Finally, fabric emits energy at N.Y. show
Carole Sloan, Senior contributing editor -- Furniture Today, September 29, 2008
There seems to be some new fashion life happening in the home furnishings world.
After what seems like an eternity of blandness — colors that all seem to be derived from beige, off-white, camel and the like, and patterns that really strive to emulate plainness — the fabric business may be moving towards a more energetic mode.
The New York Home Fashions Market earlier this month was an indicator of what might be on the horizon, not just for bed and bath products and table — the core products at this event — but also for products like rugs, an important New York player, and furniture next month in High Point.
The big news out of the home textiles world is that prints are back!
And these are not the ditsies or vintage-inspired designs of recent past years, nor the look-alike prints designed to resemble elaborate jacquards, the furniture market fabric pattern mainstays of nearly a decade.
Instead, we saw perky, sophisticated, contemporary versions of classics, as well as neo-contemporary designs that were livable, usable and often geometric in patterning. They seemed geared to a market that needs a jolt of newness and drama.
And ombre appears to be a direction for creating differentiation both in wovens and prints. Metallic sheen effects with opalescent and luminescent finishes are becoming fashion favorites.
Colors too, moved from the natural, neutral, “Why bother to change?” mentality. Colors were robust. Important colors were the yellow family, from rich golds to sunflower, cornsilk and goldenrod; the range of purple-influenced hues; the berry family; and fuschias to “pop” a color combination, whether woven or printed.
Orange, in more subdued tones than its original citrus rendition, also is finding more acceptance across the home furnishings spectrum.
