Inspiration from 'Down Under' - Tommy Bahama at High Point

This find from High Point Fall was spotted by our 'artist in residence', reporter of all things color & textile and famed colorist Cathy.  She hand-paints our custom finishes, creates stunning color palettes and has an eagle-eye for pattern, texture and materials in the news.  She wanted to share this collection from Tommy Bahama with you because she says 'it spoke to the artist in her'.  Learn more from Cathy's take on trends from High Point:

Here's a neat brand new group by Tommy Bahama, taking inspiration from Australia down under. Creative Aboriginal patterns on fabrics to decorative nailheads to drawer pulls, lots of textures, natural materials and more.  

The little tabletop was actually branches bundled together and cut horizontally and the dye was allowed to seep into the exposed wood. Once the color was accepted the whole tabletop was treated and sealed in a clear coat, a fascinating story.  These were just a couple of my favorites because they spoke to the artist in me!

Conversations & Storytelling - Baker Furniture

 One of the stand-out trends across High Point this season was the notable increase in conversations, storytelling and new ways to communicate.  A great example is Baker Furniture, who took a decidedly trend / counter trend approach with their high-tech use of QR codes and social media as a connection point and then their low-tech use of storytelling, authenticity and hand made craftsmanship.  

We loved this neat little room specifically designed for the McGuire furniture line.

Didn't the visuals and the stunning photography just make this space feel special?

Love seeing the personalities behind the piece!!

Pride in American craftsmanship was the focal point of the story, well done Baker, this was a wonderful tale.

Smile! It's our visit to Jonathan Adler at High Point

SMILE!!  It's time to visit Jonathan Adler at High Point.  We're always so excited to see his unique use of color, the fun patterns and the creativity in materials.  What did you think about this year's display - was he one of your "People's Choice" votes?  Or did you choose someone else?  Let us know, we're excited to learn the outcome of the voting!  For now...  here's a few pictures of our tour of Jonathan's showroom and some of the products that inspired us to smile:

Color Caffeine - Spicy Rouge

 It's time for a little spice in your life!  Of course, since it's fall and we're obsessed with warm, rich and comforting colors, this Color Caffeine palette came together with ease.  Spicy Rouge is a color that is just as gorgeous in it's natural state in the changing leaves as it is in home decor, paint and fashion.  Here's the Sphere Trending take on how to use this color to celebrate the season!  For our entire collection of palettes, head on over to our flickr photostream.

Trendspotting Detroit - Sugar House

We love our hometown of Detroit - and think it's pretty darn special when it comes to creative retail, innovative entrepreneurs, award winning cuisine and even awesome sports teams.  (Go Tigers! Go Lions!)

It's never hard to convince us to look in our own back yard for trendspotting venues and even easier when it's a unique new bar making 'craft cocktails for thirsty Detroiters'...!  Not to mention, it's around the corner from Slows, our go-to spot for the best BBQ in the state.  Here's a few snapshots of Detroit's revitalizing Corktown neighborhood and the vintage design of Sugar House.  It's another great example of American's returning to their roots and celebrating craft, local suppliers and our own heritage. 

If you want to visit, check out their hours and menu here.  Cheers!

Now & Then - Retail Deconstructed

We're announcing a new 'macro trend' feature today...  Our Chief Innovation Predictor, Susan Yashinsky, is now authoring her own blog, 21st Century Insights, over at the Consumer Goods Club - a global business and networking forum.  We'll always share a brief excerpt here on the Sphere Trending blog as well as a link to the full post for your reading pleasure!

We are very excited Susan is sharing her innovation and intelligence news with you...  Read on for her first post on Retail Deconstructed:

What a difference a decade can make!  The year 2000 was characterized by a global economy that had begun a significant recovery from the 1997-1998 recessions, fueled by consumer demand and complete with strong housing sales and employment.

Ten years later and we are facing some of the strongest economic challenges since the Great Depression.  Yet, in the same decade, we have had significant technological advancements for consumers: The first hybrid car (2000), the iPod(2001), YouTube (2005), Wii (2006), the iPhone (2007), the iPad (2010), and the list goes on.

While technology continues to lead us positively into the 21st century, empowering consumers in ways we couldn’t have even dreamed of 20 years ago, economics are pulling us back as lost skills of saving and living within our means must be relearned as a society.  These two forces are interweaving to reconstruct retail in a way that matches an industrialized world with declining consumer interest in more material possessions.  Key societal trends driving the future 21st century retail store include...  

(Continue reading on Consumer Goods Club)