Innovation, inspiration in Birmingham
By Susan Pantaleo -- Furniture Today, February 18, 2008
Birmingham, England — Innovative products, design trends and inspirational exhibits were featured at the 2008 Interiors Birmingham, the largest design exhibition in England.
The show has nearly doubled in size since last year, with more than 1,300 exhibitors covering 12 halls of the NEC Birmingham Convention Center this January.
Designersblock, an organization that produces design events worldwide, tapped into its talented resources to showcase four major trends for the future. They are:
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Retreat is a movement that features surprising juxtapositions of real and synthetic in order to form a creative sanctuary.
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Nocturne is committed to creating illusion using the extreme contrasts of light and dark along with a glamorous nightlife feel.
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Erode plays on the Ugly Betty movement that looks for beauty in the natural presentation of materials — flaws and all.
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The last and most mischievous trend is Younique, design that has personality and the confidence of youth to be different.
Color, or rather the absence of it, was a universal theme among exhibitors. Furniture was upholstered in very light neutral fabrics with washed wood tones for the frames. According to Lawrence MacBean, vice president of export sales for Bernhardt, Scotland and England are currently favoring the lighter tones for wood.
The latest neutral fabrics are leaning towards silvery gray or an earthy taupe. When paired with matte gold frames or accessories, the result is the freshest look in neutrals since brushed nickel hardware.
Where there is color, it tends to be bold. Red is vibrant and still has major impact.
Chartreuse has been named the color of the moment by Nono Designs Ltd., and it succeeds by adding vibrancy to textiles when paired with darker grays and violets.
Hot pink with teal is showing up as the prom queen that can become the center of attention for the most neutral palette.
From a style standpoint, modern is the word. The newest designs pay careful attention to details and emphasize quality and construction.
Trend analyst Jasmine LaBeau from The Future Laboratory is seeing a reaction to throwaway furniture design that was being purchased with the same attitude as clothing. Today's consumer wants to have a connection to what they buy, they want to know how it's made, who's making it, and where it's coming from.
