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Local retailer and Gild & Co. owner Bonnie Wilson shares the latest furniture design trends from her visit to the U.S. furniture event of the year.
I recently returned home from my first trip to High Point Market. If you haven’t heard of High Point, North Carolina, it is like the Silicon Valley of furniture, and every fall and spring they have a market.
With 11.5 million square feet of show space, 180 buildings and more than 2,000 exhibitors it is a mind-bogglingly large event. The town of High Point doubles in size with 75,000 attendees coming from all over the world. For a furniture-lover like myself, it was a few days of pure joy. Here are the top six furniture trends I spotted while navigating “The Market.”
Mixed fabric upholstery was everywhere, from traditional to modern, bold to subdued. Dark-brown leather chair arms were paired with a nubby linen seat, or a bright print on a chair back was mixed with a solid on the front. Historically this is nothing new, but it’s nice to see it coming back. Why settle with one fabric when you can have two (or more)? The trend also lends a designer, tailored look.
Bold floral, animal and geometric prints and bright colour upholstery abound. Just because flowers aren’t blooming outside doesn’t mean you have to live without colour inside.
Natural textures add depth and luxury to a space, so it’s no surprise that they were everywhere at the Market with linen, burlap, nail-head trim and cowhide being the most popular. Natural textures get better with age – think of worn leather, nubby linen or antique brass. You may pay more for natural materials but they will pay off in the long run with continued beauty. This is a trend you don’t need to worry about going out of style.
Classic furniture, especially French, has been reproduced for a long time. The trend now is more about extrapolating rather than replicating classic designs. Pieces are made to look old (rather than new old furniture) and have a modern touch, like a lighter wood stain, more comfortable size or contemporary fabric to better fit modern homes.
Not your grandmother’s rattan furniture. Well, scratch that, it may be just like your grandmother’s rattan, if she is into casually chic, highly durable, texturally interesting furniture. Used in indoor and outdoor furniture, lighting, and other home accents rattan is a classic.
Who doesn’t love a Cinderella story? Trash turned into treasure. Architectural salvage is hot, especially in lighting where there were many beautiful examples of salvaged metalwork turned into shapely and unique table lamps.
Bonnie Wilson is the owner of Gild & Co., a new vintage and decorative furniture store located at 4415 West 10th Ave., Point Grey, Vancouver. Hours are Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.