There’s a lot one observes during a trip to a tradefair. When you flit from stall to stall, and section to section, a pattern starts emerging. And so it happened to me.
At Ambiente, the tradefair that I have been covering on my social media and this blog, if one didn’t obsess too much on the official trend forecasts and displays (which are brilliant, by the way), one would still be presented with some amazing inputs about emerging trends.
As a decor watcher and visitor, I formed my own conclusions of emerging trends, simply based on the products and displays that I witnessed.
the overall theme was warmth, effortless putting together of a tablescape, and making a home special and inviting, the haven one would come home to.
since there are as many different types of homes as people, you could interpret this in a way that would suit your home.
The bottom line though, is that this year the theme was without a doubt – own your space, make it truly a place you can come home to and unwind, whether you choose to do it the luxe way or simply basic.
EMOTIONS
Fuzzy warmth, careless elegance, comfort, pro-family, dining in, cooking-in
The entire ambience seems to suggest a shift back to making the most of family gatherings, cherishing simple home cooked food, serving elegantly, making the whole concept of coming home after a tough day, an experience to look forward to!
You can see these emotions in the pictures here.
COLOUR TRENDS
Colours are the most pronounced and easiest way to look trendy and stylish.
Taupe and green for backgrounds, yellow for colour pops and typical Scandinavian dusty rose and 50 shades of grey for the rest of the room!
And of course, the Pantone Colour of the Year was very prominent, as I spotted it on tropical themed products, especially in the Dining section.
Purple was spotted often, and in varying shades that all looked lovely!
colours in trend : olive, taupe, withered rose, dusty rose, grey and of course coral
LIVING GREEN
Slowing down means taking the time to nurture other living things. Plants in decor is a theme close to my heart, and one that we announced in our Facebook decor group, Decor Drama way back in January.
Of course this trend will only grow, and it was no surprise that the displays at Ambiente had incorporated living decor. Here are a few examples!
PRODUCTS IN FOCUS
handmade, sustainable, eco-friendly, breathable, environment friendly were the buzz words for products this year.
It was heartening to see both large manufacturers and small makers come up with their own versions of sustainable products. As a trend, this is a theme that is balooning!
Unsaid, but like the proverbial elephant in the room, the impression one got was that in the years to come, if you didn’t have a sustainable or bio degradable product, the world may not want to do business with you.
I hope manufacturers the world over pay heed!
There were also products that had part machine part hand components and if you ask me, this is a great combination to have. All machine made products need not be bad. Mass produced ceramics for instance can live on for generations to come, that make it quite sustainable. A lot of the dining exhibitors displayed beautiful hand painted ceramics that gave the personal, handmade touch.
As consumers it makes sense to buy wisely, with the environment given priority in your purchase.
PATTERNS and MOTIFS
Geometric – Black and white geometric patterns lent their stamp in several displays
Botanical
Floral
Tropical
Parrots, birds of paradise, lemons – both real and as prints on fabric and plates – were quite the rage! I did see that the pineapples, the flamingos and the monstera prints were on the decline.
Sea Animals
Corals, octopus and star fish were visible on many products and featured in displays too.
MATERIAL TRENDS
material in trend: smoked cork, lightweight bark of birch wood ethically harvested from South American forests, bamboo courtesy spectacular indian presence at Ambiente.
When there’s so much talk about sustainability, it is natural that natural or naturally processed material take center stage. Bamboo, cork, smoked cork, soapstone, wood, coir, rubber, hand woven, hand blown glass, were some of the materials that I spotted.
INTERPRETING THESE TRENDS IN THE DESI-GLOBAL DESIGN STYLE THAT IS SO FASHIONABLE IN INDIA AT THE MOMENT
For us Indians, I find absolute truth in the words and displays of Ayush Kasliwal.
His curated Indian living room space (pictured below), had much of natural India – he says opt for diwan instead of a couch, use a chatai, a beautiful gond painting to bring your space alive. The walls need not be dull and boring. He has used Indigo for a stunning modern twist using a colour very ubiquitosu with India.
He recommends the use of traditional material like bamboo or rattan and local fabrics with modern minimalist prints.
Under Joyful Ambience which was one of Ambiente 19’s 3 TRENDS, I spotted the Asian Paints Colour of the Year Awakening.
In India we shy away from black and white – choose one (yes just one per room) from these monochrome items, and incorporate it into your colourful desi-decked up home, I promise you will love it!
finally, don’t shy away from your Indian-ness – celebrate it!
I loved that Mr. Sunil Sethi, who curated a couple of sections at Ambiente19 took the trouble to mark and source products from India’s GI product locations (pic above). Perhaps our trend could be to source at least one of these original products for our homes!
Kārwān
Want to know more about my trip to Ambiente?
Do read my blog on the highlights of Ambiente19 by clicking right here!
