Because this year’s Ambiente trade fair was the most successful in over a decade, we wanted to share some of the highlights of it with you! The Trend Curve attends Ambiente every year, without fail. That’s because this huge consumer-goods event is often a leading indicator of upcoming surface designs. It also provides a window on the future of color.
There are always preference shifts in color families at Ambiente, and this year was no exception. Both pinks and greens enjoyed advancing status, so much so that pink and green combinations were the staple of the show. Pastel versions of pink came with an overlay of warmth and so did greens. While minty hues retreated, the newest greens evoked hunter or were pistachio-like. Meanwhile, bright red continued as a basic, purples played supporting roles, and sapphire blue remained a key story. When it came to neutrals, browns were ramping up in multiple values and personalities.
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Texture had broad impact at Ambiente, from both a visual and tactile standpoint. Flocked motifs stood out, frost-like allover finishes were important, and fabrics were pleated, crocheted or appliquéd.
While emphasis on unusual shapes retreated during the worst part of Europe’s economic downturn, they came roaring back this year. Lower and wider profiles appeared, and ellipses, teardrops and skewed squares showed off uneven edges. Baroque scallops and peaks emerged on dinnerware.
When it came to themes, Sketchbook was new and directional. Think illustration with a light hand, lots of details and some shading. Subjects included flowers and bugs with their Latin names printed below. Expect volume selling from sketchbook images!
There’s much more to know about what was new at Ambiente 2014! You can get all the details in our Trend Album™ trend report about the show: http://tdcv.us/1m8fA76