Returning recently from High Point Market in North Carolina, I couldn’t wait to share my Boomer Bests with you all!
This is the way we Boomers roll at market!
My 4 main takeaways that resonated so loud and clear to me were:
BOLD COLOR
Persimmons, coral, watermelon, red, colors were everywhere as well as the lovely shade of blush that works almost with anything and anywhere. Also on the color hit parade were greens, and I mean lots and lots of greens. To my delight, being a blue and white girl forever, blue is also still big, thank goodness! But actually, I never plan on changing my life color combo but some folks want to have what is in or at least know what is in or trending now.
Vietri line of lamps at Wildwood Showroom definitely know how to “plate” a winner.
Color was the wonderfully cheerful message at Lillian August Showroom.
Show stopper! This wall art is created from Thibaut wallpaper taking the blue and white theme to a whole new level!
For those that want a touch of color, here’s your answer, trims! Wesley Hall always does it right and always on trend.
Talk about cheerful color. Wonderful fabric selection from The Blush Label. Happy Days in a chair.
Tobi Fairley strikes again! Of course in her signature color application in this wonderful bench from her Woodbridge furniture collection.
I have always believed that pink was a neutral not just a feminine color. Tobi Fairley, again for Woodbridge Furniture, classic design in fresh color.
Okay, I promise to show other colors, but how beautiful this color blends with all the other elements at Keystone with Katy Skelton furniture designs.
Emerald green from Global Views knocks it out of the park! Admittedly, my birthstone being the emerald does influence my love of green.
One more to show since the color of blush in leather is too divine from the Joe Ruggerio Collection at MT Showroom.
GORGEOUS LIGHTING
I loved the lighting selections this market! Lamps are the jewelry of a room and there were the loveliest lamps this market that I have ever seen. The chandelier now so popular, to bring not only functional lighting, adds a layer of drama or an unexpected statement that says this is a special space. Wall sconces are becoming more and more popular and varied I believe, partly to the challenges of open living spaces. With an open floor plan, lighting is a definite challenge to achieve intimacy that cannot be had with ceiling cans or fixtures … even with dimmers. But lighting is for another post.
I told you color was big again. How easy to add to your spaces in a lamp from the Market Place at Wildwood Showroom.
Wall scones that are not electrically wired have cords. Genius design by Barbara Cosgrove that actually hides that electrical cord by design.
Drum roll for this stunner by John-Richard. Linen shade, gorgeous lucite base, plus this amazing shape gave me lamp envy.
What powder room, or any room would, not be enhanced with this sconce again, from the John-Richard Showroom. Be still my designer heart!
Good chandeliers can make a space. Visual Comfort goes to the designers, like Thomas O’Brien, that know how to combine finishes with scale and proportion.
Do you know how hard it is to find rectangular chandeliers that need to work with rectangular tables? Here you go, Currey & Co delivers.
LUSCIOUS TEXTURES
Everyone is posting on the extraordinary uses of metals, woods, lucite and lacquers in addition to other textural treatments. I love lacquer! There is something so appealing to me about the smooth and shiny and often colorful finish that I cannot resist. So not to be ignoring others finishes, I am selfishly showing you my favorite lacquer pieces. And as we Boomers or 50+ ‘ers want to show how sassy and definitely not old we are in our interiors, lucite and lacquer is the perfect accent to “kick it up a notch!”
Jonathan Charles Showroom is one of my don’t miss favorites and this sassy go-anywhere table shows you why.
Jonathan Charles winner in color red plus lacquer goes back to antiquity. Nothing is ever new but those sharp enough to do a desk such as this have my designer respect.
Bernhardt stool from High Point Style Spotter days just had to make a comeback in my texture examples. Loved it then, love it still.
Weird photo taken outside looking in window at Design Masters. Stop-traffic-chairs in again, red, plus lucite.
LIFESTYLE FURNITURE AND FABRICS
If you have followed me for any length of time you have heard or read my 3 essentials of good designing. They are comfort, safety and beauty. Therefore, happy camper was this Boomer designer observing our furniture market responding to the way we are living in our spaces today. Durable and beautiful fabrics, chairs that swivel or rock, ottomans with casters, stacking tables, armoires for storage not just for the TV, technology being addressed in furniture with outlets, night stands and coffee tables with open shelves, all these very relevant options are a slam dunk winner for our lifestyles of today.
Take Crypton placemats at Style Spotters breakfast …
… and directions to mark it up with crayon …
Viola, marking gone! All demographics need to pay attention to this fabric phenomenon happening for today’s lifestyles.
This is one of my BoomerSmarts favorites from John-Richard. It has jewelry hardware, fabulous finish, perfect scale and even provides storage!
Libby Langdon furniture collection at Braxton Culler showroom gets design plus life for today. These chairs are so comfy, with casters, great versatility, and yes, in my fav blue color.
The Mary Lou dresser for 42nd Street furniture with Kerrie Kelly at Wesley Hall had everyone buzzing! Other options available but design with a purpose is now what we want, no matter our age or stage!
From Braxton Culler showroom, no more words needed.
Except to say, this Boomer’s Best wrap-up is so done and so happy on the most comfy sofa from Michael Berman Collection at Thomas Alexander.
Of course there were other trends by all levels of experts sharing their vast understanding of how our culture, politics and economic climate all most definitely influence everything we are seeing today. Nothing is random if we really know the why of what we are seeing today both in fashion and in the home industry.
However, my purpose was to give you my Boomer Bests simply to share some of the excitement and drama coming out of the High Point Furniture Market, spring of 2016.
I hope my thoughts and examples can inspire you to look at your own spaces to evaluate what could bring some loveliness and newness to refresh your spaces with some of these trends. I would love to know.
Living and loving life together,
Mitzi
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