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From Calligaris, a muted pink sectional with a ’70s vibe embellished with shiny brass details
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A selection of nesting, coffee and drink tables
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An upholstered buffet with natural stone top and wooden hardware
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An adjustable rachet-back sofa from G&G
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Sculptural tables and sofa from Noir
I’m back from a long weekend of scouting the High Point Market, the largest home furnishings trade show in the world. I had the good fortune to tag along with Sarah Paxton and Andy Thornton of LaDiff, and local designers Janet Brown, Kathy Corbett, Beth Scherr and Erika Vaden as they shopped their favorite vendors and looked for new resources. As I explored the showrooms with my professional guides, I discovered a number of trends that manufacturers across the board — contemporary and traditional, European and American — have embraced for 2020.
Mixed metals continue to make a major statement, but this year brass is back in a big way. At Calligaris, an Italian firm specializing in contemporary furnishings, shiny '70s-style brass tubing was used to accentuate upholstery and case pieces and mixed with blackened nickel or bronzed metals. More traditional makers such as Hickory Chair also embraced brass, but with a softer, brushed finish.
Designers mixed more than metals. I also saw cabinets and consoles with upholstered frames and natural stone tops, textured metal forms and caned insets.
Stone finishes, natural and faux, were everywhere, from thick, chunky '70s-inspired stone tabletops to the sleek, high-performance porcelain surfaces finished to look like marble presented by the European firms. Nesting side tables and coffee table groupings were shown across the board, as were groupings of tiny drink tables (a '70s staple, then referred to as cigarette tables).
Statement pieces abounded for every taste, from upholstered chairs and sofas with fabulous sculptural exoskeletons of metal or wood to tables, consoles and chests with unique forms; jaw-dropping chandeliers dripping with detail; and sleek brass and alabaster sconces.
Practicality was also apparent. I saw an adjustable two-level console table at Amisco that would function equally well behind a sofa or as a narrow kitchen island. I also saw rachet-back sofas with backs that move forward and back to adjust for lounging, and cocktail tables with tops that raise to desktop height. Performance (indoor/outdoor) fabrics from companies such as Sunbrella and Crypton are also having a moment, as more and more manufacturers add them to their core offerings.
Look for a more detailed trend report in the upcoming January-February issue of R•Home.
