By Katie Laughridge
From Tribune News Service
Last week we covered some of the trends we spotted in October at the famed High Point Furniture Market in North Carolina.
I’m back for round two, including my personal favorite—upholstery to the floor!
Warm Layered Neutrals
While we love to work with color, we do appreciate a neutral moment! Layered neutrals are a great way to create calming spaces that are anything but boring. Whether you select cool neutrals or warm, selecting pieces within the same color family in varied depths and textures help you to achieve a look that’s interesting without being overwhelming. The layered neutrals we saw at Market tended to be on the warmer side, often incorporating rich browns and highlighting wood furniture.Upholstery to the Floor
Perhaps my favorite trend from Market: Pieces that are upholstered to the floor were all over Market and we are here for it! Upholstery is one of the things we love most at the shop and seeing this exciting spin on pieces we know and love was a thrill. We spotted pieces that were both contemporary and traditional (and everywhere along the spectrum), and this little touch made a big impact regardless of the genre. Whether boldly patterned, dressed up in a textured solid, or draped in a sweet check, we couldn’t get enough of these pieces.
Metal-Accented Upholstery
Another trend we love spotting was the addition of metal accents to upholstered pieces. Metal accents add structure and a dash of “sparkle” to otherwise soft pieces and take traditional pieces in a more transitional or contemporary direction. A particular pair of chairs we spotted in one showroom was as traditional as can be with a brown and cream ticking, but the shape and metal accents made it on-trend for today.
Casual Traditional
A term we heard popping up at Market was “casual traditional.” This timeless yet relaxed, unfussy aesthetic is just the right balance of livable luxury and quiet sophistication. Timeless shapes and styles in finishes that fit the modern sensibility make for well-designed and curated spaces that we can truly live in and enjoy.
80s Influence
We’ve been seeing it in fashion for a while and 1980s flare was back big time this Market. Furniture pieces we saw often featured rounded or amorphous shapes and geometric and abstract patterns. When paired with rich woods and current color palettes, these spaces had a retro yet polished aesthetic that felt perfectly contemporary.
Return to Traditional
You know I’m not going to be sad about traditional interiors being front and center on the trends list! I think it’s a great place to end this post since traditional and new traditional design is so near and dear to our hearts. Whether it be large wingbacks, rich, dark stained wood pieces, natural caining, or gorgeous, timeless fabrics, I am here for it all! We were thrilled to find looks that ranged from through-and-through traditional to a subtle nod to the aesthetic, all of them rooted in the past yet refreshingly current.We’ll be gearing up to head back to furniture market in a few months (time flies when you’re having fun!) and I already can’t wait to be back. Is there a part of market you’ve always been curious about or would like to see? I’d love to hear from you. Send an email to [email protected]. Until next time, happy decorating!
Adapted from nellhills.com. Katie Laughridge is the owner of Kansas City interior design destination Nell Hill’s. For more information, contact Katie at [email protected]. Copyright 2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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