Skip to content

Category: Trendspotting

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

Elitis – Paris Deco Off

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

James Martin Vanities – KBIS

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

Kersten at Maison & Objet
Paris Flea Market – Les Puces de Saint-Ouen

Metal Objects as Art

BHV – Paris Trendspotting
Paris Flea Market – Les Puces de Saint-Ouen

70s Style Seating

Ralph M – Maison & Objet
Paris Flea Market – Les Puces de Saint-Ouen

Follow along for more future round-ups! Click here to connect with us and follow our Instagram and LinkedIn.

Christmas in New York

By Cathy Schneider, Director of Color Theory

2025 Theme: The Bergdorf Soirée

To conclude our Christmas trendspotting we wanted to share this year’s window displays at Bergdorf Goodman which are under the theme “The Bergdorf Soirée” — an extravagant, festive celebration meant to evoke the energy, glamour, and joy of a holiday party. The windows are part of a broader “holiday world” for Bergdorf: the in-store design, curated gift guides, and associated campaign all align with the theatrical, glitzy mood of The Bergdorf Soirée.

The display was created by a team of 100 artisans over nine months, using handcrafted paper-sculpture, mosaics, soft sculpture and other artisanal techniques — a real “labor-of-love” approach. According to the store’s creative lead Linda Fargo, the windows are meant as an “invitation to celebrate together” — a festive, joyful and elegant way to bring people into the holiday spirit.

Sphere Trendspotting – Bergdorf Goodman – NYC
Sphere Trendspotting – Bergdorf Goodman – NYC
Sphere Trendspotting – Bergdorf Goodman – NYC

We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season! We will be back in the New Year with more insights. Follow for more of our finds and to see what’s trending into the new year! Click here to connect with us and follow our Instagram and LinkedIn.

New York Trendspotting

By Cathy Schneider, Director of Color Theory

“Un Noël à New York” — “Christmas in New York”

This season’s theme is “Christmas in New York,” a celebration inspired by the opening earlier in 2025 of Printemps’s first U.S. store (in Manhattan, at One Wall Street). The windows and festive decorations envision a “transatlantic journey between Paris and New York” — blending Parisian department-store charm with the energy and iconography of NYC.

Sphere Trendspotting – Printemps NYC
Sphere Trendspotting – Printemps NYC
Sphere Trendspotting – Printemps NYC

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.

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’:

The Apple iPhone Pocket by Issey Miyake
Hollis Morris Fabric Light x By Borre
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.