Four Hands Furniture

The world’s largest furnishings market takes place twice a year, in High Point, North Carolina, and I try to make it a point to attend this exciting show in April. The 2nd market is held in October, and while I wasn’t able to attend, I continuously follow style spotters and showrooms’ updates on the latest and most intriguing new trends to stay current and infuse the freshness of it all into my design projects. I’m especially excited now as so many new ideas and products are based on manmade, handcrafted, unique, statement pieces that aren’t “matchy-matchy” items. I’m equally pleased with the philosophy that you don’t have to fall into a “style” category such as traditional or contemporary but can MIX it up and be creative in your eclectic, personal approach to decorating.

Caned Furniture: Although caning has been used for centuries, it is so prevalent now and has an island-like feeling. It is offered by well-known, high-end makers as well as new artisans and creates such a warm, relaxing vibe. Varying in pieces from wrapped console and cocktail tables, bookcases as well as chairs, caning is a popular, favored look, as shown here.

Dowel Chair

Four Hands Furniture

Faceted furniture fronts, sides and table bases are all the rage now, adding much interest while replacing your standard “parsons” legged table styles. They’re very geometric and give a space dimension and depth and can be intermixed with any style.

I’m swooning over the dining table below by Century Furniture, it’s so sleek, unique and just cool…

Faceted drawer detail on this piece by Noir Trading

Faceted Cabinet by Ambella Home

Faceted legs by Century Furniture

Curvilinear Pieces and Mid-Century Modernism: Reminiscent of 1950’s curves with a vintage vibe: Furniture is featuring rounded corners, some emulating an art deco period as shown here in Michael Berman’s new line for Kravet Furniture. He says that his pieces are “free-flowing and organic” and “a waterfall layering of shapes that echo the flared styling of 1970’s fashion”. You can see these concepts in this style by the way he incorporates faceted shapes, rounded chairs and mixes of golds and natural materials. To view the whole collection, Click here

Michael Berman Collection For Kravet

Also rounded in form and shape are swivel chairs and ottomans, both versatile for the option to view several focal points in a room. Here is a fabulous style paired with a great fabric by Ambella Home:

Swivel Ottoman by Ambella Home, Chicago Design Source showroom

Four Hands

Four Hands rounds it out with this curvy, comfy sectional shown above:

Arteriors Home swivel chair

Things that are Golden: Silence and some of the hottest products now! (Equally exciting are bronzy finishes) These metallics just add the hint of glam we all need in our spaces. This Vanguard bench is so keenly crafted out of bent metal with bolster pillows tucked into the frame. Perfect…

Vanguard Furniture

Century Furniture bed with brass accents

Since every single piece that Martyn Lawrence Bullard, one of my favorite designers, touches turns to gold, why shouldn’t the lighting collection “Magic Garden” for Corbett Lighting also do so? (I specified the 3 light sconces for a nail salon…FABULOUS look!)

Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Corbett Lighting

Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Corbett Lighting

Ambella Home

Gold metal accented pieces above by Ambella Home are so unique and make great statement pieces. The chest against the wall is a great segue into the next hot trend:

Inlays, overlays, and textures: This chest by Ambella Home features inlaid wood as well as overlays in gold and fashionable hardware. Exotic inlaid woods along with overlays on the pieces add to the fine craftsmanship that makers are offering. Here lies beauty in the unexpected, presenting one of a kind works of art to embellish a space and make one pause to take a closer look. Adding texture to furnishings was seen all over the market and trending in a big way.

Ambella Home Chest

Global Views

Hooker Furniture Melange Collection Credenza

The credenza above is from the Melange Collection by Hooker Furniture and is silver-leafed and hand-painted. A one-of-a-kind piece that tells its own story. It’s timeless and makes for another statement piece. Inlays, overlays and adding texture using a variety of materials create a WOW factor when entering a room.

Hand-made artisanal pieces: Makers are collecting hand made pieces to add to their lines, supporting the work of the craftsperson. We are seeing works by hand in the ever-increasing luxury living segment of the market. Hand-painted pieces and mixed materials such as metal, stone and crushed shells and stone are being applauded.

John Strauss hand-painted cabinet

Stunningly gorgeous is this hand-painted watercolored cabinet by John Strauss, made in the USA to boot. I can’t stop staring at this piece, just awesome!

Prima Design Source dining table

Juxtaposing mixed metals with natural materials and incorporating a hammered and flame torched copper top paired with and steel base, Prima Design Source does not disappoint.

John Richard hand-painted breakfront “Dominic”

An ethereal vibe, the hand-painted piece made by John Richard is subtle and whispers quietly in a space…perfect for a Dining Room, envisioning it paired with a curved mirror above.

Please check in next month for a new blog post as I share information gathered at a recent Sherwin Williams Colormix forecast for 2020 in which cozying up or “nesting” with the ones you love, finding beauty in carefully handcrafted and well-worn products in one’s own sanctuary is what is desired and sought after in today’s high-tech, fast-paced world we live in. “JOMO”, or the joy of missing out is replacing “FOMO” or the fear of missing out, according to Sherwin Williams’ trend report.

Have a beautiful December filled with loved ones, festivities paired with good food and beverages!

The best is yet to come in 2020~

~Stephanie