A Peek at Home Decorating Trends

Whether it's a nature-inspired motif, or a blending of colors right out of the sunset, home decorating trends have picked up on both the spiritual quality and the opulence of the outdoors. In addition to the nature theme, granny chic is strong, incorporat- ing chenille or quilted coverlets, pillows, crocheted throws and braided rugs.

The Far Eastern influence is rising in popularity dressed in fabrics with metallic threads or oriental motifs. Other hot trends in the sewing, textile and craft market include: appliqué and embroidery; fabric-covered drawer pulls; storage boxes and hearty textured yarns for crochet. Faux finishes have moved off the walls and onto smaller accent projects.

Color Influences

Color has moved away from the bright shades of seasons past and into more muted casts. Look for exciting hues to awaken the senses all inspired by the sea, land and sky. The spectrum of green/blue hosts celadon, sage, moss and indigo. The yellow/ brown group offers pearl, sand, gold and tobacco. Pink/red shades of salmon, coral, rust and plum delight.

Copper, silver and gold metallics add opulence to more formal rooms. Shades of smoke, stone and onyx look fresh when mixed with other hues. Snow white mixes with cherry, buttercup and indigo for a country look. Smoke influences lilac for a new take on contemporary, Yellows, from honey to gold, are especially important in the upper-end market.

Fabric Styles

Striking color combinations, exciting prints, and supple textures set fabrics for this millennium apart from years past. Fabrics have global appeal, taking their inspiration from locations such as tropical forests, the Orient, East India and the American Southwest. Fresh-cut florals and botanicals look inviting in muted or two-toned colorings.

Pattern gain attention when showing off blossoms over plaids or floral bouquets over stripes. Country goes to uneven dots, checks and oversized stripes in color ways of traditional red and blue and newer offerings in periwinkle and pink. Gold, copper and silver are incorporated with metallic threads or printing, lending appeal to upscale fabrics.

Texture is again the key to creating rooms with dimension. To achieve depth and surface interest, mix patterns, layer fabrics and use new combina- tions of colors. Rich velvets and velveteens, sueded ducks, hearty chenilles, delicate sheers and nubby jacquards are a feast of the standouts. T-shirt and fuzzy knits, flannel and corduroy are making news this season, in the teen market.

Mix and match, fabric companies such as Waverly and Cyrus Clark take the work out of pattern mixing. New at Waverly is the Rain forest collection colored mostly in earth tones and printed on textured cloth. The line features flowers, plumaged birds, palm fronds, jungle animals and other tropical inspirations. Waverly's Williamsburg collection, in red, white and green tones recreates delicate pen-and-ink drawings in its toile's and merges them to floral bouquets.

Cyrus Clark's Kashmir collection also combines ferns, florals and a paisley companion print in tones of wheat, sage, cinnamon, tobacco and indigo. Traditional fabrics with an update, the August collection features large-scale hydrangeas and a companion print in multi-scale stripes. Cyrus Clark also offers a multitude of stand-alone prints that can be mixed together for one-of-a-kind decor.

The Quilting Story

Quilting is gaining momentum in home fashion thanks to the retro movement. Fabric companies have an array of novelty prints to offer, with many motifs following the nature trend as well. Look for butterflies, bees and dragonflies on cottons everywhere. Fresh from the garden are flowing stems, leaves, small flowers and larger blooms.

The quilt craze has moved from grandmother to granddaughter. Teens are using beautiful patch- work and free motion quilts as a focal point in their rooms. In addition, patchwork art is showing up on items such as vanity seat cushions and picture frames. Catalogs from Neiman Marcus, Horchow, Pottery Barn and others feature patched and appliqued window treatments and bed dressings, making this a mainstream trend.

Trims and Hardware Accessories

Conso and Dritz' Hollywood Trims are bringing upscale "designer" tassels, cords, braids and fringe trimmings and accessories to the do-it-yourself market. Conso Products Co., is introducing two new lines in March 2000. The Monet collection features six styles of cords, loop fringes and tassels in 10 color ways; Mardi Gras includes nine styles of loop fringes, cords and tassel combinations in 20 colors. Both collections are made of multiple types of yarns, ribbons and threads for a sumptuous look. Conso's decorative accessories emulate the trend towards nature with bugs, flowers, leaves, fish and wildlife.

With the retro market, Hollywood Trims has reintroduced ball fringe. Enjoying most of its popularity in the 60s and 70s, ball fringe has made a comeback as a whimsical decorating effect. Hollywood Trims offers it in nine colors including cobalt, lemon, melon and mint. The fringe is also available in tri-color combinations.

Unusual combinations of colors and materials set this season's findings and hardware apart. Especially striking are the new jewelry pieces in gold and silver used to accent window decor, toss pillows and upholstered furniture. Also of interest to the creat-it-quick decorator are bendable rods and holdbacks. The window accessories have a pliable wire hidden under rope for simple shaping. If left alone, novelty clips or rings can be attached for an unusual effect.

Patterns Galore

The pattern companies have worked overtime to create new and ingenious choices. There are dozens of comforters, window treatments, tabletop accessories, pillows, chairs pads, home office accessories and storage options to choose from.

One of the most important trends is kid-sized furniture. Interior design professionals have responded to the influences of tiny taste makers and have responded with furniture sized just for them. McCall's meets the challenge of creating a style that fits small frames with instructions for over stuffed chairs. Simplicity joins the kid trend with patterns for comfy cushions and chairs, and stuffed toys.

Butterick/Vogue's answer to the youth trend is patterns for everyone from tots to teens. A Vogue nursery pattern comes complete with all the stand- ards, plus a memory board and pocket organizer. Butterick's Teen Magazine line features a duvet cover, bed skirt, caddy and instructions for deco- rating sheets and pillow cases; as well as easy pillows. Another unique offering is a Vogue pattern for five hanging lampshades from designer Susanne Stratton Norris.

Appliqué and embroidery embellishments sizzle in the new millennium. Embroidery machines, in all price ranges, are being snapped up by consumers who are using them to embroider everything from blue jeans to bed sheets. The yen to customize is driven by upscale mail order merchants who offer monograms to home fashions as an added service. Sewing machine manufactu- rers are responding with more lettering styles, both built-in and on software.

Embroidery's close cousin, appliqué has been popular for years in the garment industry and is now finding its own audience in home fashions. Appliqued quilts and wall hangings, personalized pillows and exquisite table accessories are just a few of the treatments you'll see.