While summer markets are designed for finding new products and trends or filling in to get ready for the upcoming buying season, it’s also an opportunity to learn, connect with peers and suppliers, and have a little fun. Dallas Market Center and Furniture, Lighting & Decor kicked off the show season with the 10th Annual Showroom of the Year Awards—honoring exceptional lighting showrooms—followed by Lightovation’s annual Lighting After Dark party. In Las Vegas, we hosted the 5th annual ANDYZ Awards with “Trading Spaces” designer Mikel Welch. This competition honored West Coast and Nevada designers.
In between, there were showrooms to see, and educational and networking events across the country, including our very own retailer/designer panel—Lightening the Load—which took place in the in the Norwalk Las Vegas showroom. Retailers, designers and manufacturers shared insights on working together on design projects and more. Stay tuned for a recap.
A Peek into What’s to Come
In Dallas, we witnessed the opening of the very first SMART Home showroom, which took us through a home designed for the future (the future is now by the way). In Las Vegas, we attended the CEO Summit, where a stellar lineup of speakers posited on what’s to come in the home furnishings industry. In Atlanta, we learned what’s coming next as well, with news of big changes for Americasmart’s Building 1 in the next year.
Finding What You Need
At the end of the day, markets are about connecting with peers, finding new resources and product, be that lighting fixtures and lamps, sofas and accent tables, wall art and the latest pillows or everything else in between. One nice thing about being on a magazine that covers it all is we get to see it all!
And there was no shortage of furniture, lighting and decor to catch up on this summer. Some companies had big launches—Creative Co-op introduced furniture this summer and Hudson Valley opened a new showroom in Las Vegas, for example—others showcased new brands and collaborations—Thom Filicia was busy with a new Wendover Art launch in Atlanta and additions to his furniture collection with Vanguard in Las Vegas. Designer and host of HDTV Donna Moss debuted a new botanical line with Botanical Mix in Dallas. Still other companies extended popular lines, came out with new collections, and revamped showroom merchandising to create a better market experience for attendees.
According to exhibitors, while attendee traffic came in waves as is typical in summer markets, at the end of the season, markets were deemed successful.
Trending This Season
While there are many trends—macro to micro—three overarching themes we noticed this summer included the following.
Hollywood Glam: Sparkling crystal and glass, adorned by black and gold finishes appeared on lighting and case goods and home accents. On upholstery, these décor finishes were complimented by luxuriously plush textiles in shades of white, pale pinks and blues with pops of black and gold. These elements add an opulent feel to merchandising vignettes throughout showrooms.
Nature’s Bounty: Bringing the outdoors in is nothing new in home décor but each market season we see new finishes, materials and colors to create unique home furnishings that connect the home inside and out. This summer, green colorways continued from spring, along with a bevy of blue shades and everything in between, bringing in feelings from the forest to the coastline.
Other colors trending this summer showcased a glimpse of the upcoming fall season with deep yellows and golds, cinnamon and other shades of orange complimenting greens and blues on upholstery, rugs, accent pieces and more. Floral and leafy patterns were apparent across everything from upholstery to wallpaper to accessories, and natural materials such as bamboo, sea grass, rattan and wicker were found on lighting, accessories and furniture.
A Modern Spin: Farmhouse is certainly not gone, but we’ve seen changes this summer that have updated the more rustic themes of the past several years with a modern approach. Cleaner lines and updated styles are paired with the rustic finishes of farmhouse for a transitional look that blends well in a variety of décor settings.
Style-wise, mid-century modern design continues to trend, along with more contemporary furnishings. Medium-tones in wood finishes, grays and blacks, abstract wall art and streamlined styling appear to be on trend.
