Trend Flash is one of many exclusive benefits for Members of The Trend Curve’s subscriber family. Elaine Markoutsas, Editorial Correspondent for The Trend Curve, was in Chicago for SOFA, an international show focused on sculpture, objects and functional art and design. Below are her top trends:
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Notable at SOFA:
COLOR
- Crackling and spotting lent interest to solid colors
- Cobalt blue grabbed the eye, especially in glass
- Terra cotta, burnt orange and burgundy hues were directional
- Pops of purple felt forward-thinking
- Green darkened to emerald and midnight
- Pink remained relevant
- Yellow seemed at home again
MATERIALS
- Bamboo, wood and stoneware mimicked other materials
- Shou sugi ban (charred wood) infused wall art and sculptures with moody texture
- “Light paintings” used prisms and LEDs to reflect and refract art on wall
- Draping or rumpling made intriguing treatments on fabric
- Stainless steel, manipulated by photons, created myriad patterns and reflections
- Mixed media pushed the envelope
PATTERNS
- Linear designs starred in small and large scale
- Geometry was dominant, especially in glass, with millefiore-like patterns
- Space images suggested a newer frontier
- Stripes dazzled in multicolor iterations
- Patchwork mixed up motifs in unexpected media
- Sponging and rag-rolling techniques appeared on furniture and ceramics