Fall trends: American furniture, color make splash
By MarÃa Cortés González / El Paso Times
EL PASO –The children are going back to school. There’s a somewhat cool breeze in the mornings, and, let’s face it, colorful store displays scream that it’s time to think of fall.So why not look forward to sipping a steaming cup of coffee or hot chocolate on a chilly morning, or curling up on a comfy sofa with a soft blanket and a favorite read.
To help you achieve that love for all things fall, here’s a preview of trends that retailers, designers and furniture manufacturers say are sure to be a hit.
Fall into color
When you think of fall, you probably think of pumpkins, squash or falling leaves in earthy hues.
Truth be told, the colors of nature this time of year — mainly yellow, orange and brown — always translate well to linens and other elements of fall decor.
Kathy Passarette, a New York decorator, said consumers may look forward to their favorite fall colors in paints, wallpaper, fabric and accessories with some variation.
Americans’ concerns with the quality of some imported items such as toys are transferring to the home — mainly in
furniture. But other factors also influence an interest in American-made furniture.”The international showcase has been terrific for providing some terrific products with some new techniques in finishes and materials,” said Jackie Hirschhaut, spokeswoman for the American Home Furnishings Alliance.
“But the reality is that with (international products) it typically takes time and there’s the distance — and there’s not much flexibility,” she said. “If you want it in a different color or the size is not right, on the international scene there just isn’t that capability of making those kind of adjustments.”
Hirschhaut said the cost of manufacturing furniture overseas has risen so that it’s not the “bargain it was years ago.”
Among the companies making furniture in the United States are Abner Henry Fine Furniture, Copeland Furniture, Kincaid, Stickley and Vaughan-Bassett Furniture.
Kincaid gives a hint of its new direction with designs such American Journey, but if consumers aren’t sure which manufacturers are making furniture in America, just ask the store attendants.
Office space
The home office continues to become a place of importance as people continue to work out of their home.
Keeping that in mind, furniture manufacturers are looking for ways to help families with functional designs in pieces.
“More and more families need to be connected; their children are doing homework and moms are getting recipes for dinner,” Hirsch haut said. “Everyone has to be able to get work done at the computer, and it has to be comfortable. You can’t just plop them on the kitchen table.”
This fall, consumers will be able to find a variety of desks designed for computers or sleeker styles for laptops.
“So many people don’t have those bulky hard drives anymore, and they need to be able to set up multiple work spaces around the home,” she said.
Among the quality pieces of office furniture being offered is a laptop desk by Riverside, which offers plenty of work space and a PowerPad drawer, with a charging port for cell phones, iPods and other personal communication devices. Vanguard Furniture also makes a sleek Quentin desk with two storage drawers.
X Factor
Each season as furniture manufacturers start rolling out their new lines, some kind of design element usually stands out. This fall, during the preseason exhibition, members of the American Home Furniture Alliance noticed a prevalence of the “X” factor.
“We looked at so much product that we started noticing this classic design element,” Hirschhaut said. “It was simple, but very stylish.”
Look for the X design in the carved arms of benches, in legs of tables or in the backs of stylish chairs.
Pumpkins galore
So you didn’t plant any pumpkins, huh? Not a problem.
Retailers such as AnnieMo’s Decorator Warehouse are always looking for the latest in Halloween decorations.
This year, it’s all about natural and renewable products, owner Annie Leutze said.
Start thinking about pumpkins made out of real tree bark in various sizes for your table centerpiece. And for a complete look at what’s in store for fall, Halloween and Christmas, mark your calendar for early October when Annie Mo’s will host its open house preview.
Dare we say Christmas?
Your eyes and ears may not be ready for it, but whom are we kidding?
Some stores are decking the shelves with holiday items.
But we’ll be considerate and just give you one thing to think about as you ease into that holiday feeling — metal.
Maybe it’s the influence of the Olympics that will make metals — gold, silver and bronze — a big part of holiday decor.
There’s even a new metal surfacing, but we’ll tell you about it later in a Christmas decor feature.
Stay tuned.
MarÃa Cortés González may be reached at mcortes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6150.
Taken from www.elpasotimes.com