Trends and Forecasts To Help You With Design Ideas...

The focus: will be the yearning for simplicity, relying on spirituality and celebrating cultural blending in the year 2000, according to the Gift & Decorative Accessories' latest survey of industry trends. In the new millennium, the average person will spend an average of 16 hours a day in front of a computer. To escape monotony, consumers will search for more individualized products to stimulate their creativity and respond to their unique needs. As technology allows us to live and work most anywhere, consumer products will reflect the convergence of many cultures.

The Colors:Color Marketing Group (CMG) predict that the following six influences will shape the Consumer Color Palette at the start of the second millennium:

Individualism: People increasingly want to customize or personalize an object or their environment. Color palettes therefore must be flexible and versatile.

Simplicity: People seek a more humanized way of living as a result of the recent incorporation of many new technologies into daily life. Softened, calm and livable are strong themes surrounding the concept of simplicity, and they lead to forecasts for softer and lighter colors, as well as more neutralized color. In fact, this quick shift to softer and lighter values is the strongest message sent by CMG’s Forecast Palette for the year 2000.

Spirituality: Lead the spirit, lead the eye. Optimism and hopefulness are the result of more interest in spiritualism. With the economy strong, we are more comfortable expressing ourselves through intuition and our spiritual sides. CMG Consumer Color Directions® Committee Co-Chairman Susan Hannah, adds, "The era of foliage and environmental greens is waning. New blues reflect the continuing desire for colors that cool and refresh the spirit. The papal colors of reds and purples cross generation and gender lines. New interpretations of silver will complement the cool grays of the Emerging Palette and add greater breadth and product application to the very important gray/silver category."

Water: Cleansing and pure, water is a physical symbol of our themes of simplicity and spirituality. Water is the final evolution of nature’s influence on the world’s color palettes. The ocean is the new frontier for living and life-sustaining food, water and medicine.

Ethnic and Cultural Blending: Interest in colors of various skin tones is evidence of increased acceptance of cultural blending resulting from increased globalization. According to CMG Consumer Color Directions Committee Co-Chairman, Christine Dickey, "There is an expectation of interest in all things Australian, due to the upcoming Olympics. This will inspire a continued interest from all industries in browned oranges."

Texture and Finish: Visual and actual texture, pattern and finishes increase the perception of quality and value. Smooth and soft textures can complement or act as a counterbalance to coarse textures. Frequently heard descriptive words: multi-dimensional finishes, chameleon colors that work with more than one family, optic shift, veiling, frost, layering, translucent, poly-sensorial, gloss, sheer-high-gloss.

Color however, and the direction it is taking, has always been the big story, and special effects will only be an influence on those colors. Click here to read the Color Marketing Group (CMG) 2000 color predictions for the new millennium

More Trends to Watch

Home furnishings: are classic, traditional, comfortable, colorful and casual. Lifestyle, rather than any specific period or trend, dominates the new lines.

Niche marketing: more and more major vendors are targeting a narrower market niche, focusing marketing efforts to a specific group, that parallels what the company believes is the profile of its customers.

A look to the past: Romance, and vintage styling, subtly casual, yet visibly elegant, takes neutrals into the realm of everyday living. Mixing tactile silks, soft chenille, tassels, trims, and embossed leathers, to make a luxe statement. A sense of timelessness, a rediscovery and reinterpretation of the classics.

Simpler is better this year: in fashion and home decor. Some woods are lighter in color; even cherry has been lightened, but the popularity of 18th-century decor has brought mahogany back.

The growth of ethnic populations: in the US influenced more designs for the Asian taste, African-American designs, and more color for Hispanic customers.

Country is more sophisticated: focusing on European Country, English Cottage, French Provincial and Spanish Villa. With more emphasis on florals and accessories that furnish them, with the rose and zinnias taking the lead in florals. Animal and floral prints are popular, sophisticated wicker is moving indoors, classic accessories and carvings complete the look.

Texture in fabrics: is particularly important because prints are less so. Chenille is everywhere, as are damasks, dimensional fabrics, textured velvets, soft silks, leather has less texture and more detailing, more formal in look and usually edged with nailheads, welted or paired with fabric.

The look: glamour and elegance are key, people want to look and feel good. Consumers are looking to a relaxed elegance, classics with comfort. However, the casual lifestyle is showing signs of formality, glamour and elegance as well.