When two very popular subjects collide in time and space, the results can be explosively profitable! That’s what’s happening with pet products and Halloween right now.  Pets+ Magazine recently reported that pet-related stocks “are crushing it” in the market these days. Bloomberg states, “An improving economy has encouraged pet adoptions and loosened up the wallets […] Read more...

For more than 35 years. Licensing Expo has connected the world’s most influential entertainment, character, fashion, art and corporate brand owners and agents with consumer goods manufacturers, licensees and retailers. At this year’s show, held in Las Vegas May 23 – 25, more than 16,000 licensing professionals participated in this important event. Lookout Marketing, global […] Read more...

Apple’s HomeKit, the home automation app for iOS devices, is one of the fastest-growing smarthome offerings and the first to score a significant victory with new homebuilders as you will see below. This past Monday was Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) keynote, and there were several important announcements. Many were developer-specific while others — such as the new features […] Read more...

For several years The Trend Curve has been keeping track of one of the most exciting materials development in history, graphene, and now a company in the UK has created a unique line of graphene-infused paints that are available now. What is graphene? It’s a tiny, thin layer of pure carbon laid out in a […] Read more...

We came across a fun workshop project which is showing how some are pushing the boundaries on ways that color can be utilized in an experiential way. The workshop project is called Bouquet and is “…a synesthetic olfactory device which permits the user to perceive color through fragrances. The device detects the color it presented and delivers […] Read more...

Not only did humans build an ochre paint workshop 45,000 years ago, they used if for at least another 4,500 years. One of our favorite, deeply technical and science websites, Ars Technica, had this this fascinating article about how Stone Age humans returned over-and-over again to the same cave to mix ochre stones in to wildly different colored powders: […] Read more...

There is no question that technology is permeating many aspects of the home furnishings industry. Its influence can be seen in items from smart home products and smart textiles to sensing beds and many other innovations. One of the top technology websites, Engadget, has published a compelling article that encapsulates what’s happening right now with technology (specifically in […] Read more...

Understanding how cultures around the world label colors — and in what order they do so — might seem like a daunting undertaking, but surprisingly it’s not.  Vox video producer Christophe Haubursin and his colleague, graphic designer Amanda Northrop, reveal interesting commonalities among cultures in their recently published video below. They begin with a groundbreaking study published […] Read more...

It’s not unusual to hear people say that color trends always begin in Europe. But increasingly, trends will appear simultaneously at key European trade fairs and in the U.S. Case in point: green. In the January edition of Maison & Objet in Paris, at Showcase Ireland in Dublin a few days later and at the February Ambiente fair […] Read more...

We thought our website visitors and members would enjoy watching the video below which was published today by TED-Ed — TED’s youth and education initiative — whose aim is to spark and celebrate the ideas of teachers and students around the world. While we knew some of the origins of how specific colors came to be throughout history, we had […] Read more...

The Trend Curve is all about color forecasting, but our team also pays attention to color psychology. That’s why we took notice of The National Painting Week Color Psychology Study, conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Sherwin-Williams. This new study reveals color preferences and perceptions for the home, along with sentiment toward certain colors, using […] Read more...

Just say the word “Christmas” and red and green will probably pop into your mind. They should. This duo is an absolute Holiday workhorse. But when it comes to trend, other colors are poised to take the lead. Like pink. Just as pink has proven its popularity in everyday palettes, it is demanding a place […] Read more...

If you are a product-development specialist, retail buyer, packaging designer or a visual-display professional, reading the next few paragraphs could very well save you hours and hours of time! After 30 years in the décor forecast business, The Trend Curve has its own proven approach to both seasonal and everyday color palettes and trends. So, […] Read more...

Stress is on the rise for Americans. The Stress In America survey, released annually by the American Psychological Association, reveals that Americans are experiencing the highest levels of stress in the report’s 10-year history. No wonder we also perceive that our animals feel stressed, too. The Global Pet Expo, held in Orlando, offered a new […] Read more...

Trends at the recent New York International Toy Fair, February 18-21, 2017, were many and varied. The list included Shopkins-like characters depicting cute foods and other household items, lots of mini collectibles, Hatchimals-inspired egg-encased toys, sculptable “sand” and “foam” and so much more. Project Partners Network, one of the country’s premier licensing consultancies, reveals a […] Read more...

A new show dedicated to fresh-floral products, Floradecora joined all the new sights at Christmasworld this year. These two events, held at Messe Frankfurt in Germany, attracted over 43,000 visitors from all over the globe, a 9.7% increase over last year! The Trend Curve’s Editorial Director, Michelle Lamb, was one of them. Michelle says that a myriad of […] Read more...

If you’ve been tempted to relegate damasks to the has-been list, think again. Why? Because traditional looks are making a comeback, and damask designs—one of this style category’s dominant signatures—will be a big part of the story. Even now, damasks are preparing for their next trend cycle. Introductions at the recent Showtime upholstery textiles market […] Read more...

Blue is North America’s favorite color family and a perpetual bestseller. Companies like Robert Allen confirm that there is, “an unending appetite in the home for blue.” Dicey Fabrics says that blues and teals are not going away. But knowing which blues to highlight in your basic assortment, and which ones are right for your […] Read more...

At the recent High Point furniture market, luster confirmed that it is in for the long haul. It appeared at price points from high to medium, and in décor products from seating to framed art, with metallic the primary point of view. One factor in luster’s continued growth and forecasted longevity is that it is […] Read more...

It’s only fitting that when Pantone names its color of the year, color-and-trend experts like Michelle Lamb, Editorial Director of The Trend Curve™  will be asked to weigh in on it. After 30 years of forecasting colors for everyone from paint companies and floral arrangers to greeting-card businesses and furniture designers, Lamb has learned to spot a […] Read more...