Inspiration in the Studio

We’re just getting back after a long market week! We spent hours touring showrooms and finding inspiration in the new trends. For the next couple of days, we’ll try to capture a bit of what we found and how it helps the creative process.

Everyone always asks, “What are the new colors?”  It’s a tough question, because we try our best not to design for trends. We try to provide timeless designs that our clients will love for years. But, of course, we are always paying attention to the splashes of color and how they impact a design. In High Point, we found lots of color this spring and we definitely saw some trends:

CLASSIC NAVY BLUE

Navy and yellow at Pearson.

Rich navy at Hickory Chair.

Navy and red at Century Furniture.

SPLASHES OF BOLD ORANGE

Always bright colors at Company C.

Orange used sparingly (but effectively) by Lorts.

Bold orange accessories from Global Views.

PINKS WITH PUNCH

Raspberry pink accents at Pearson.

Preppy pink and green at Company C.

We’re always searching for the perfect combination of comfort and style in seating! While in High Point, there was a lot of touching and feeling….like Goldilocks trying to find the perfect chair! These are a few that we thought were just right!

Pearson adds casual sophistication to dining chairs….

The exposed wood detail of this chair is fabulous. I can only imagine how handsome it would be in a slubby textured upholstery.

We loved the clean lines and geometric print on this piece by Hickory Chair.

This classic design from Hickory Chair becomes extraordinary with a woven metallic silver leather seat! Different, unusual, creative….love it!

Lorts introduced a new line of upholstered pieces that caught our attention.

This oversized chair from Lorts has beautiful exposed wood detail.

The ultimate in casual comfort….the slipcovered dining chair from Lee.

I love the gray leather and clean lines in this handsome pair from Lee.

The last is my favorite chair photo for two reasons; (1) because I absolutely adore the style, comfort, tufting, and combination of fabrics on this pair from Lee and (2) because our awesome new design assistant, Kaitlin, is testing it out (we’ll share a more formal introduction soon).

Always searching for the perfect pieces….will the search ever end?

As I was making my way through High Point Market, I was able to document some of my favorite finds. Here’s few trends that grabbed my attention (and I can’t wait to incorporate these ideas into new projects)….

One of my absolute favorite showrooms was Hickory Chair. It was one of those showrooms that had something special around every corner.  One piece was more beautiful than the next. They have done a fabulous job partnering with wonderful designers such as Alexa Hampton, Suzanne Kasler and Thomas O’Brien.

Pearson featured some bold geometric prints throughout their upholstery collection and I especially liked this one.

A beautiful display in the Barclay Butera Home showroom….elegant, simple and comfortable.

Without a doubt, the trend in lighting is pendants. These linen beauties are a new introduction by Jamie Young.

And these pendants with great texture by Regina Andrew.

So, what was the best part of walking miles of showrooms while absorbing way too much information? Without a doubt, it’s the contagious energy that stays with you for many weeks afterwards, bringing new design inspiration.