After a long Michigan winter, summer for me is all about being outdoors – sunshine (don’t forget the sunscreen and hat) adventure and travel as a necessity to recharge and reinspire.
Getting out of my comfort zone and experiencing new spaces and places is always my key source of inspiration and for Summer 2023, I’m looking to the French Riviera.
While for some this might conjure thoughts of turquoise waters, brightly striped beach umbrellas and towels stretching for miles and glamourous, flashy Cannes, I instead find myself drawn to the sun-faded old towns, imperfect cobblestone narrow lanes growing wild with bougainvillea and hikes alongside rugged coastlines.”
-Riann Henkel, Sphere Trending Trend Futurist, Director of Interior Home
This month we’re going to school – summer school – where our own trend experts share some of their recent favorites.
My summer style is simple – floating in the pool, reading by the lake, or entertaining outdoors with friends and family. The classic cabana stripes on these playful floats would be a great addition to summer vacation. Every year my family gathers up north to Lake Michigan and I always bring a beach read – this one was perfect.
At home I’m looking for playful outdoor dinnerware like the new Rhodes x West Elm collaboration for maximizing the warm Midwest summer weather and dreaming of my own lakeside retreat like the ones featured on A Frame Dreams.”
-Emily Siwek, Sphere Trending Trend Futurist, Director of Architectural Design
The layering of textures have been a common thread seen at recent tradeshows. Texture can trigger all the senses, making design more appealing and attractive. Seen throughout multiple products, the layering of various materials creates a sense of excitement and robust style.”
LORI SALEM, SPHERE TRENDING DESIGN RESEARCH ASSISTANT
By Riann Henkel Sphere Trending Trend Futurist, Director of Interior Home
The theme for the month continues as we delve into different ways that today’s consumers are mixing up design styles, materials and elements to create a personal mix. The lines between indoors and outdoors continues to blur, but think bigger than just seamless living.
Materials that we see on the outside of the home, such as the (unfortunately named) hog fence are being used for modern elements on interiors, while exteriors are borrowing pops of pattern and bold materials to brighten outdoor living areas.
Dwell – Exterior inspired hog fencing indoors
The lines between indoors and outdoors continues to blur, but think bigger than just seamless living.”
Riann Henkel, Sphere Trending Trend Futurist, Director of Interior Home
Outdoor Remix
At the 2023 HGTV Smart Home, the outdoor kitchen spaces takes cues from interior inspired details. Patterned backsplashes and artwork bring interior influences outside.
HGTV Smart Home
The Harris Poll
Mixed Zones
Despite often appearing on ‘what’s out’ lists, open plan living is not fading away. But mixed materials in the home are bringing in architectural elements such as exterior-inspired sliding doorwalls to create purposeful zones floating within the open plans.
Detroit Design Awards – PRM Custom Builders
Mixed Use
Even the use of space becomes a personal choice, such as the increase of garages as hang-out spaces, complete with unique paint and décor and comfortable interior-inspired features. Often overlooked as utilitarian and functional, nothing is off limits in the new residential remix.
By Emily Siwek, Sphere Trending Trend Futurist, Director of Architectural Design
We just returned from NeoCon, the leading US commercial furnishings fair held annually in Chicago and the change from previous seasons was audible. While the last few years have been somewhat muted, this year we saw the volume starting to creep back up with playful color and pattern, and an emphasis on embracing the noise and volume of life in commercial spaces.
Finding Their Voice
NeoCon debuted a working podcast studio along with the fair this year. The first floor studio was broadcasting studio added a new element to the mix of the event.
Hosts including design personality Amy Devers, recorded live during the show.
NeoCon Podcast Studio
Dialed Up Design
Within the products displayed, acoustical wall solutions have become high design, but they were not focusing on completely dampening the noise, rather they were celebrating it, creating strategic design compliments to the increasing complexity of life and design in public spaces. Turf Design also had a sense of fun with their ‘dial a decade’ installation where rotary phones played music from recent eras.
Turf Design Showroom at NeoCon
Need For Noise
Carpet manufacturers were inspired by audio elements as well. At Mannington a sound bath inspired pixilated patterns titled “the need for sound” and at the Shaw Contract showroom, Mike Ford shared rhythmic patterns inspired by hip hop.
Mannington and Shaw Contract at NeoConShaw Contract collaboration with Mike Ford at NeoConMike Ford’s Hip Hop Playlist
Ready for something to listen to? Check out Mike Ford’s Top 15 Hip Hop tracks as shared by Shaw Contract and stay tuned in with us to see what’s trending – click here to connect with us and follow our Instagram and LinkedIn.
