Volume 2: Spring 2012 - A season for COLOR!

Last Week I returned from the High Point furniture market and came back so inspired!  Spring markets are my favorite to attend, as with the changing season the vignettes and showrooms are full of the vibrancy and energy of the warmer temperatures to come.  It was so exciting to see how color, texture and pattern are everywhere!  Drab is out for sure!  Even in the tonal showrooms with all neutral upholstery pieces the pops of color were evident in pillows accessories, wall treatments and art.  You couldn't help but feel great when you walked through the displays.

Pattern, color and texture- 3 things that were evident in all of the vignettes. 

The fabric and textiles at this market were fresh and full of detail.  Here is a settee in a beautiful burnout velvet with a tree pattern.  This fabric will make an apperance in my next blog about unique fabrics, as the construction method of this fabric is amazing! 

Purple made a huge splash, in varying shades of lavender to violet.  This fresh color was seen on walls, upholstery, accents and rugs.  We have had customers requesting purple items for years now, and finally there are fabulous product offerings in this great color! 

On neutral pieces, purple can make a huge impact without a large investment.  These pillows could be changed out seasonally on these great wing chairs from Duralee.

Another color making a statement was Orange. Not everyone's favorite color, orange was used in a very liveable way- bright, energetic and fun yet sophisticated.  

Orange was also seen in many patterned textiles.  This mini flame stitch pattern was seen all over High Point. 

In fact, the flame stitch pattern in itself was also everywhere.  Look at this painted wall in a modern version of the pattern.

Another chair in a mini flamestitch- I call the zig zag pattern.

If all of this bold color is not quite your style, there were plenty of displays utilizing the boldness of color without the brightness.  One of my favorite showrooms was done by designers Jim and Phoebe Howard.  Their showroom was amazing.  They use a "fresh blend of traditional and current sensibilities gounded in timeless design theory" as their website says.  Mixing traditional and transitional elements, this showroom was 100% my own personal style.  There was a mix of new fresh pieces along with antiques and interesting artifacts.  Here are a few photos from their showroom. 

A richly painted wall with a decadent white bed.

Transitional tables and ottoman with traditional upholstered pieces makes this room timeless. 

I hope this Spring you too will be inspired by all of the fresh colors and patterns out there.  I would love to hear from you and what your thoughts are on how you can or would like to incorporate these looks into your home!