Design Trend Forecast 2008-2009

By Patty Bouley, President Bouley Design Inc.
11/18/2008

Patty Bouley

At 1.3 million square feet of exhibition space, there is no way to cover every inch of Maison et Objet, greater Paris’ bi-annual home furnishings trade show. The illusive search for French style starts at any one of the seven exhibition halls but sifting through the trends while dodging 66,000 visitors and 3,000 exhibitors is enough to drive any show participant to the espresso bar—but not style scout and professional design consultant, Patty Bouley. With much discipline and expertise, Bouley has returned with the trend forecast for 2009.

For fall 2008 there was a profusion of posh one-of-a-kind finds, but as Bouley reports, if there were to be one overall theme that surfaced this autumn it would be “simple.” This back-to-basics style or “slo tec” is all abou less speed for better living with a focus on eco consciousness, quality craftsmanship and agrarian living. The highlights of Maison et Objet were the many shades of gorgeous purple, brilliant golds, and luscious reds. Handmade objects by artisans stood out as did sleek outdoor furniture and lighting.

The newest designs in European Home Furnishings are constantly evolving as new ideas rise from international designers with an uncanny ability to challenge tradition. Trend spotter and style maven Patty Bouley shares the trends at a glance.

TOMORROW'S TRENDS

• Caravan
  The bold patterns of the former Soviet Union and rural Russia were embroidered across all genres of decor. Suzani patterns and Uzbek folk art inspire striking patterns in circular motifs with bold colorations. Themes of Russian nesting dolls resurface in more modern ways.
• Glacier
  The complex dimensions of snowflakes and crystal quality of ice is one of the freshest themes in home design. Frosty finishes, metallic accents, and cube shapes redefine the fine line between hot and cool.
• Mustard and Plum Palette
  Last seasons’ two most prominent colors pair up as this year’s dominant palette. Plum and gold tones stand out while deep purple, rosy lavenders, and bold yellows with a hint of green gain momentum
• Modern Patchwork
  These quilted accessories are far from country kitsch. A modern mix of pieced fabric, and color-blocked graphics, this age-old craft has made its grand entrance into the 21st century.
• Outdoor Chic
  No longer relegated to teak and wicker, outdoor furniture design is pushing traditional boundaries of style and technical innovation. This genre of decor took more risks than any other this season.
• Red and Orange Palette
  Passionate, warm, and inviting—the red and orange family has a strong presence this fall. Crimson and citrus combinations appear in table linens and lamps. Clear reds make a splash in ethnic textiles, sculpted candles and silk flowers.

15 Tips for Creating Dazzling Displays

By Susan Wagner, Country Business, 11/18/2008

1. First off, remember the job of a product display is to showcase the merchandise in such a way as to make customers stop and look at the items closer and hopefully buy them. So always strive for the exciting and eye-catching rather than modest and mediocre.
2. Don’t overburden a display. The merchandise should stand out, not be buried. Yes, it is tempting to show a large amount of product in a display, but if you try to cram too much into a setting, the customer will just gloss over it.
3. Find a focal point. Choose one stunning item or an interesting prop and build the display around that. The focal point should be bigger or brighter than the other merchandise.
4. Keep in mind both positive and negative space. The area around the products – the negative space – frames the merchandise, so you want to keep some of that space open. Yes, you can overlap items, but too much overlapping will cause visual confusion.
5. Stick to three colors at the most. Keep in mind your product's coloring and then choose one or two other hues for props and backgrounds. Too many color variations will distract from the product itself.
6. Choose a theme. Make a color story (merchandise in various shades of blue, for example), a seasonal design (wintertime décor), or a clever setting (bunnies and babies).
7. Plan your window displays for the types of customers that pass by. If you have mainly drive-by customers, show bigger items; if you're in a pedestrian area, smaller pieces would be OK.
8. Remember height. Include risers in your display or hang something from the ceiling to reach a tabletop setting.
9. Let it shine! Add track lighting or other spots that you can direct at your displays. A well-lit display will outsell a dark one any day. And consider leaving your window display lit at night so it can attract attention 24 hours.
10. Be careful what you place in your window, especially if it has a sunny exposure. Candles will melt, fresh fruit or vegetables may attract bugs, and colors on some products might fade. Consider having your front window covered in a sun-resistant film.
11. Go for the unexpected. If you're showcasing coastal dishes, place them in a display filled with sand. To highlight a themed Christmas tree, put it in an unusual base, such as a wheelbarrow or cradle.
12. Add motion and sound. If you have a display of wind chimes or flags, set up a small fan to keep the items moving. For a garden area, consider a small tabletop pond. The sound of the water gurgling will attract attention.
13. Keep bolts of interesting fabric on hand. You can hang it for a backdrop, wrap it around a display to move the eye, cover a table with it or bunch it together in a basket to nestle more fragile products.
14. Use architectural elements as display pieces. Hanging windows can be used to separate spaces, a porch railing can showcase birdhouses, bricks or stones can be used to create multiple levels.
15. And finally, change your displays often (at least once a month). Customers always want something new, and a changing display will make it look like you have all new merchandise. If they see the same displays over and over again, they will stop coming to your store.

Fells Point Fun Festival

When: Saturday October 3rd and Sunday, October 4th, 2008
Where: Fells Point, Maryland
Booth Fee: $360 for 10x10
Web Site: www.preservationsociety.org
Deadlines: I applied online to the show toward the end of April and was accepted mid-June

With the sound of rice being stir fried with metal spatulas in a giant wok behind me and the scent of funnel cakes on the air, the bagpipe band parades the cobblestone streets of Historic Fells Point, serenading the morning and ushering in the start of another year's Fun Festival. The back of my booth faces a market square with food vendors, directly across the way on the other side of the square is Sola's booth (Scarvelous) "HI SOLA!!!" Sola has done this show for years.. We were lucky with gorgeous weather both days. This is my first year and here is my review:

Pros:
-Beautiful, quaint setting on the Chesapeake Bay
-Large, pleasant and slightly inebriated crowds (Beer Garden!)
-Great restaurants around for good food during and after the show
-Plenty of close by porta potties (and restaurant restrooms)
-Easy drive-in and unload (if you come early) and if you're not in a rush, easy drive-in and packup

Cons:
-Beer Garden may draw off the crowd from shopping...or cause them to shop more, who knows??
-Street parking is tight and there is a lot but you have to pay for that...pssst....however there is an unadvertised free lot at the end of Thames Street for vendors.
-The streets are very narrow and driving back to my space to load my stuff I got stuck behind a truck which was being loaded and took up the width of the street. I had to wait until they finished and drove on before I could continue on to my space. But I wasn't in a rush so I just turned my car off and chilled.
-The shopping crowd is more local than touristy like we are used to on Capitol Hill but they were buying and interested in hearing about Eastern Market.

Security:
I left my booth and contents up overnight. I had sidewalls zipped up all around. There were police officers patrolling all night. I felt comfortable doing this as so many other booths were left up too. Many lowered their tents down for the night which is a nice option if you don't have grids. Everything was intact in the morning.

Conclusion:
I did well enough in sales - I could have made that much for Sat and Sun at EM but it was enough to make me want to do the show again next year along with the fact that it was fun to be there. My criteria for doing a show is that I make at least 4 times the booth fee or twice as much as I would have at EM so this show was borderline. Sunday was slower as there was a Ravens/Redskins game but nonetheless, sales picked up after the game.