  Major home fashion purchases such as sofas are best purchased in hues of handsome neutrals. (Cheryll Gillespie)
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How does that saying go---no rest for the wicked? Designers never take time off even when fun in the sun calls. We are a dedicated bunch who, even when we’re enjoying a margarita on the beach, are still planning our ‘fallbulous’ rooms.
Let me assure you that fall is looking sexy. Furniture and textile designers and manufactures have been revealing their eco fabulous lines at industry shows around the world. So what’s in store for Fall 2007? Environmentally-friendly collections focused on lifestyle with contemporary styling and strong neutral palettes.
Talk at the shows centered on natural fabrics, such as wool, hemp and organically grown and processed cottons. With respect to colour there is definitely a trend towards a palette of cool grays, oyster whites, sisal, straw and cosmetics shades (skin tones) such as mink, shimmering pinks and nudes.
Neutrals are safe but they also have timeless appeal. I have always said that you can never go wrong investing in neutrals, especially when it comes to expensive and or hard to change items. Major home fashion purchases such as carpet and sofas are best purchased in hues of handsome neutrals for their timeless sense of style and versatility. Imagine rich dark chocolate furniture against a back drop of deep charcoal with lime green accents – yummy! Or skip the lime and go straight to pink, the hottest colour of the season.
An abundance of neutrals doesn’t mean that colour is nowhere to be found. That certainly wasn’t the case at the industry shows, but they did tend to stick close to accessories and smaller ‘one of a kind pieces’. Hot accent shades for fall are lime greens, pomegranate reds, pink and glamorous metallics. I also noted a lot of accessories (vases, candle sticks, containers and bowls ) appearing nude - made from glass and brilliant metals. This is a smart buy as then they too are timeless.
There was no shortage of curves at the markets as we saw sexy vases, lamps and case goods (trade talk for hard goods, such as coffee and end tables) all showing off their curves.
With respect to lighting, it was all about the shape of the base: curvy, ethnic (especially African) and geometric creations all had strong showings. All the lamps were topped off with square shades in dark neutral and black.
Designers drooled over the fabulous, contemporary pieces. It appears that home fashion is seeing strong movements in the modern genre; this intelligently follows the move towards more modern architecture and open spaces. Furniture manufactures responded with an ample serving of mobile furniture: screens, modular furniture.
Design this fall is also borderless as we expect to see exotic imports, such as Chinese armoires or Tibetan trunks paired with Italian modern.
While you’re enjoying the last month of summer, start to plan and envision bringing some fall trends home with a new coat of paint, new flooring, furniture or just changing the colour accents in a favourite room or the entire house. After all Fall is renovation season.
