Ok deep breath guys….So, we visited the Maison et Object show last weekend, which as always was inspirational, exciting and totally exhausting. We just wanted to share a few of our thoughts on the key trends from the show in general terms, and we’ll follow this up later with our top picks from the show in our This Week We Love section…
Key Materials
Lo-Tec: polystyrene, cardboard, paper, plywood and felt. The move towards pared-down simple products and materials for homeware begins, as predicted in our Post-materialist social trend influence report.
Refined: Superfine porcelain, paper thin shapes, mixing ceramic and bamboo. This is all about exquisitely crafted, unique pieces that can’t be replicated, a key theme outlined in our Epicurean story for Spring 2011.
Crafted: origami paper, knited, crochet, pointelle and laser cutting. Craft is still high on the agenda for textiles, furniture and tableware, hand-made and make-do-and-mend are evident here.
Colour Vehicle Synthietics: Synthetics allow for intense, saturated colours- we saw rubber, melamine, neoprene, glass and glossy laminates.
Above; Knitted and felted wool at Donna Wilson for SCP
We loved this felt lightshade by Ango made up of lots of tiny felt cups suspended on wire.
Key Colour Palettes
Neutrals with chlorophyl green; green is the hot colour for 2010, but we think the focus will move to yellow tones for 2011. Yellow was already starting to come through for Spring 11 products at the show. Purples and pinks were also predominant.
Green
Acid greens were layered up with sunshine yellow and deep leaf green on tableware, pic-nicware and serveware.
Above images; green cushions and tableware at A&D Home
Yellow
Yellow was starting to come through in textiles and home accessories, we love yellow dressed with white and stone for a more commercial take.
Images above; yellow print lightshade by Miss Print; yellow cabinet by Nordal; quilted sofa by Ligne Roset.
Rainbow Brights
Eyecatching displays of simple products executed in a rainbow of colours looked great across stationary and cookshop items. Plastics, melamines and felted wool showed these vivid, saturated colours off beautifully. This is a great way to update commodity products or add newness to core ranges.
Above images from left to right; coloured glass candle holders by Nordal; felt totes and accessories by Hey Signs; melamine utensils by Rosti Mepal.
We saw lots of brands producing a spectrum of colours across all types of commodities from stationary to cookware. Felt bags and coasters at DAFF. Joseph Joseph went a step further with their neon range, neon pink was also seen at Adonde.
Above; bold colour at Nordal; mixing stripes and floral at Missoni; bold coloured laquered metal stool/storage.
Above images; neon pink mixed with lo-tec cardboard looked modern at Adonde.
Above; some of the irresistible masking tapes at MT…
Pastels
We noticed a softer trend toward pastel colours. We loved Australian brand MUD with their delicately coloured ceramics- this seasons newest colour addition…yellow. Pastels were also spotted at the delightful Alexa Lixfeld stand- we loved this palette of lilacs and grey. Pastel bedding was seen at Ourson SA, we loved the pastel dinnerware at Richard Genori.
Above images left to right; lilac and pink tableware by Nordal; painted pasel cabinets by Nordal; tie dye sofa by Futura; pastel cushions by Au Maison; pastel tableware at Nordal; powder blue sofa at Ligne Roset.
Above; Stelton pastel melamine bowls also looked great
Above; layering soft lilac shades, Alexa Lixfeld
Trend bible love these pastel coloured kitchen knives by Pure Komachi at Kai Corporation.
Natural
The biggest overall theme was natural. We loved the resin encased branches and logs as seen at Bleu Nature, which featured as stools and lamp bases, and this fantastic origami lampshade by..We also saw wooden handle cutlery, bamboo serving bowls, napkins tied with string. Mixing bamboo and ceramics was seen at JIA Inc and mixing bamboo and laminate at Bibol.
Texture is key, particularly for white and natural colours across textiles, dinnerware and decorative ceramics. We saw etched, scratched, embossed, and heavily textured finishes on plates and vases, and loved the braille effects which add a textural dimension to plain white porcelain. Pebble shaped vessels and embossed plates also looked new at Bruno Evrand.
Above images; Braille effect vases by Coming B
Card-bored?
Not us- not yet anyway! As you know we’ve been talking about the charms of plain old cardboard as a material for homeware and packaging for a while now, and we loved the CARTON PLEIN exhibition at the Maison show, where 13 architects were asked to create a cardboard home.
Above images from left to right; cardboard houses as part of the Carton Plein! exhibition; paper jacket by MT
Among our favourites were the beautiful paper tote bags at Siwa- the ultimate in post-materialist chic!
Innovative paper and cardboard stand at Molo.
Print Trends
We saw a continuation of retro and vintage florals in a ‘tea party’ or ‘shabby chic’ style theme for textiles, the best were at Blanc Mariclo, Au Maison and Villa Collection. Overscaled sketchy florals and micro posy florals were big for bedding, while the main bedding trend is still mixing stripes with florals and plaids. We saw lace prints as a key trend on textiles and ceramics, and found retro imagery like old SLR cameras and pretty birdcages as print icons across textiles and stationary.
Watch out for watercolour style prints with blurred edges including oversized blooms like roses and chrysanthemums, and a continuation of allium and dandelion style print references. Pencil sketch florals also looked fresh.
Above images; left; overscaled at Sonia Rykiel; sketch floral bedding; cushions and floral chair at Miss Print, a Trend Bible favourite!
Allium wall sticker by Miss Print
Floral floor cushions at Nordal
Plate by Deshoulieres
Floral purple plate by Deshoulieres- purple mixed with leaf green was another predominant trend at the show…
Lace
Above image; Danish brand Lene Bjerre had modern interpretations of lace and crochet.
Lace print and crochet cushions were key
Above; Lace print boxes and camera icon lace print by Seletti
Text and Type
Text and type are still strong as print motifs; above number cushions by A&D Home.
January 25, 2010
With Valentines day just around the corner we’re feeling all loved up and we’ve been busy sourcing some really cool products to get you in the mood. We’ve found ‘shout about it’ prints with hearts (of course!) being a key motif, cute birds printed onto cards and stationary, and felted lettering making its way into soft furnishings. Special thanks to Rosa Falkenstein and Victoria Buchanan for their contribution to this post.
Overscaled heart motifs adorn bedding, hand-rendered and painted hearts add a hand-made touch, as seen last year at the Maison et Object show in Paris. We love these heart-shaped measuring cups- perfect for baking some little Valentines cookies (is it romantic to eat them all yourself?)!
Images above left to right: Gold motif mug by Big Tomato Company; heart shaped measuring spoons by Heart and Parcel; tea-lights as seen at Maison et Object 2008; heart motif bedding as seen at Maison et Object 2008; printed cushion as seen at Maison et Object 2008; mug and coaster set by Disco Butterfly.
Birds are just about everywhere for 2010, and the perfect print motif for Valentines Day greetings cards and stationary. This trend is all about cute little songbirds, chaffinches and blue tits, so leave the scary ravens and magpies for Autumn/Winter!
Images above left to right: magnetic heart pegs by Country Cream; bird candles by Emma Bridgewater; heart eyed bird card by Kaching Design @ Etsy ; valentine notes By Krystan @ Etsy.
Typography and text or even just initials works really well for cushions, bedding and even textile based wall-art.
Images above left to right: felted fabrics by Castle; ; felted bed sheet by Castle; ‘love’ cushion by John Lewis.
January 21, 2010
Canadians are looking for healthier food options, as well as ways to save money and the environment, according to a study from BrandSpark International.
The Toronto-based strategy firm polled 25,000 Canadians online in the areas of environmental accountability, healthier options in food and beverage and private label versus premium brands.
The survey was conducted for the Best New Product Awards. Now in its seventh year, this year’s Best New Product Awards survey saw consumers vote on 144 products in 47 product categories.
This year’s winners include: Astro Zero Superfruit Yogourt for best in show, Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil in the health and beauty category, and Ziploc Evolve Sandwich Bagsfor household products.
“The survey not only provides us with valuable insights about current products and innovations but also larger movements and shifts in Canadians’ viewpoints and approaches toward what they purchase, and more importantly why,” said Robert Levy, president of BrandSpark International, in a release.
For instance, the study suggests people have made a big shift to eat at home more and as a result are spending more time and money in the grocery store.
Of those surveyed, 65% like trying new products, while 73% say they enjoy cooking for themselves and their family.
Canadians also want more bang for their buck, and as a result have turned to private label or in-store brands. Though consumer perception of private label quality has decreased slightly over the last year, 64% of consumers believe these brands offer good value for their money. Nearly half, (47%) of Canadians surveyed have purchased more private label products in the past 12 months.
“Finding new products that really deliver is more important than ever, especially with shoppers demanding greater value for money,” said Levy.
Healthy living is also a priority for Canadians, with 60% saying it’s important a new product be made from “all-natural ingredients,” while 45% say they have “greater trust” in natural products than those labeled organic.
Since beginning the survey, environmental accountability has grown to become a primary concern for Canadian consumers, said Levy, however 82% of those polled said they felt companies are exploiting environmentally friendly claims for marketing purposes, and 69% say it’s important a new product is better for the environment.
Packaging is one of the top environmental concerns, with 89% saying manufacturers have a long way to go.
“Consumers are demanding companies to be more accountable in terms of their environmental claims and they are willing to pay for products with realistic and tangible claims such as reduced packaging,” he said.
January 17, 2010
We forecast that lace would be a big trend for home interiors for 2010, and it seems to be everywhere in design from fashion and beauty (lace fingernails) to interiors and architecture (lace fences). Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is just a textile trend- we’ve found some great examples of lace patterns being embossed and printed onto glass and porcelain, laser cut metals with lace effects, and starched vintage lace molded into sculptural shapes. We love printed lace for packaging and greetings cards and expect this to be a key trend for Valentine and Mother’s Day this year…
Lace influences architecture; lace balcony, lace fence and lace building.
Lace influences dinnerware and decorative plates- either as a print, laser cut or intricate porcelain plate design.
Lace print wash basin, and etched design packaging by Evian, printed lace beauty packaging and lace fingernails as seen on this season’s catwalks. 
Printed glass works well for votives and adds a luxurious element, while stiffened, starched cotton lace makes a striking lightshade.
Lace packing tape is fun, while embossed letterpress greetings cards look sophisticated and feminine.
We love this lace print beauty packaging by Lipstick Queen too…
December 30, 2009
We know, every Tom Dick and Harry is posting a forecast for 2010…well we’d hate to disappoint! So when you’re planning your product ranges and marketing strategies this year don’t forget the 5 ‘Cs’….
1/ Craft
With the rise in popularity of craft e-tailers like Folksy and Etsy there has been a resurgence in interest in crafted textiles, furniture, wall art and ceramics. We’re experiencing a huge trend towards appreciating finely crafted and individual objects in a backlash to the mass-production and mass-consumerism of the past decade. Watch out for naturally occuring irregularities – little mistakes are celebrated- and in some instances faked- to give that ‘made for me‘ vibe… Materials are humble and natural, the overall tone is simple, honest and friendly- this is not about the neo-green movement necessarily, it’s about giving hand-made gifts, supporting local craftspeople and having a desire for products that are individual and unique. We love knitted and crochet lampshades, ceramics with fingerprints on the base, felt fruit bowls, patchworking, embroidery- the list goes on….we’re also desperately trying to get our hands on a copy of the Handmade Nation movie by Faythe Levine. The craft movement started off small but is gaining momentum rapidly and will become a mainstream concern in 2010…see our report on the changing face of retail where this movement plays a major part.
2/ Caution
2010 is widely thought to be a year of cautious restraint from a shoppers perspective, with most of us preferring to increase our savings and reduce our debt. With Britain now alledgedly the only G20 nation still in recession there is an air of suspicion and caution which makes us think twice before we buy. US Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner recently promised America that there won’t be another financial crisis in 2010. ”We’re not going to have a second wave of financial crisis,” Geithner said in an interview with National Public Radio. “We’ll do what is necessary to prevent that. We cannot afford to let the country live again with a risk that we’re going to have another series of events like we had last year.” In terms of how this affects home interiors, watch out for a trend in trading-up where shoppers will look for true value, even if it means spending more on a product that lasts longer and is more hard-wearing. This isn’t about abstinance and frugality, it’s about spending wisely and having researched prior to purchasing to get the best deal.
3/ ‘Consumer’
Recently we’ve been talking to our clients about how they communicate with their customers. Notice we say customers- not consumers. It’s just a word, but it really describes the changes we’re experiencing in terms of how people are behaving. The word consume has such negative connotations with wasteful, thoughtless squandering which all of a sudden seems very distasteful (ever wonder why brands stopped representing themselves with mega-rich glamorous celebrities? Seems so last century! It just seems so vulgar now in the current climate to be promoting excessive and unattainable lifestyles…). Watch our for new, real role models….
4/ Customer Driven
Shopping will continue to be a more democratic exercise, and will be driven by genuine customer demand. We’ve been reading a lot about VPI, volunteered personal information; where individuals will offer up information about future purchases they wish to make, and invite companies to pitch for their business. Customer really is king in this scenario. The concept of brands ‘hard-selling’ goods and customers passively consuming just seems so old-fashioned all of a sudden.
“2010 is about using the information and crafting content, product and trends that are perhaps dictated or even requested by the consumer,” she says. “It’s not about creating things you’re unsure if consumers want or not.” says Sojin Lee, founder of Fashionair.com, a fashion Web site that deconstructs the catwalk for useful tips.
5/ Cocoon
Home is where the heart is for 2010, as people spend increasing amounts of time working, socializing and entertaining at home. Staying at home is also an important consideration for travel and vacation trends in 2010, as Americans say they aren’t likely to travel much more in 2010 than they have this year, despite optimism that they will from many Wall Street and travel industry analysts and industry leaders. A new USA Today/Gallup Poll finds that only 16% plan to fly more or stay more often in hotels next year than they did in 2009. About 30% say they actually will fly less frequently and have fewer hotel stays because of the weak economy. Through 2009, evidence suggests that as we spend more time at home, there is a greater reliance on products that truly perform, clever storage solutions and flexible multi-use spaces and multi-functional furniture. We saw some great examples of this at the Northumbria University graduate show in the summer, where tables, chairs and even garments had a practical, adaptable and transient nature (below).
December 23, 2009
We posted a link earlier this year about the
changing face of retail, and have found some more interesting examples, this time they revolve around the concept of
consumer interaction and consumer generated content.
Voting, it seems is hot; we know the public love to vote (except perhaps in elections!) on TV shows, for their favourite musicians and acts, and we love this example of
fashion by democracy at
Modcloth where
shoppers vote for their favourite designs to be put into production, taking the risk out of the buying process for retailers.
We’ve also found evidence of this in marketing as well as design, like the technology called Every1speaks developed by Kidology which allows school kids to communicate with the school heirarchy and make their opinions known through voting. Peter Hirst, Director of Kidology explains; “Kidology is a market research company that helps companies and organisations that aim what they do at young people to test thier ideas and innovations in a way that generates fun and learning within schools and amongst pupils.”
Peter explains; “Schools often find it difficult to encourage student voice when a culture of living down to peer expectation exists. Every1speaks is an informal tool that pupils can anonymously utilise to share their opinions about school and vote on ideas they think are worthwhile. In our experience young people struggle to effectively voice their ideas as traditional forums like student councils are unrepresentative (i.e. only the ‘good kids’ take part) and speaking face-to-face with teachers is daunting.”
US based manufacturer Smart Furniture recently launched the ’SmartDesigner’ which enables customers to “plan, customize and purchase furniture in a way that was impossible before,” says T. J. Gentle, CEO and President of Smart Furniture. “If customers want to see how a particular chair or table will fit in their living room or office it is simple to visualize with the SmartDesigner, and if they want to find a fabric or finish that is ideal for their space, it is simple to customize the furniture to suit their preferences. For the first time, all of this can be done online, within your web browser.You can now design custom furniture, visualize it in your space, and order in minutes, all without having to deal with traffic, crowds, or aggressive salespeople. At Smart Furniture, we ask why not shop on your own terms?”
New Zealand-based Ponoko is offering consumers a new way to turn their creative ideas into real objects. After uploading their design to the website (in EPS file format), users can choose from a variety of materials. Ponoko then runs the design through a laser cutter. Besides offering access to professional tools to manufacture products, Ponoko also helps users bring their products to market.
A few of our favourite ideas from Ponoko, above.
We expect to see lots more examples of consumer directed product ranges and design on demand facilities across fashion and interiors. What can you offer to your customers to cash in on this customization trend?
Above; Knitted and felted wool at Donna Wilson for SCP
Eyecatching displays of simple products executed in a rainbow of colours looked great across stationary and cookshop items. Plastics, melamines and felted wool showed these vivid, saturated colours off beautifully. This is a great way to update commodity products or add newness to core ranges.
Above; bold colour at Nordal; mixing stripes and floral at Missoni; bold coloured laquered metal stool/storage.
Above; Stelton pastel melamine bowls also looked great
Trend bible love these pastel coloured kitchen knives by Pure Komachi at Kai Corporation.
Among our favourites were the beautiful paper tote bags at Siwa- the ultimate in post-materialist chic!
Innovative paper and cardboard stand at Molo.
Watch out for watercolour style prints with blurred edges including oversized blooms like roses and chrysanthemums, and a continuation of allium and dandelion style print references. Pencil sketch florals also looked fresh.
Plate by Deshoulieres
Floral purple plate by Deshoulieres- purple mixed with leaf green was another predominant trend at the show…
Above image; Danish brand Lene Bjerre had modern interpretations of lace and crochet.
Above; Lace print boxes and camera icon lace print by Seletti
Images above left to right: apron by Urban Outfitters; jelly moulds by John Lewis; hamper gift set by Marks and Spencer; jam pot covers by John Lewis; silicone cake cases by John Lewis; rolling pin by John Lewis. 
