theconnectionsnj.com HOME & DESIGN PAGE 51 Fair Street Interiors fairstreetinteriors.squarespace.com 908-334-1953 Design for Interiors & Home Modifications wice a year, in April and October, the residential furniture industry holds the High Point Market in North Carolina to showcase new products, vendors, and trends. April brought a lot of excitement this year! These are some of the top style trends you’ll be seeing in home design. Large-scale, dramatic prints were big news for wallcoverings and fabrics with gorgeous flowering branches, birds, and tree of life patterns. This classic “estate” look is graceful, organic, and timeless. Prints were used on walls, windows, and on furniture-beautiful in bedding collections. Dramatic oversized wall murals were featured. Colors seemed to trend toward rich browns, earthy reds, and shades of indigo. Lacquer was everywhere! Case pieces in eye-catching, high-gloss finishes added punch to many of the showcase roomsagain, in warm colors and natural tones. From long consoles and spiffy end tables to lamp bases and accent boxes, these stylish, pristine finishes add sophistication and a color boost to rooms. Conversely, texture is the flip side of the smooth finishes of lacquer. One of the freshest trends I saw was a more beautifully textured tile than ever before. Surfaces appeared to be natural woods, rattans, and intricate woven grass cloth, but translated to durable, porcelain tile suitable for a bathroom, mudroom, laundry room, or kitchen backsplash. Retro isn’t going away. There were lots of 70s throwbacks and both Art Nouveau and Art Deco details in furniture and textiles. Mid-century modern seems to be a consistent trend, too. Charish, Article, 1st Dibs, even Crate & Barrel and West Elm have selections of authentic mid-century pieces or new replicas that can be blended into even very traditional rooms. Eames chairs and Saarinen tables just never go out of style and will forever be great investment pieces. Game tables were featured in many of the showrooms. Typically 36” to 40” square and 30” high, game tables had a heyday in the 1950s. Apparently, both bridge and Mah Jong are increasingly popular, and these small tables, perfectly sized for four players, are easy to work into a room. They can also double as a larger-scale end table and provide space for doing puzzles, playing board games, and even casual dining. Discreet tech continues to grow and become more and more sophisticated. Smart home devices such as speakers, charging stations, motorized & voice-controlled lighting, and window treatments are increasingly popular. Operating systems can be completely hidden and operated using a smartphone or small control. There is still an abundance of natural materials~ travertine, tortoise shell, alabaster, birds eye wood, bamboo, capiz, and rattan, particularly in lighting and case pieces. One fun trend I noticed was color-drenching~ using a single color or shades of a predominant color in an entire space. A highly saturated, monochromatic palette can create a soft, inviting space in a living room (think of layered beiges and off-whites), a playful space in a child’s room (in pink), or a fabulously chic space in a dining room (in luscious, verdant greens). Overall, there seems to be freedom in interiors that’s refreshing. If you have or find something you really love, trust yourself! Good design can blend different periods, styles, and textures into a look that’s unique and inviting. HINTS HOME FOR THE Spring Market News! By Gail Bicknell, ASID, CAPS T
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