high point market

To market, to market: Spotted trends from High Point Fall 2013 Market

The fall edition of the High Point Furniture Market has just ended and designers, retailers and manufacturers left with a suitcase full of ideas and upcoming trends.  No doubt you will be seeing:

  • Lots of shiny gold metal.  Brass could be spotted used in lighting fixtures, furniture frames, hardware and accessories.  While metals like nickel, stainless and oil rubbed bronze are quite beautiful, brass offers a warm alternative.

  • Velvet appears to be the upholstery and window treatment fabric for the upcoming year.  Luscious jewel tones included emerald green and dazzling shades of blue (rumored to be the color of the year for 2014).

  • A black and white color combination never really goes out of style but it is back in a big way.  Upholstered furniture, case goods and even lighting fixtures are featuring this always chic color combo, as evidenced in this exquisite lamp by Currey & Co.

Exton lamp from Currey & Co.

  • The classic design of mid-century furniture has, obviously, been around for a very long time but is enjoying a resurgence of popularity.  See our post on some of the iconic designers of that period who's designs have withstood the test of time. The clean and simple lines designed with function in mind serve the busy lifestyles of today's homeowner.

With so much to choose from this year it will be exciting to see what the furniture, fabric and architectural hardware manufacturers have in mind come Spring 2014!  To view our current collection as well as new products, visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Trend watch from High Point's 2012 Fall market

Twice a year in the spring and fall, designers, decorators, artists and furniture and fabric manufacturers descend on the small town of High Point, North Carolina to attend "market".  Vendors are there to display their products in the hopes that something will catch the eye of an influential buyer and become next year's must-have.  Many of the products you will see in upcoming collections of fabric, hardware and furniture styles were born during market week.  Let's take a look at what we can all expect to see in the coming year:

  • Gold metal is back.  After years of oil-rubbed bronze, nickel and pewter, warm finishes like gold, bronze and copper are making a comeback.  No longer the garish gold and brass of the seventies, today's lustrous finishes can be paired with other metals and will add a warm glow to your hinges, drawer pulls, door hardware and fixtures.   We were a bit ahead of the game when we introduced our new Daisy pull, Ergo key card lever, Willow surface bolt and our popular and charming frog pull all available in varying gold finishes.
  • Pantone, the color guru, has announced that next year's color of the year in fashion will be Monaco Blue, a color that falls somewhere between navy and cobalt.  Others are forecasting that the interior design color of the year will be a mellow shade of yellow.  Either way, both colors are quite a departure from last year's vibrant Tangerine Tango.
  • Neo-classical architecture has never gone out of style but updated and over-sized versions of the iconic Greek Key design are popping up in hardware and as embellishments on case goods, fabric, rugs and window treatments.  It just shows you that, as the saying goes,"everything old is new again".  FYI, that lyric comes from Australian songwriter Peter Allen.
  • Contrast defines many of next year's trends.  For example, shiny surfaces sitting next to matte finishes, old reclaimed wood pieces placed alongside shiny mirrored items, modern paired with antique, rustic with contemporary...you get the idea.
  • Geometric patterns remain popular but are seen paired with more organic shapes to update the look.  Does it get any more organic than our Ergo line?

As with most design decisions, next year's forecasted trends support the idea that anything goes.  In other words, if it works for your home or business, then it works.  Do you have a favorite trend?

For more information on these products or to view  our complete line of custom hardware and get the latest news on what is happening at Martin Pierce, please visit us at www.martinpierce.com