After spending time in High Point, NC, for the fall furniture market and the bi-annual Showtime fabric market in December, a handful of trends in textiles crystallized. Here, we’ve highlighted four looks (and feels) to watch for in the new year, and included insights from Jen Mayer, Head Buyer at Calico Corners, and The Trim Queen Jana Platina Phipps about what they see taking center stage in 2018.
Pattern: Global Influences
Mayer says global patterns — ethnic, southwest, bohemian — are hot, hot, hot right now and she predicts they’ll continue their reign into 2018.
Phipps, an expert in embellishment and trim, echoes this sentiment, saying that in trims, “maximalism” is in. In line with this global look, maximalism is a trend that’s coming over from fashion, with houses like Gucci and Prada showing embellishment and fabric collaging all over this season’s intros. “Embellishment is a way to tip toe into this trend without going full throttle — it gives the product dimension and a higher perceived value, and it can be contemporary, not just the very traditional looks people think of,” Phipps says.
Case-in-point: At Highland House this fall, Barrie Benson’s new collection shows just how chic embellishment can be. Melded together, a bohemian vibe is created as shown above.
Then, a more discreet take on global comes from Thom Filicia’s new collection with Kravet launched last fall. Grounded in warm and cool neutrals with pops of orange-red, indigo, seafoam and citron, fabrics in prints, velvets, embroideries and textures are forward in aesthetic but timeless in their authenticity. Filicia is known for his all-American style, but these neutral patterns provide hints of global influence.
Color: Pastels and Neutrals
Although brights are seeing a resurgence, neutrals still very much anchor homes today.
“Back when I started at the store level, people were still putting florals on sofas,” says Mayer. “Now, they’re using naturals on bigger pieces like sofas and using brighter colors and patterns on smaller accent pieces like chairs and pillows.”
Especially with the dawn of performance fabrics, neutrals have never been easier to incorporate. Enter Lonni Paul for Duralee: the L.A.-based celebrity interior designer recently debuted a collection with the fabric house that features Crypton Home technology in her West Coast-cool style. From a playful large-scale argyle to tweed-like body cloths, Lonni Paul for Crypton Home reimagines elements of classic couture for livable interiors in a palette of soft, natural hues.
Color: Warm Metallics
Polished Nickel who? Warm metallics like gold, bronze and copper have been dominant in home furnishings and lighting for some time now. This look is now also alive and well in fabric (and pillows — check out page 36), where metallic provides the perfect accent.
“In fabric and trim, metallic, especially in more casual looks, is in,” says Phipps. “They’re mixed with linen or more matte fibers so there’s just a touch of sheen.”
A perfect example: Robert Allen’s new Gilded Color Collection features a palette of Tea, a toasted almond shade; Patina, a soft, aquatic value; and Brass, a burnished yellow-gold heavily inspired by the couture fabrics featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Manus x Machina exhibit in 2016. Gilded Color was designed to feature a light feminine glamour with a focus on metallic accents and a soft, luxurious hand.
Material: Performance
If you walked the Showtime fabric fair last December, “performance” was on the menu everywhere you turned. Stain-resistant, easily cleanable and generally designed to withstand the elements, demand for these fabrics has grown exponentially in the last few years as American living has changed. You mean I can still have my dream white sofa with two kids and a dog? Sign me up. In fact, Mayer says this is the category she’s buying most of nowadays.
The newest intros in the performance fabric arena are so advanced, the hand is oftentimes unrecognizable from traditional, non-performance options. Take Sunbrella’s new Pure Collection, which is only available to manufacturers at this time: Fusing form and function, these 10 unique performance fabrics mimic handmade textiles with soft chenille textures and heathered yarn blends, plus jacquard designs inspired by hand-dyed and embroidered techniques.
Thibaut also has a new collection of performance fabrics across the spectrum of color and material called Pinnacle. It uses Crypton Home technology for its performance factor. The rich color palette ranges from basic, subtle neutrals to seafoam aquas, grassy greens and denim blues. Fashion-forward herringbones and trendy chevrons provide great visual interest and texture and are ideal for upholstery.
Shown here is Beatrix, which makes waves with undulating lines and an emblem of velvety V-shapes. The hand of the cotton chenille is soft and luxurious.
