7 Hot Home Decor Trends You Won’t Want to Miss!
High Point Furniture Market was a blast!
I’m so excited to live close enough to go–one of the perks of living in central North Carolina!
I attended High Point Furniture Market in the spring of 2022. When the event took place again this fall, I eagerly got my ticket and spent a couple of days in home decor heaven!
As I wrote previously, High Point Furniture Market is such a huge industry event that it is almost impossible to summarize. Furniture and decor manufacturers and dealers set up vast showrooms and open them to trade buyers. It’s one of the two largest furniture trade events in the United States, the other occurring in Las Vegas.
My impressions from Fall 2022 Furniture Market
For two days, I trekked from showroom to showroom, taking in the floor displays, speaking with industry representatives, and closely noting home decor trends. After careful observation, I saw several design trends that will likely dominate interior decor this year.
Trend 1: Black matte finishes
The trend toward black matte finishes on furnishings and hardware was alive and well this year. I see this trend continuing due to its versatility and timelessness. Black matte finishes coordinate well with all different metals, making it an easy trend to integrate into any home. It also pairs well with trends #3 and 5 below.
Trend 2: Moody wall art
I visited most of the wall art showrooms within the main building and consistently noted the presence of moody wall art. By “moody,” I mean the colors were muted. Abstract art dominated the displays. The most common colors that I observed were tones of blue and gray, despite the current wall paint trend away from grays. These color schemes pair equally well with cool and warmer wall paint colors.
Trend 3: Natural matte wood furnishings
The trend of lighter, natural woods with matte finishes meshed nicely with moody colors and black matte metals. Mid-century styling and minimalistic designs highlight the natural wood finishes, allowing the beauty of wood grains to speak for themselves without heavy lacquer or dark stains. The natural woods bring a nature element to any space, and coordinate well with painted furniture.
Trend 4: Contrast
In displays featuring light wood finishes and moody art, I noted the deliberate use of dark-and-light contrast, as well as contrasting colors, in many of the showrooms. Black and white fabrics and finishes were used to complement natural wood. Artwork used bold lines to create visual focal points in displays. Dark walls were flanked by light-colored furnishings; light walls were contrasted by black art frames. The contrast lends to good photography, which is helpful in home or rental property staging.
Trend 5: Metallic finishes
Brushed gold was the metallic finish that I noted most often at Furniture Market. Interestingly, brushed gold complements black matte nicely, creating contrast in not only color, but sheen. The result? Depth and texture within a design space.
Trend 6: Inspiration from nature
Along with the use of green plants, I noted the use of nature-inspired details and accessories within the showroom displays. Natural wood pieces, aquatic-inspired accents, and geode-inspired pieces added a sense of life and serenity to the spaces.
Trend 7: Bold color accents
There was much discussion of the use of red as an accent color—some displays included bright red furnishings from walls to sofas. However, what I saw most often were splashes of strategic color, such as vases or pillows, to add interest to neutral furnishings. Sunshine yellow, turquoise, sapphire blue, and pink were notable, and demonstrated that selective use of bold color packs drama into a room.
Synthesis
Each of these trends can easily integrate into any design scheme and elevate any room. Select the trends that complement your style, focusing on enhancing the beauty of existing furniture. Fortunately, most of these trends can be integrated in a cost-effective manner. Box retailers such as Target carry low-cost accent pieces that can quickly update a room, giving a fresh look at an affordable cost for most people.
Contact me at hillary@gatecitydesign.com to discuss your design needs. For a reasonable fee, I can formulate a design mood board with product sourcing information, to transform any space into a designer look without spending a fortune. Take advantage of my trade accounts–update your space into a place you are proud to call home!
Hillary McAlhany is the owner of Gate City Design. She is a certified professional home stager/redesigner, E-designer & color expert. Although she is based in North Carolina, she offers remote design services outside of the central North Carolina region.
