Trends from the Paris show Maison & Objet

Editor's note: Paula Berberian, Creative Director of WallPopsof Brewster Home Fashions, shares her observations. 

Twice a year the latest home décor products are shown inParis at the Maison & Objet biannual housewares trade show.  From furnitureand rugs to lighting and wallpapers, the exhibition halls of the Parc desExpositions and the galleries bordering the Seine showcase all things chic,revealing what will be fashionable for the home in the next year.  After trekkingthe floors of the show noting trends, Paula Berberian, Creative Director of WallPopsof Brewster Home Fashions, one of the oldest independent, family-ownedwallpaper companies in the U.S., shares five fads sure to be big this year thatcan easily be integrated into the home.

Warm Colors

Kenneth James’ Suzani by Eijffinger

It mayhave been winter weather when Maison was held but inside its halls sprung atropical array of colors. 

“Therewas an overall warming of the palette,” says Berberian.  “As Pantone® namedTangerine Tango the color of the year, we saw a lot of the red family incorals, pinks and oranges, but surprisingly there was also another popular andunexpected hue, Palm Springs Blue that was everywhere.” 

The aquablue was paired with oranges, oriental reds and browns.  There was also ayellow-infused green just slightly subdued from chartreuse, along with a brightcurry yellow and red-infused purples.  This trend is beautifully captured inKenneth James’ Suzani by Eijffinger® line featuring colorful designs liketrees, ornamental flowers and embroidered circles in bright, stylish colors. One design features a teal background with a colorful floral array in orange,teal, yellow and pink.

Modern Touches

Kenneth James’ new Zircon by Eijffinger®

 “Modernis still in,” says Berberian.  “While we saw a lot of vintage designs, allwould have some modern element added, giving a fresh look to more traditionaldesigns.”

Fora modern spin, some of the items seen at the show were a classic chinoiseriethat went chic in a vivid purple rather than the usual French Blue or red andtraditional wood furnishings had an added splash of a bright color such as limegreen.  Tribal designs like ikats and suzanis were also infused with moderncolors and interpretations.  For an updated classic, Kenneth James’ new Zirconby Eijffinger® collection features dramatic, modern designs such as traditionalstripes revived with dry matte colors, suede printing and a mica finish.  

Natural Woods

Kenneth James’Suzani by Eijffinger®

“Therewas a continued move toward the natural and organic with hand-crafted woodenpieces throughout the show, particularly whitewashed pine,” says Berberian.

Toincorporate an eco-chic touch to any space, look to pieces made with reclaimed,whitewashed or wire-brushed woods. 

Embellishments

Kenneth James’ Pipwallpaper collection by Eijffinger®, Silhouettes Flock Pink

“Dimensional elements were added to furnishings and textiles such as jewels, pearls, mirrorsand other adornments,” says Berberian.

Addedluxe textures to already likable patterns is seen in the cheerful and colorful,Kenneth James’ Pip wallpaper collection by Eijffinger®.  Pip, known for itstagline of “Happy Products, Happy People” that offers a line of bed sheets, kitchenwareand bags, now offers a wallpaper line.  It includes floral and bird prints aswell as playful framed-photo, postcard and stamp designs.  A classic damask designcomes alive with the textured flocking seen in its Silhouettes Flock Pinkwallpaper.

British Influence

Brewster HomeFashions English Style by Fairwinds Studio

Whetherbecause of the Royal Wedding or with the upcoming Summer Olympics in London, aspotlight was on all things U.K.-inspired. 

“Therewas a British explosion with the Union Jack flag, British flag and other iconicdesigns,” says Berberian.

Foran English update at home, experiment with hounds tooth and pretty floralpatterns or fun items emblazoned with images of crowns, Big Ben, London Bridgeor the city’s iconic red phone booth.

Beat the forefront of the most fashionable items for the home by incorporatingthese on-trend designs from Brewster Home Fashions.

Headquarteredin Randolph, Mass., Brewster Home Fashionsis one of the oldest independent, family-owned wallcovering companies in theU.S. that now spans five generations.  Since 1954, Brewster Home Fashions hasbeen a prominent manufacturer and distributor of fine wallpapers and home decorproducts for residential and commercial markets globally. 

For more information, visit brewsterwallcovering.com.

Organic bedding in new colorways for spring

Coyuchi sells organic cotton bedding in the United States. It says all of its cotton products are certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and produced using fair–labor practices, verified by in-country auditors.

"Anything wrinkle-free has added polyester or is coated with chemical resin," says Karyn Barsa, CEO of Coyuchi. “Also, skip super high thread counts: The thin threads may be strengthened with—you guessed it—more chemicals. Organic cotton, by contrast, simply softens over time, and generally lasts longer.”

Keith Haring pattern on wall tiles

Blik, a maker of self-adhesive surface graphics, is launching Keith Haring Pattern Wall Tiles, a new eco-friendly take on Haring's repeating patterns.

Best known for his iconic line-drawings of radiant babies and barking dogs, Haring was fascinated by complex surface pattern and startling color combinations. The launch of the wall tiles is timed with the opening of Keith Haring: 1978-1982 at the Brooklyn Museum.

The pattern moves across two 28" x 48" tiles. The tiles are self-adhesive (no messy glue required), movable, reusable and eco-friendly (free of both PVC's and phthalates.)

Completely customizable, the wall tiles can be cut, crafted and arranged in a number of ways. Create an accent over a sofa or frame a small section of a wall, or add more tiles to the design to recreate the mural environment.

50 years on, Riedel keeps designing wine glasses

Riedel Crystal, a 250-year-old company, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its “wine friendly” stemware in 1961 with an exhibit at San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art.

At the just-ended 2012 International Home & Housewares Show, the company launched its latest designs, including the dragon-shaped Twenty-Twelve decanter (bottom image), inspired by the Chinese Year of the Dragon, and the Cobra Verde, a limited-edition piece for magnum-sized bottles, designed by Maximilian Riedel himself.

An owl is featured in steel wall decor collection

Lazart Production introduces an owl to its laser-cut steel wall decor collection. The American-made images are available in full-sized wall art pieces to smaller pieces designed to hang in the window. Available in a rich Honey Pinion finish, each piece includes built-in brackets on the back for hanging. See this laser-cut owl and other new products at the summer's major gift shows.

Sunday special: Retailers, architects team up again in London project

Regent Street Windows Project is an initiative of RIBA London and Regent Street, London W1. The project started in 2010 as part of the London Festival of Architecture and is now established as a stand-alone annual event. The Regent Street Windows Project: RIBA London runs from April 16 to May 6. For 2012, the retailer and architect pairings are:

• Banana Republic: Ushida Findlay Architects and Visitor Studio
• Ferrari: Feix & Merlin
• Bose: Zero Zero
• Reiss: De Matos Ryan
• Folli Follie: Egret West
• TM Lewin: Liddicoat & Goldhill
• Anthropologie: Gort Scott
• Moss Bros: Delvendahl Martin Architects
• Quiksilver: Bradley van der Straeten 

Here is a video of the 2011 project.

  

Following the success of the Regent Street Windows Project, RIBA London is collaborating with the Cultural and Education Section of the British Consulate and Shui On Development Limited to deliver a series of eye-catching architectural retail installations in Shanghai in as part of the UK Now festival, which celebrates British creative talent in China. The Shanghai windows project will partner 9 London architects with 9 prominent retailers to design and create eye-catching displays in the windows of the Shanghai Xintiandi and Xintiandi Style shopping center. The resulting displays will be on public display in September 2012.

Stylish anti-fatigue mat for the kitchen

The new Seasons Mat Cover collection from WellnessMats  is  a collection of removable, interchangeable, and seasonable decorative mat covers. The covers are made of stain-, spill- and bacterial-free fabric. The company added Moiré, an grid design inspired by the French textile process.

Kitchen tools from Curtis Stone

Here are three new items introduced by Curtis Stone Kitchen Solutions at the International Housewares Show this week. There are also prep tools, cookware, bakeware and servingware.

Chef Curtis Stone created Kitchen Solutions after working in domestic kitchens on "Take Home Chef" and seeing many of the common problems that home cooks were facing. He started thinking about products that would help them to better organize and learn the skills that professionals use in the kitchen, such as Workbench Cutting Board (shown above),  which offers a more hygienic and organized work station for prepping.

The  "Go with the Flow Oil Can" (below) has an upward elongated narrow spout to allow a thin steady stream of oil for a perfect pour. The design cuts down on spillage on the outside of the bottle. 

Foldable ice bucket stores flat after use

Foldable ice bucket

Ravi Solution, makers of the Ravi-Instant Wine Refresher, launched its Instant Wine Refresher at the Chicago Housewares show.

Another new product is the Foldable Ice Bucket made of PVC. Available in four colors, it can be folded after use and stored.

The 2-in-1 Vacuum Stopper is a wine stopper and a pump that removes the air in wine bottle to preserve freshness and flavor.

Wall-mounted wine racks made of exotic wood

Vynebar introduced its newest collection, called Allure, at the International Home and Housewares show in Chicago this week. The wine racks are made in the United States with exotic woods accented with brass, copper or nickel metals.  The Vynebar 8 Allure Collection holds eight bottles of wine and the Vynebar 4 Allure Collection holds four bottles. Easy to install, the Vynebar can also be mounted under kitchen cabinets.

Another collection offers eight anodized metal colors in four finishes: Glossy Polished, Flat Bead Blasted, Brushed Stainless Steel and Polished Mirror.

Luxury chandelier is 10-feet in diameter

The Medusa chandelier from 2nd AVE Lighting is suitable for a luxury home, retail, hospitality or commercial location.  The fixture is designed and crafted with 120 Bayonette mounted LED lights that are attached to a contemporary styled central mount.  All of the hardware is finished in a cool brushed aluminum. The chandelier is 28 inches tall and 124 inches in diameter. It is made in New York state.

Sunday special: Decorating with metallics in the home

South Florida interior designer Deborah Wecselman's says, "One touch of metal  instantly adds opulence, timelessness and glamour!"


"Metallic accents are not of-the-moment trends yet traditional elements that add high-shine and a feeling of opulence to any space within your home.  Most consumers are intimidated by lustrous wall items, lighting and table accents – straying away from incorporating metals with the fear of transforming their room into an intergalactic spaceship."

Here are four tips for using what she calls "mega-watt metallics:"

1.  Cleanliness. Metallics lend a clean and minimalist feel by adding a few striking accents.
2.  Accessorizing. As in fashion – too much can be overwhelming. Purchase key pieces – one stand out piece (wall art, ottomans, accent tables or centerpieces) as the headlining embellishment in the room.
3.  Refurbishments. Old chairs, chaises, couches and ottomans can be brought back to life by adding platinum, gold, bronze or silver grommets, metallic arms or feet – accenting details to upholstered items lends an antiquated appearance.
4. Light at the end of the tunnel. Focal points in hallways don't have to start and end with a rug, placing a speckled-silver piece of wall art is a foundation for creativity and a natural light source – "visually"opening up a space.

About Deborah Wecselman
Deborah Wecselman was born in Lima,Peru and began her formal training as design associate in the storedevelopment department at Polo Ralph Lauren.  She quickly rose to SeniorDirector of International Store Design, where she was responsible for thecreation of more than 5,000 international shops and stores. In 2000, Deborah established DWD Inc. to provide clients with interior and architectural design of the highest quality. DWD Inc.is a small firm that allows Deborah and her staff to  be their best and bemost available to their clients.

See French housewares at Housewares Show

Thion - Arvix, a leading French manufacturer of household products, will be exhibiting at the International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago this month.

The company's product line includes household mats (welcome mats and mats for the kitchen and bath). All are made with natural products.

It is one company showing within the French Pavilion, organized by UBIFRANCE-the French Trade Commission.

In all, 12 exhibitors will be showing innovative products for the home, including kitchenware, tableware, cutlery and flatware. Other housewares include Laguiole knives, dinnerware, serving pieces, wine accessories, bakeware, kitchen gadgets and kitchen textiles.

The French pavilion is located in the Dine & Design section of the South Hall in McCormick Place, booths S4443 to S4549.

Recordable photo albums are ideal gifts

Prinz introduced more album styles to its Recordables collection. The company introduced the new albums at the winter markets and they are available for shipping March 30. New titles include Live Love Laugh, Grandchildren, Mom, Family and Holiday. Easy-to-understand instructions are included.

Consumers can record and save a personal, 10-second greeting. Inside pages of the 40-photo capacity albums feature coordinating interior designs and include a memo-write area. Three AG10 button cell batteries are included. For merchandising ease, a six-piece album counter display is included with each retailer order.

Tangled up in blue

Here's a blog post to check out. It's from retailer ABC Home.

"From aqua to navy blue and all the way back to cerulean,blue is the color that we reach to time and time again for both designinspiration and spiritual and emotional healing. It’s the color of theocean and the sky, making it a constant in our lives. It’s the color ofpeace and calm, and of royal authority. So, whether you’re trying to adddepth into a small room, increase a sense of calm in your home, or even perhapsadd a youthful cheer into an otherwise dark space, blue is your color."

Continue reading at ABC Reveal, the ABC Home blog.