Furniture Trends

CASE GOODS Back to basics: Americana and rustic farmhouse elements are common this market, appealing to consumers who appreciate a sense of history and heritage. Material make their mark: Veneer patterns and finishes continue to emphasize natural grain patterns. A shore thing: Coastal designs reflect a growing demand for casual lifestyle furniture - regardless of whether you own an oceanfront property.

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HOME ENTERTAINMENT Finish all around: 360-degree finishing begins to make some appearances. Media Magic: Consoles and wall units offer integrated wire management, ventilation, adjustable shelves, and more

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OCCASIONAL FURNITURE Washed looks: Shabby Chic influenced styles are spreading around the market. Well-woven weaves: Rattan and woven looks are still on the grow.

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HOME OFFICE Small-scale yet functional: Home office groups combine multiple elements and configurations in smaller footprints. The "Write Stuff": Writing desks add appeal to the category with stylish pieces that can fit into almost any room.

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CASUAL DINING Light touch: Lighter finishes and wood tones, such as oak, are the spotlight this market. Authenticity: Natural looks with distressing are becoming more prevalent.

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UPHOLSTERY All things familiar: Traditional is roaring back this market after making way for several seasons of contemporary and transitional. New looks in traditional come with updated fabrics and more than a few style twists to make them current. Cover up: Upholstery makers are opening the gates on slipcovers this market, making them loose and messy or tailored and fitted, as well as washable. Gussied Down: You'll still see blasts of color in big bold patterns, but the trend seems to be watered down at this market, at least a little. Color is still there, just not as much.

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FLEXIBILTY AND PERSONALIZATION:
Sizeable Benefits

More than just a trend, product versatility and personalization have become indispensable industry tools to better satisfy consumer demands. When it comes to versatility, for example, we're witnessing the development of practical extension systems for dining room tables that help accommodate a greater number of guests and ensure that tables won't take up too much space in everyday living.

This year, sectional sofas feature adjustable and retractable headrests or an extension at the base that serves as a side table or integrated tray. We're also seeing more beds with under mattress storage, storage on wheels, small floating bedside tables, and shelves built into wall panels as an extension of the headboard.

Other discoveries include folding ottomans, modular benches that can be easily set up in any room of the home, as well as versatile, ingenious home theater units... When it comes to personalization, manufacturers are offering even more variations on furniture and styles within a single collection (choice of tables, beds, legs, etc.) and greater options for wood or metal finishes, and for fabric colors and textures. Leathers are making a comeback, too. Down or feather stuffing is perfectly in line with the supple armchair fashion, while sofa coverings feature cotton, linen, imitation linens as well as woven or textured fabrics.

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WOOD ACCENTS

Natural themes will grow more popular,taking the form of carved, distressed and mosaic wood pieces. Woods are ideal for private spaces, such as bedrooms and sitting areas, said Pedersen. They're rustic, charming and even eco-friendly and safe for nurseries. Smith Vincente and Pedersen pointed out that bamboo, one of the world's most sustainable resources, is a great way to add a natural touch and unique texture to most designs, whether it's in its natural wood form or transformed into a soft textile.

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A RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE It's an undeniable fact: the marketplace has begun to develop an eco-reflex in the choice of materials it uses and the way in which furniture, bedding and accessories are made. Manufacturers now place greater emphasis on product characteristics and origin to meet a growing number of consumers who prefer to buy "green": FSC certified wood (or other tracking system) from renewable forests, non-toxic paints and stains, water-based paints and resins, eco-textiles - natural and organic fibers-reclaimed and distressed wood, and the reuse of wood back into the production cycle. It's all part of a shift towards eco-friendly values among both consumers and manufacturers.

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ANIMAL PRINTS Look for animal prints to be big this year, but not just in their traditional pattern. Designers are taking them to an almost abstract level, as with the energetic Giraffe Pillow.

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ETHNIC MOTIFS

Enliven the home with ethnic-inspired pieces, but don't bother being specific to any country or continent. Instead, Smith Vincente suggested adorning the home with a broad range of ethnic spice from around the world. "It helps the homeowner feel well-travelled.".

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Going Forward Creativity is the operative word for furnishing and redecorating your home. You can equip most any room for a variety of uses. And you can use a wide variety of styles all mixed together. Artfully, of course. Seriously, today people are making lots of creative choices for their homes. Antique dressers are transformed into bathroom bowl sinks. Crystal chandeliers are making their way into rooms you'd never dream of ... like bedrooms or kitchens. Functionality, style, and economy are also important.

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Color Trends Neutral Beats While it's certain we'll be seeing plenty of reddish-orange textiles, Pantone LLC earlier this month named Tangerine Tango its 2012 Color of the Year -- earthy and serene neutrals will make a more lasting impression in leather seating. ALL THAT GLITTERS This year, look for a range of metals, from bronze and copper to platinum, gold and silver. Metallic, gilded and shimmering finishes turn ordinary decor into luxurious pieces that pack a punch. With luxe finishes on, hints of metallic in upholstery fabrics and shimmering precious metal glazes on earthenware, the look is honest and wholesome without being kitschy, reports UK-based Trend Bible, in its spring and summer. And at last fall's High Point, designers experimented with new ways of applying metal to fabrics. CULTURAL INFLUENCES Inspired by global trends, patterns and motifs blend the texture and color of old-world looks with modern decor. Textiles are inspired by temples in Thailand, while rugs feature Moorish motifs and Moroccan patterning. Also look for African kuba cloths, Central Asian suzani prints, ikats, Scandinavian designs, intricate Indian handiwork and Chinese medallions, lotus blooms and anything dragon-related. The ethnic trend also finds inspiration close to home, as Native American dream-catchers, feathers and tribal patterns influence decoration and print.

PATTERN HAPPY Reproduced on textiles and incorporated into accent furniture, geometrics now lead the way. "Mid-century design undergoes a bold renovation rendered with an artist's perspective and equally vivid palette," writes Tracy Bulla for Home Accents Today. Graphic patterns come alive in brightly contrasting color combinations or look elegantly subdued in chic neutrals. .

FRESH BLOOMS Trend Bible's spring/summer forecast, Palm Springs, features a laid-back West Coast-style that encompasses a tropical backdrop, "loud patterns with exuberant florals" and "abstract patterning." This thriving trends showcases bold, unexpected color palettes on upholstery, pillows, tablecloths, rugs and wallpaper, and botanical prints as wall decor.

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