Trend Signals Archives - Sphere Trending

2016 Flashback

By Emily Siwek & Cathy Schneider, Sphere Trending Trend Futurists

Now that we’re in 2026, everyone is looking back to 2016 to see how far we’ve come in ten years. We thought it would be interesting to revisit some of the trend talk we were focused on back then and how it compares to what we’re seeing now. Here are some of our favorite color snapshots from then and now!

Ten years ago we were talking about colors that pair well with neutrals – here are a few that still feel relevant today:

Mineral Inspired Pastels (from 2016):

Mineral Pastels NOW:

Soft, mineral pastel hues continue with deeper accents leaning into browns and navy blue

Inky Indigo (from 2016):

Inky Indigo NOW:

At the forthcoming Kitchen and Bath Industry show (KBIS), James Martin vanities highlights their vanities against an inky stone backdrop

Warm Russet (from 2016):

Warm Russet NOW:

Seen at the most recent Maison & Objet in Paris, Warm Russet hues continue to pair with warm neutrals and crisp white

Vincent Sheppard – Maison & Objet – January 2026

Stay tuned for more of our finds and follow along for more dispatches from our travels! Click here to connect with us and follow our Instagram and LinkedIn.

From the Marché to the Market

By Emily Siwek & Riann Henkel, Sphere Trending Trend Futurists

Our team just returned from one of our most inspiring trips of the year, a visit to the Maison & Objet tradeshow in Paris. This year, along with retail trendspotting we also added stops at Paris Deco Off and the Paris Flea Market.

Interestingly, the theme for this year’s Maison & Objet tradeshow was Past Reveals Future, installations throughout the show focused on the evolution of trend where “each object is an echo” of the past, as seen in this endless loop of product transformations:

What’s New Retail at Maison & Objet – Curated by Francios Delclaux

Nowhere was this evolution of trend more on display than at the Paris Flea Market, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, specifically the Marché Paul Bert Serpette which is a high-end, designer favorite described as “the jewel of the market.”

Here are a few of our favorite examples of inspiration from new and old with trend taking inspiration from the past and leading the future. Can you tell which one is new vs. vintage?

Vintage Style Lighting

Paris Flea Market – Les Puces de Saint-Ouen

Metal Objects as Art

70s Style Seating

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The New Soft Goods

By Emily Siwek, Trend Futurist & Director of Architectural Design

When looking at trends in interior home, we generally see two types of products – either ‘hard goods’ which are more durable, functional pieces including furniture and fixtures, and ‘soft goods’ which are generally fabric based and include pillows, bedding, drapery, etc. Lately however, we have noticed that the lines between hard and soft goods are blurring.

Specifically, softer fabric and upholstered elements are being incorporated into hard goods to create a new softer blend. The latest introduction by Apple, the iPhone Pocket, perfectly encapsulates this new merging of hard and soft, especially for tech. Here is a round up of our latest finds representing these ‘new soft goods’:

An Upholstered Bar seen at Eicholtz at High Point Market

Stay tuned for more of our finds and follow along for more dispatches from our travels! Click here to connect with us and follow our Instagram and LinkedIn.

New Frontiers

Forecasting the future usually involves new frontiers in technology, innovation, and design. But sometimes, the new frontier is actually a frontier as is the case with the interest we see in the new western-inspired lifestyle and design trend.

All things cowboy are moving into the mainstream, here are a few thoughts on where we see this western movement trending.