Paperworld 2011 - Wonderfully Woven

Trendwatch! These wonderful woven textures in both actual and implied applications are a trend were gathering from the halls of Paperworld in Frankfurt, Germany. Bold colors, unique weaves and eco-friendly materials are key for this look! Stay tuned... there's more office, stationery and back to school trends to come...

Retail Trendwatch - Darkroom

Darkroom is a new concept retail space on Lamb’s Conduit Street in London. During our trendspotting trip to London for our Holiday Design Forecast, we had the opportunity to visit this shop filled with an eclectic mix of high-end fashion, interior and lifestyle accessories alongside bi-monthly art and sculpture exhibitions. Buying straight from students to support the creative culture in London, the shop brings in completely new themes every 2-3 months so there is always something fresh and new to browse through each time we are in town. Their next exhibition, LOVE FROM DARKROOM, will feature Valentine's Day themed pieces this February, all sold at a set 150 pounds each with the proceeds benefiting the amazing Kids Company – a charity that works with vulnerable and neglected young people across London. Here are some of our favorite pictures from our holiday trip, but if you are in town during February, please stop by and let us know how much you LOVE their newest exhibit!

3D Display Trends from Heimtextil 2011

We certainly saw and expected all the 3D technologies as a trend leader at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (watch a video on our Facebook page), but imagine our surprise to find 3D trends at the Heimtextil material and fabric show in Frankfurt, Germany? We love this concept from Froca that creates an interactive 3D experience for signage and displays, and now we wonder... how much longer until we find 3D fabrics and materials? Hmmm....

Color Caffeine - Peony

Isn't this an optimistic, bright and cheery punch of springtime color we're sharing with you in the midst of a very chilling cold snap that's creeping across the Midwest? While it might be cold outside, we're warming things up in anticipation of the spring season with our latest palette of cheerful "Peony". Petal pretty with a accents of bright citrus tones and a wash of pale pink, the hue of Peony is sure to brighten your day! See the entire Color Caffeine collection here.

The Gamification of Heimtextil 2011

Gamification is a hot buzz word across many industries these days, from gaming your way to a larger discount on a brand's facebook page to grabbing one-day only deals through crowdsourcing sites - playing to win is fun! We love how gaming is affecting design with these video game throwback prints and patterns from Heimtextil 2011. What do you see? Tetris? Bubble Breaker? Pong?

Optimism at the 2011 Auto Show

It's a great day in Detroit when we can report on the optimistic trends from the 2011 North American International Auto Show. Colors bright and inspiring, small cars had zest and personality, luxury vehicles were creative and appealing, finishes were innovative and unique and sports cars still had muscle, but with a lighter, greener footprint. And, the list goes on from here... We'll share a few of our favorite photos here, but you can always find more on our Facebook page in the photo album section. If would prefer a deeper dive, feel free to contact us for pricing on the entire 2011 Auto Show reportback.

Fun can come in small packages!

Sports cars still have that aggressive edge!

Luxury now comes in fresh shapes, colors & sizes!

Heimtextil 2011 - Enormous Watercolor Florals

Get ready for an eye-opening experience from Heimtextil 2011! These watercolor florals jumped out and grabbed our attention with their enormous size, intense color and unique applications. Here are a few of our favorites:

Essenza:Esprit:Coelima:

Heimtextil 2011 - The Green Exhibition

We're knee deep in our Heimtextil coverage in Frankfurt, Germany as we speak (or, type!) and there are so many wonderful patterns, materials and colors to share with you it's hard to choose one. So, we decided to start with one to inspire you - The Green Exhibition. Eco-friendly, earth-conscious and stunningly beautiful, this collection is the perfect combination!