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Home Sweet Home
Industry Experts Offer Ideas on Trendy Home Décor for 2005 |
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Written by Karen Hall
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Industry Experts Offer Ideas on Trendy Home Décor for 2005
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| The frosted look is becoming a popular trend for vases, candles, and ornaments. |
When it comes to trendy home décor for 2005, too much is not too much anymore.
This is according to Derrick Hollar, design consultant for Florists Supply Ltd. in Winnipeg, who says that at one time if someone put a pair of candlesticks on either end of a mantle, she was doing well.
“Now people are actually crowding mantles with ornamentation and pictures,” he says. “And they’re layering the mantles with picture over picture over picture, which is kind of interesting.”
One of the trends Hollar is seeing is ornament vases being used as ornaments themselves, rather than just vases holding flowers. And some people are simply putting glass balls into clear crystal vases.
“It’s a very casual feel and it’s a very relaxed feel. It’s not constructed,” he says. “Even with design work there’s not much design happening. It’s more a clustering of flowers, selecting them as to colour and texture, adding drieds and so on rather than making a design, whether it’s contemporary or otherwise. People are more concerned about textures and shapes and sizes rather than they are an actual design. Am I getting the textural feel that I want here or am I getting the fullness that I need or am I getting the colour blending that I want?”
Sunbursts, hydrangeas, tweed ... that’s what the Dec.2004/Jan.2005 issue of Style at Home, Canada’s decorating magazine, is predicting for the hot home décor trends for 2005.
• Sofas, armchairs and dining chairs are being upholstered in tweeds, plaid, dramas, and herringbone fabrics.
• Kelly, leaf, chartreuse, juniper and emerald are shades of green making an appearance in giftware, furniture, and home accessories.
• Sunburst mirrors are appearing everywhere and are hotter than ever.
• The popular flower for 2005 is the hydrangea. Mixed with fruit, berries, and other flowers, hydrangeas can be used to accent any style of room.
• Furniture inspired by Tudor and 19th-century designs are the latest craze.
• Dinnerware, linens, and accessories are appearing in every shade of purple, from lilac to plum.
• Accent towels with trendy fashion-inspired shades, embroidered edges, and fringes are the new look for towels in the bathroom.
• Kids’ craft rooms with pint-sized furniture, kids-height sinks, storage for toys and craft-supplies, and bulletin boards are a must-have in any house.
• The sofette is the new popular alternative to the traditional sofa or settee. It would look fabulous in a sitting area or entry hall. |
According to Darren Russell, director of sales and marketing at Hofland in Mississauga, Ont., they’ve picked up a little bit of the Paris French influence with a frosted look.
“There are a lot of frosted finishes,” he says. “The glass has more like a smoked texture to it. We’ve seen lots of items frosted, such as candles, vases and ornaments.”
Steve Baumgartner, corporate sales for Winward Silks in Mississauga, Ont., says another hot trend for 2005 is berries. And because of this, the company is offering its new Woodlands collection.
“What’s really interesting about them (the berries) is they’re marketed as indoor/outdoor use,” he says. “Traditionally the berries in the market have had styrofoam centres and they were only good indoors. Once they got to the elements outside they would explode with temperature, sun and rain. But these (berries) are all coated so this whole Woodlands look is great.”
He also adds that because the garden look is popular again, Winward is offering its Elements collection, which is very much defined by containers.
“Traditionally this kind of line would have been large outdoor urns made out of concrete casts, but what we’re seeing now is small to medium shapes in a lightweight fiberglass which is allowing people to transport them and use them either indoors or outdoors,” he says. “What’s really unique about them is that they can be used either way. People are putting them in family rooms or out on patios.”
Another new line Winward Silks is launching is Ambiance, a continuation of the garden theme which includes accessories, garden picks and stakes and candle tea lights. The company is offering the tea lights in many different vibrant colours, such as orange and green.
According to Baumgartner, what customers are definitely looking for are ready-made pieces.
“We’ve got a spring collection for 2005 which are really pre-made merchandise, items that are ready to go out of the box – things such as lavender wreaths and mix floral wreaths on twigs,” he says. “And the big flower for us this spring and summer is our zinnia collection in vibrant colours, including some of the oranges, yellows, and purples. We’re doing a whole zinnia grouping of a planter and a mixed bouquet. So that’s still strong.”
What’s also hot this year, he adds, are interesting little bird cages and containers in soft greens.
According to Baumgartner, people are being very influenced by the many home improvement shows on TV.
“And at the end of the day that influence is coming right through the focus on the home,” he says. “It is so huge right now. And we’re fulfilling that at the end of the pipeline.”
People are more concerned about textures and shapes and sizes rather than they are an actual design.
Russell agrees that the shows are having an influence on people and adds that the shows have people decorating their homes and using interior designers.
“We group all of our customers and our interior design category of customers is our fastest growing group right now,” he says.
Hollar believes home improvement shows are educating people and making them more aware.
“Some people actually know more of what they’re looking for instead of waiting for the designer to tell them what they should be buying,” he says.
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