Our Editors Predict These 9 Spring Design Trends Will Surge in Popularity This Season
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Two design shows that our editors look forward to every year occur during the bleakest weeks of January: Deco Off and Maison and Objet. The two events, based in Paris, satisfy our creative interests, introduce us to new and incredible products, and allow us to do some trend forecasting for the coming months. Though we tend to favor timeless over trendy, it's always fun to see what's new and interesting in the design world.
From fabrics and tabletop to furniture and objets d'art, between the two shows, no item, material, or color was overlooked—and our editors were certainly inspired by the beauty we saw in the City of Light. Here are the spring design trends we predict will be everywhere this season and beyond.
Sherbet Swatches
Hues of pastel glacé feel on brand for spring, and the addition of white to the rich colors of previous seasons create tones that feel creamy and complex. This dreamy color scheme takes inspiration from Rococo and mid-20th century style, making it feel extra romantic for the coming season.
Timothy Corrigan’s newest collection with Samuel & Sons, called Bagatelle, featured these beautiful sherbet hues. Trims were frosted with delicate Neoclassical detailing and woven with the confectionery-inspired hues. “Louis XV has always been my favorite period in French architecture and design,” shared Corrigan “The Bagatelle collection is a direct result of that research and the ideas that presented themselves.”
Samuel and Sons wasn't the only fabric company focused on the softer side of the color wheel. Rubelli’s newest collection, GARDENS, also featured a whimsical palette. The collection launched at Deco Off and was the product of design team Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi of FormaFantasma.
“GARDENS is conceived to highlight the qualitative strengths of Rubelli: the richness of decorative motifs, the extraordinary quality of silk, the meticulous study of colors and the eclectic approach to production techniques,” Rubelli shared in a media release.
Sherbet colors were also found in the halls of Maison et Objet and in smaller artisan ateliers. Gather Glass, an up-and-coming glass studio based in London started by Phoebe Stubbs, combined pops of pastel shades with chunky geometries to create compotes, glasses and vases that harken back to the 1950s but still feel thoroughly current for today’s table.
We love these sweet colors anywhere from fabrics and trims to art and tabletop. Though they seem perfect for spring, in the right setting they also feel timeless.
Murano Glass Lamps
Inseparabili Peach Pink Cups
Rusty Rose Sofa
Sunset-Colored Hues
Natural tones are here to stay, but spring is looking towards the setting sun for some refined inspiration. Our editors spotted lots of earthy hues—from tobacco and rust to mustard and ochre—among the textiles at design shows, which gave them an antique texture and beautiful patina (even though they were brand new).
At Deco Off, our editors celebrated the 20th anniversary of Christopher Farr Cloth’s iconic pattern, Carnival, which took on some smoky tones. The textile company worked with 21 textile artists and interior designers to create an artist's palette of recolors, many of which prominently showcase an earthy vintage flair.
This rich, moodier palette ran the gamut of new introductions from Holly Hunt textures, Osborne and Little trims, Larsen’s weaves and even Designer’s Guild patterns, a company more often than not known for their bright mix of colors. Denise McGaha’s star-cut velvet for Vervain sprawled with leaves in a whole mineral palette of siennas, umbers, and mustard. It’s safe to say that the sun won't set on this trend any time soon.
Bill Tansey Painting
Morningside Pillow Cover
Vaquero Velvet Stool - Camel
A Deep Dive Under the Sea
It might be the Year of the Dragon, but the Age of Aquarius is still holding strong. Our editors spotted plenty of underwater motifs at this season's shows, including Marie Daage's new tabletop collection of painterly ocean fish. Jim Thompson’s No.9 outdoor collection included cheeky lobsters and soft coral stripes, while Daum’s new launch evoked the motion of the sea in wave-like vases and objets d’art.
De Gournay’s new hand-painted paper collection, called Byōbu, featured a silvery underwater scene known as Jakuchu. Additionally, Renaissance Paris hand-embroidered delicate sea creatures onto placemats, napkins and bed linens. However, our prize for the most playful of them all goes to a Travers' archival design called Folklore, which featured Odyssean mermaids floating through a silky linen satin.
Even if you don't live in a beachfront home, you can still have fun with this trend. Incorporate found shells in your cabinet of curiosities or serve up some margaritas in coral-studded glassware at your next alfresco gathering. Even the smallest details make a big impact.
1930s Mermaid Bowl by Wilhelm Kåge
Sanibel Chandelier
Coral Water Glasses
A Moment for Moire
The underwater trend stretched far beyond sea life during the Paris shows; it even made waves in the world of woven textile and wallcoverings. Romanticizing moving water, we saw moire popping up everywhere, including the linen collections by Clarence House and Marvic.
The moire effect is created when two layers of dampened fabric are calendared together through large metal cylinders; the pressure simultaneously creates the signature wavy mark and polishes the fabric to a high gloss. When it comes to this beautiful spring fabric trend, we say give us moire!
Moire Wallpaper Roll
Anish Kapoor Moiré
1950s Moire Side Chair
Anish Kapoor Moiré
Moire Wallpaper Roll
Abstract Art
Painterly elements have always been a part of the decorative arts world, but our editors saw a resurgence of abstract art-inspired items for spring. From Matisse to Pop Art, the artist’s hand was felt deeply through fabrics with bright pops of color arranged in ambiguous compositions.
Elitis celebrated this technique in its new collection of handcrafted weaves. Swashes of gouache reminiscent of the artist’s sketchbook added layers of depth to a particularly stunning Pierre Frey silk. Philip Jefferies’s new Sprig Silhouette wallcovering took inspiration from expressionist line drawings. Casamance’s Audria panel felt like a harmony of free expression.
A desire for artistic expression even extended to the floor with Yolanda Milan Batteau of Callidus Guild. She reinterpreted her abstract handpainted wallcoverings into a collection of silk and wool pile rugs in collaboration with Tai Ping.
Whether you opt for abstract-inspired fabrics or a painterly pillow, this art-inspired trend will have you feeling creative this spring and beyond.
Reve Rug
Abstract Hand-Painted Obelisk Lamp
Nile Pouf
Animal Instinct
We're wild for this spring trend that celebrates the big cats of the jungle. Elitis’s launch of Sauvages, a wallcovering collection, involved a whole menagerie of cowhide textures with cheetah, panther and tiger motifs. Additionally, Dedar’s newest collection included indulgent tiger fabrics that would make a major statement on an upholstered chair or sofa.
From Elitis's cowhide to Dedar's etched vinyl, these new collections stand out from basic animal print due to their incredible texture and interest. When shopping this trend, think beyond flat pattern—go ahead, get a little wild.
Vintage Tiger Print Velvet Parsons Chair
Thiago Handmade Cowhide Area Rug
The House of Scalamandre Pillow Cover
Menswear-Inspired
This spring, prepare to see lots of classic menswear-inspired patterns (coastal grandpa trend lovers, now's your time to shine!).
In Paris, Ralph Lauren’s Haberdashery collection took some of his most iconic fashion fabrics and wove them into heavier versions of chunky wool. The collection blended the tailored look with fabrics that have a broken-in feel.
Other collections, including Noblis and Manuel Canovas, took inspiration from Italian silk ties, blew up the scale and applied them to cushy cut velvets and jacquards that felt like they were soon to become favorites.
Just like classic suiting, this handsome trend will only get more refined with age. Whether you opt for an upholstered sofa in a jacquard fabric or add in a few houndstooth accessories, they will add beautiful texture to any space.
Hans Wegner Wing Chair
Pair of Large Table Lamps
Palazzo Bedding Collection
Upcycled Materials
One up-and-coming trend our editors spotted at market was upcycling, or repurposing old materials and transforming them into something new. One item that particularly caught our attention was Weitzner Limited's wallcovering, called Up to Date.
Recycled magazine strips were thoughtfully woven together to create an eye-catching design that expressed what some call a "Chanel-like quality," according to designer Lori Weitzner. We cannot wait to see this trend develop further in the months and years to come. Not to mention, we're all for repurposing, reusing and recycling—especially when it creates something this beautiful!
Upcycled Fabric
Upcycled Wine Bottle Glasses
Upcycled Wood Brutalist Collage
Tapestries
Tapestries were all the rage at markets this year (and we're seeing a rise in antique tapestries and wallcoverings, as well). Watts’s collection of Tableaux Scéniques brought the antique tradition into the 21st century by using digital photomosaic photography to transcribe stunning scenes, while still maintaining the antique integrity of the original designs.
In a different application of the theme, Sanderson launched a wallpaper inspired by tapestries called Aurelia’s Grail. It revealed a fantastical world full of unicorns, English roses and other hallmarks of the tradition.
We love that this trend calls on traditions of the past while still feeling fresh in today's homes.
Bird Tapestry Fabric
18th Century Verdure Tapestry Pillow
Silk Hand-Embroidered Wall Hanging
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