New Year, New Looks
Fashion, politics and the environment influence home décor for 2010.
If you see the latest fashion trend on the runway in the spring, chances are you’ll see some form of that look in a furniture showroom by winter. The bright-orange gown that makes headlines in Paris may inspire a tangerine dream of an accent chair. Or a tweedy, metal-riveted jacket at a New York fashion show might be translated into a nailhead-trimmed sofa.
Haute couture isn’t the only element of popular culture that impacts home furnishings and accessories—almost anything that’s trendy or topical can find its way into our living spaces. The current emphasis on all things environmentally friendly has produced a bonanza of green and nature-driven home furnishings and accessories, and the dismal state of the economy has launched a boomlet in nostalgic accents that hark back to simpler times.
Wondering what’ll be au courant for the home in 2010? You’ll find the answers here and on the following page—at least until the next trend comes along.
1. Moments for Reflection
Designers have taken a shine to reflective surfaces in home décor for the upcoming year; mirrors and glossy metals (often paired with matte metal finishes for contrast) add light and liveliness to a room. The multi-paned mirror shown here combines both metallic and mirrored surfaces with an aged silver-leaf wood frame surrounded by antiqued glass accents; $449 at Ethan Allen locations in Orlando and Altamonte Springs.
2. Compare & Contrast
A black-and-white palette is a classic that’s back in vogue, and it’s made fresh and trendy with today’s updated accessories and furnishings. Look for traditional pieces interpreted for the new decade with more exaggerated silhouettes or unusual materials. A case in point is this reinterpreted wing chair; prices start at $1,249 at Ethan Allen locations in Orlando and Altamonte Springs.
3. Tree Huggers
Many of the newest decorative accents have been stripped down to their barest, most basic essences, with little or no ornamentation. Understated wood pieces bring together the eco-friendly, the nostalgic and the nature-loving elements that are defining home style for 2010. Shown here, Arteriors Home has re-imagined the classic chandelier in this most natural of materials—wood; $14.99 at arteriorshome.com.
4. Bold is Beautiful
This is today’s big home fashion story—color is hot, bold and positively wild, as it is with attention-getting clothing styles. The brightest reds, oranges, greens, purples and turquoises are enlivening rooms in the form of eye-popping occasional chairs, statement pieces and accent walls. This vividly hued chair, which can be used indoors or out, also comes in periwinkle blue, Canton red and grasshopper green, among other colors; about $1,260, venemanfurniture.com.
5. Animal Attraction
Animal prints and leather, suede and hide are being used in upholstery, rugs, pillows and even on walls and window treatments. Some of it’s real, some of it’s fake—and it’s all fabulous. The Yerra cowhide rug here comes in 26 colors and six sizes, including 8 by 10 feet, $3,050; yerrarugs.com.
