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Thursday, May 24, 2012

HOME & GARDEN

The Big Picture

We asked six enormously talented interior designers to tell us where design is headed this year, and why. Our takeaway: three distinct trends that share an emphasis on craftsmanship, attention to detail, and respect for the individual and environment. Design is warm and fuzzy, but elegant, sophisticated. Gone are the hard edges and seamless surfaces. Designers are reveling in the gorgeous, but reinterpreted for a brand new decade.

clockwise from top left: Georgia Tapert, Greg Natale, Jane Miller, Tori Golub, Kara Mann, Chad Renfro

Trend 1: A focus on craft

Social factors: By now we all know that DIY is HIP. And because people are not only appreciating the value of the handmade, but are also filled with the desire to understand firsthand how items are constructed, the concept is earning some serious respect. Boston-based interior designer and shop owner Jane Miller points to the exhibit “Craft” at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City as an ideal way to learn how new technologies have transformed the traditional meaning of craftsmanship.

Characterized by: Wares that have connections to real, live people. New York City-based designer and shop owner Georgia Tapert tells us that customers want to be able to connect a story  the goods they’re thinking of buying, whether the items are handmade by a women’s collective in a remote village or created from recycled materials. New York City-based interior designer Tori Golub adds, “When I am considering pieces, craftsmanship is very important. It may be 'just' a simple, hand carved stool, but it needs to be beautifully executed by someone who cares deeply about what he or she is making.”

 

Trend 2: Jewel box rooms

Social factors: In response to the downturn in the economy, people are nesting more, and rethinking the so-called need for super-sized homes. Chicago-based interior designer Kara Mann is finding that clients are moving toward smaller spaces. With that, comes a new enthusiasm for luxurious décor. 

Characterized by: Mann says, “Rooms are dripping with design. A visual feast of materials and textures is turning small-scaled homes into gorgeous little jewel boxes.” Golub too is reveling in carefully chosen splendor. She says, “I love finding furniture and accessories that are works of art; also lighting reminiscent of jewelry.”

 

Trend 3: An attention to form, shape, and surface

Social factors: According to Australian designer Greg Natale, architects and designers have been consumed by a streamlined and commercial look, played out in the concept of integration. Components were built-in, hidden, melded, and blurred. Now, we’re starting to see elements that more closely resemble pieces of [traditional] furniture.

 Characterized by: Kitchen counters look more like sideboards, with legs and details, and toilet suites are acceptable again. Walls and floors are being asserted as separate planes, and as such are being constructed of different materials. Atlanta-based interior designer Chad Renfro underscores the idea that details are in the spotlight, saying that he thinks we’ll see a rejuvenation of American Classicism, the strict principles of order and proportion put forth by the ancient Greeks and Romans and revisited by 17th and 18th century architects, artists, and artisans.

 

With these trends in mind, our panel of designers shopped eBay with us:

GEORGIA TAPERT'S PICKS

Roll over items for details
Shagreen and Brass Filigree Opera Glasses
Rare Italian Carved Gilded Octagonal Mirror (buy it now price, $690),
(sold for approximately $46.33)
Rare Italian Carved Gilded Octagonal Mirror
((buy it now price, $690),)
Atomic Iron Hoop Chair
(starting bid, $190)
The Big Picture

GREG NATALE'S PICKS

Kittinger Coffee Table
(buy it now price, $950)
Hollywood Regency Sideboard
((starting bid, $70) )
The Big Picture

JANE MILLER'S PICKS

Copper Arts & Crafts Copper Tray
(starting bid, approx. $23)
The Big Picture

CHAD RENFRO'S PICKS

Early American Antique Maple Stand
((buy it now price, $590))
The Big Picture

KARA MANN'S PICKS

Six Lights Chandelier with Swarovski Crystals
Decorative Mirror with Gilt Wood Frame in Floral Design (buy it now price, $348) 
(buy it now price, $460)
The Big Picture

TORI GOLUB'S PICKS

The Big Picture

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