Shop Talk

Tracy Bulla -- Home Accents Today, 7/27/2011 5:16:24 AM

I HAVE ALWAYS ABSOLUTELY ADORED textiles - put me in a room filled with bolt upon bolt of fabric and I become instantly happy.

My mother and my grandmother both enjoyed sewing as a hobby and could whip up elegant pillows and fabulous frocks at the drop of a hat.

As a result, I have many fond memories of afternoons spent at the fabric store being surrounded by an almost endless array of beautiful fabrics. To me, all that lovely yardage represented the opportunity to create something that was special, stylish and uniquely my own.

I believe all of us working to make the home accents industry a beautiful place want to create designs that are eloquent and unique, enticing the customer to take home that special something and feel rewarded. Textiles are certainly one of the easiest ways to define your own distinct design perspective, and I like to think of prints as the stream from which all trends flow and begin trickling down.

Between traveling to gift shows and furniture Under the Microscope, Ana Romero, Portugal.

Printsource New York, a textile and surface design show, has announced its top 10 print ideas for spring/summer 2012. Compiled by Portland-based textile design and trend forecasting studio Pattern People, these directional themes boast lush, fanciful imagery - often with an organic or artisan bent - for both the home and fashion textile markets.

Abstract Elements - Tie-dye textures that take inspiration from the earth such as minerals and other organic matter	Abstract Elements, Emma Schonenberg for Theo & Hugh, El Salvador.
Baroque Opulence, Studio L2 Design, USA.	Baroque Opulence - Rich, ornamental, embroidery-inspired designs with an antique feel
Bohemian Folk - Geometrics, paisleys and floral designs influenced by the Ballets Russes	Bohemian Folk, Gather No Moss, UK.
Eastern Color Block, BG 2770, USA.	Eastern Color Block - Influenced by Bauhaus and Mondrian with a hand-painted feel
Ink Blot Camos - Watercolor and ink spots create an organic update	Ink Blot Camos, Studio L2 Design, USA.
Photobased Prints, Oaffi, USA.	Photobased Prints - 3D and chromatic aberrations
Pop Art Conversationals - Bold, outlined shapes take inspiration from Roy Lichtenstein's technique	Pop Art Conversationals, Pattern People, USA.
Under the Microscope, Ana Romero, Portugal.	Under the Microscope - Science and design collide with detailed images shown in overblown scale
Tribal Wash - Ethnic prints that are hand-painted, yet look as if rain has washed part of the design away	Tribal Wash, MLD 0039 by Margherita Leonardi, Italy.
Shanghai Florals, MLD 0039 by Margherita Leonardi, Italy.	Shanghai Florals - Stylized Asian florals with a slick nighttime feel