Hardwood Floors Oct/Nov 2019

DESIGNER INSIGHTS INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Saint Laurent, and Celine are hot on the ’80s while J. Crew specializes in making the ’80s trends applicable for the everyday person. Without going too far into “back to the future” mode, let me list some of the fashion trends that will impact interiors for 2020. From these trends, there will undoubtedly be some impact on our interiors choices, not in hardwood flooring, but as pops of color and sparkle for accessories. You may have already seen some of these examples in a Target or Home Goods store near you. For those of us in the floor covering world, we are all striving to stay one step ahead of trends, in the sweet spot of what matters most. Many years ago, I said there's a big difference between trends and trendy, and to sum it up simply, trendy includes things that pop up and go quickly like reversible sequins on pillows, while trends are things that have a much longer shelf life, such as brushed gold lamps, fixtures, and accessories. unexpectedly. Color and design professionals understand that the colors that are trending are affected by finishes, gloss levels, and even practical things like cleanability. That said, hardwood flooring colors are easily going to be well within the matte range of gloss levels. We can say with confidence that glossy-shiny is passé and will be for some time. We can also say that the reds, oranges, and wine-colored woods from the late ’90s and early 2000s aren't coming back anytime soon. We do see the old-fashioned hand-scraped cider- colored floors on occasion, but it's typically in an installation where the project was built without a designer or specifier involved. I n 2020, we will see a darkening neutral palette with more warm grays, charcoal to full black, as well as espresso browns. The counterbalance to these dark neutrals will be accent-colored walls as well as lighter case goods and upholstery colors; creamy off whites with bright pops of color in trims; contrast welting, fringe, and tassels. With major companies tapping into the performance My eye is always on the longer sustaining trends, but knowing full well that the trendy can impact us

2020 Vision

do you have 2020 vision ? As an over 50-year-old person who wears bifocals and has astigmatism, I can assure you that I don't have perfect vision. What I do have, and offer to share with you, is my 2020 vision for design trends. The year 2020 is going to be one where we see that our specific market preferences are not entirely unlike 2019, but what will drive these preferences will be new and altogether unexpected. If you look at what is watched most often on streaming platforms, you'll see that circa 1995 is very well represented. Shows like Friends have recently been rediscovered by the millennials (as they didn't get to watch it when it was broadcast 25 years ago). Besides Friends and the reboot of Beverly Hills 90210 , you'll see cultural influences as seen on these shows from the ’80s and ’90s interiors emerging in 2020. As with every trend that has cycled from decades past, I asterisk them with this: Any trends from years past will undoubtedly be improved upon thanks to modern innovations. These fashion trends aren't just a passing fancy that will come and go quickly. Most likely, you can expect to have many “blasts from the past” making a big comeback. Behind almost every interior design trend, are the runway fashion trends that spark it, and haute couture houses like

The ’80s • Neon bright colors • Purples and hot pinks as an accent color

• Stone-washed denim with patches and airbrushing • White shoes, boots, heels

• Wide waist

• Gold lamé • Glitter, sequins, beads, and studs

• Extreme proportions (e.g., broad shoulder pads and baggy pants) • Pencil skirts and peg-legged jeans

cinched belts

• Ruffles • Big hair, headbands, permed curls, and textured cuts

(e.g., glitzy sequins, glittery eye makeup, jeweled nails)

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