(MCT)–At the nation’s most influential expo for home decor, designers continued to push boundaries with innovative materials and 3-D technology, but the standout looks were more about color, luxurious finishes and, most important, a sense of fun.
“Right now, people are more tempted to take a risk and buy something that makes them happy,” says Medora Danz, a vice president with Blu Dot, one of the more than 500 exhibitors at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, which closed last week at Javits Center.
Designers and manufacturers premiered furniture, lighting and decorative accessories that will hit stores and websites during the next 12 months. Here are six of the biggest emerging or amplified trends this year:
Vinyl: Fans of old LPs had much to love. The Open/Close LP cabinet was a standout at Wanted Design, a growing independent showcase staged a few blocks from ICFF in the Terminal Stores building. Open/Close has four soft-closing drawers for albums, a center area for your newest or most-played vinyl, two shelves for components and a slide-out tabletop for iPads or other digital devices. Back at ICFF, Symbol Audio showed its Stereo Console, due out this summer. The built-in speakers can play up to three devices, and built-in storage holds up to 100 records.
