Trend 1: A large-scale, beautifully framed custom mirror leaning against a wall. When a mirror sits on the floor it becomes a doorway to a new space.
Trend 2: Using catalog furniture in high-end projects—the taboo of catalog furniture no longer exists. I feel mixing catalog pieces brings different levels of design and mixing different price levels makes it relatable and obtainable.
Trend 3: Mixing different periods and cultures in modern spaces from midcentury to 18th century. I feel it relaxes the space while bringing the past forward.
Trend 1: Specialty glass in furniture, millwork and interiors is very hot right now, but these new exciting materials are really quite classic. Laminated glass using textural interlayers, poured glass and back-painted sheets are all on trend. I’m crazy about the silver leaf–backed glass in my new Hexy dining table for Theodore Alexander. I designed it to have the leaf applied in a small-scale hexagonal pattern. Chicly reflective, not as brittle as mirror—its richness endures.
Trend 2: Truly bespoke textiles enable us to create truly one-of-a-kind fabrics for our projects. Although costly, clients swoon with the custom weaves’ unique colorations and subtle patterns. This trend will stay, as long as the nimble weavers (such as Lauren Hwang Bespoke shown here) are around, and the budgets exist to support them.
Trend 3: Environmentally aware products are here to stay, and I forecast that not only will clients really start asking for and demanding these in their lives, but laws will require them more and more. The Anthropocene is here, now! No longer a sci-fi proposed epoch, the significant impact of the human race on the Earth’s ecosystem is challenging design across all spectrums to come up with solutions. Crisis equals opportunity! LED and OLED lighting is hyper energy efficient and can add a pin spot or illuminate a whole surface (Kumiko by Michiru Tanaka Lighting Design through Kaneka OLED shown here).
Trend 1: The days of swagged and trimmed curtains appear to be over—maybe forever. Design is more tailored in general, a reflection of our modern, streamlined life.
Trend 2: Saturated color is an antidote for the über beige and gray interiors of the past few years. Many people have gotten tired of bland, safe interiors and are looking for “seasoning in their soup,” so to speak.
Trend 3: Decorative accessories are a critical element in any design. In keeping with the shift toward more modern interiors, we have found that glass objects, such as the ones used here with their reflective quality, add an exciting element in our bookcase design.
Trend 1: While “organic modernism” may seem an of-the-moment trend, we’ve always sought to incorporate organic elements within our designs, be it live-edge tables, stick furniture (which Rose Tarlow has beautifully reinterpreted in end tables) or stumps—like this chic, metallic coffee table from Century. We consider it a design-staple that has lived, and will live, well beyond trend.
Trend 2: In the world of textiles, it seems trends come and go at the speed of light, and we are so often disappointed to find out that a favorite pattern or colorway has been discontinued. We’ve always been fans of Eastern hand-blocked fabrics, particularly florals, and are pleased to see a resurgence of this bohemian flavor. In particular, we’re in love with this new line of (largely floral) prints by Radish Moon (available through John Rosselli), which are fresh and romantic at once. They’re transitional enough to work in more traditional settings, but modern enough to feel right at home in contemporary environments too. For this reason, we feel (and pray) this trend will stick with us!
Trend 3: We’ve noticed a trend in lighting that favors simple glass globes and mixed metals. While we enjoy a scene-stealing, statement chandelier in certain key spaces, we appreciate simpler, more functional lighting options elsewhere, and, in particular, have become rather fond of globe fixtures, with metal accents, like this globe fixture from Rejuvenation. Good looking in bathrooms, kitchens, entry halls—diverse. Certainly derived from turn-of-the-century classics, we think these contemporary renditions are a new classic with staying power.
