Reclaimed Wood The furniture we saw at the Canadian Furniture Show was either sleek and shiny, or rough and weathered, with the latter being in the majority.  We think this is a reflection of our desire for a more relaxed lifestyle. Not all the weathered woods are reclaimed, but some manufacturers are doing a great job of recycling reclaimed wood into furniture we love.

bg homestead table weathered ash wheat
The Homestead dining table, in a new Weathered Ash finish, from BG Furniture, is a refined version of a ‘reclaimed’ look.

 

nightstand sundried
Nightstand from LH Imports made of reclaimed wood

 

 

Mixed Metals — Whether paired with wood, fabric, leather or with other metallics, metals are being mixed rather than matched.  The industrial look is still going strong.  And yes, it’s okay to mix silver with gold or copper or bronze!

amisco risley accent chair
The Risley chair from Amisco features a metal frame combined with distressed wood arms and fabric or leather upholstery.
dimplex-pierre-GDS25LD-1571ST_resized
The new Pierre media cabinet from Dimplex features weathered wood and hammered metal accents for an on-trend industrial look.

Vintage Revival — Mid-century modern is as hot as ever.  Perhaps it will cool off with the airing of the final Mad Men episode!  Other nostalgic looks are also still popular, including the ’70’s. (See our note on Smokey Glass, below!)

LH Imports Remi Bowen desk
The Remi-Bowen walnut desk is a great example of mid-century style from LH Imports.
Blue Mood — We heard about the popularity of all shades of blue, both at the Canadian Furniture Show, and at another trade-only event with CityLine TV personality Shai Deluca.  We’re certainly seeing it in our design work.  Trendy or not, we think blue is here to stay –it’s one of the world’s favourite colours!
 
Other trendy predictions from Shai:  Smokey Glass, Painterly Rugs, and Graphic Tiles.
dimplex-axel-GDS25GD-1583RS_resized
The new Axel media cabinet from Dimplex combines trendy weathered wood with smokey glass.
Design ideas that have had their moment, according to Shai: Chevrons, Text as Decor, Mirrored Furniture.  We say, If you love it, who cares about trends?  Mirrored furniture in a classic Art Deco style will never go out of style, but the cheaper knock-offs will.  And a chevron is just the latest edition of a classic flamestitch pattern.   As for Text as Decor, graffiti seems to be more popular than ever, as are tattoos.  We think text as adornment will be around, but it will keep evolving.

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