Trend Flash is an exclusive Member benefit for The Trend Curve’s subscriber family. Julie Smith Vincenti, Editorial Correspondent, attended the Housewares show in Chicago. Here are her top trends:
COLOR AND MATERIALS
- Soda-pop pastels signatured an incoming nostalgia palette
- Tempting tropical hues emerged, especially in small appliances
- Gray tones and matte finishes moved beyond green in sustainability
- Copper metallic accents became luxury-purchases cues
- Wooden-handled utensils underscored quality and craftsmanship
- Silicone still reigns, with collapsible properties being the new emphasis
- Glass Mason jar riffs included juicer, salt and pepper grinders
APPLIANCES AND UTENSILS
- Spiral slicers were the fresh spin on eating your vegetables
- Handheld veggie graters became home-chef essentials
- Percolating in coffee: fast-to-brew solutions
- Storage solutions for single-cup accouterments were everywhere
- Knife sharpeners made a point: make your investments last
- At-home butter churners, cheese makers, yogurt and flour mills evoked distant eras
MILLENNIALS OUTREACH
- Trend-forward cutlery blocks on decorative display
- Holiday and seasonal promotion was key as marriage mores shift and wedding registries evolve
- Gift packaging is essential
- Mobile-app-controlled brewers for the at-home barista
- Top purchase cue: COLOR