Big City Style – Design Field Trip!

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit NYC, checking out some of the latest trends in home design.  First stop – tile for our latest project.  Close to Union Square you can find some fantastic tile companies and it’s wonderful to see their entire line in a dedicated store.

The selection at Ann Sachs was amazing, but I’m not sure I can justify a $250 a square foot price tag….even if it is a beautiful blend of glass and marble!  Ultimately, the new home owner will probably appreciate nicer appliances rather than really pricey tile.

Beautiful....but worth $250/sq foot???

I saw other beautiful selections at Country Floors, Artistic Tile and others. 

But I keep going back to the selection at Walker Zanger.  This taupe and white tile for the kitchen is a great accent in a neutral colorway, so the future owner can utilize whatever accent color they want. I would use it for an accent above the stove, surrounded by white subway tile.

And I’m considering this beautiful stone mosaic for the vestibule and powder room.  But it might be too feminine for a lot of buyers.  

For the second floor bathrooms, I want to stay with a classic cararra marble.

After a day of tile shopping, I had the opportunity to attend the NY NOW show at Javits Center.  Vendors from all over the world bring their latest products to market for retailers and designers and it was such fun to check them out. 

What were the trends that caught my attention?

Color – it’s all about blue.  Lots and lots of cobalts, navy and indigo 

(with a splash of teal and sea glass blue for coastal themes).

Fur – with cold weather coming, fur seemed to be everywhere.  Pillows.  Throws.  And lots of ottomans.  Mongolian fur seems to be the biggest trend.  And it was really hard to walk by these displays, without reaching out to touch it!

Rustic/Industrial – lots of vendors carried antique look alikes, reclaimed wood items and furniture with simple lines and lots of character.  Oh, and did I mention blue???

Brass/Gold – I’ve seen a lot more brass/gold accents in catalogs and magazines lately.  And it was out in force at the show.  This isn’t the shiny, 1990’s type of brass.  Most of this is ‘antique’ with a lustrous satin finish.  I have to confess, I’m really partial to brass, maybe because it’s the finish that’s usually in the original fixtures in the homes I work on.

Kids – there were a lot of soft, muted colors for kids rooms.  Not your usual baby pink and blue – but instead, shades of gray, gold and aqua.  These patterns seemed more sophisticated than some that I’ve seen in the past.  Very tranquil and dreamy!

How much of this will show up in our next projects?  I’m still working through that (although you might see a couple of these lamps!!).

But it was so much fun to get a glimpse into the latest trends and styles that are coming our way!

 

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