don’t know… that lumpy blue sweater, for instance because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise. It’s not lapis. It’s actually cerulean. And you’re also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent… wasn’t it who showed cerulean military jackets? I think we need a jacket here. And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it, uh, filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of stuff.
That dialogue has always stuck with me because no matter what you choose or buy, it was influenced and created from what is happening in the design community in some way.
MY TAKE.
The changing of popularity from bolds to neutrals surely doesn’t mean that I will be changing my choices, but it is interesting how intense colors are being outshined by texture. I understand and appreciate the thought of wanting a calming & relaxing home which allows our minds to rest and escape the busy world we live.
As much as I love a clean & simple palette, it’s not completely me. I enjoy being surrounded by stuff. Not clutter, bu meaningful things. I appreciate Scandinavian style, but it doesn’t evoke my design style. And that is okay.
To be honest, I don’t know what the future brings for my design approach. I don’t have a plan or know the direction that my thought will take me. When I initially embark on a project – my own or for a client – I let my feeling + mind set lead me. So we shall see…
What I do believe is that the ‘forecast’ for the what’s to come is going more understated than bold. I’ve already seen the transition start, more so for fashion than interiors, which is typical. We shall see…
In the meantime, here’s an overall vision board on my take away for design in 2016 and beyond.
SOURCES: Benjamin Moore Conch Shell / Benjamin Moore Home Sweet Home / Benjamin Moore Simply White / Benjamin Moore Metallic Silver / hanging rattan chair / leather tray / Filament Light /Â fringe pillow /Â baskets / pouf / bed / tray / wood leg chair / dining table / lanterns /inlay mirror
