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The start of a new year is high trade show season, which probably doesn’t mean too much to you unless you’re a shop owner, buyer, or — in my case — an editor covering the home decor market. But what should be important to you is that these shows predict and highlight the latest trends for furniture, furnishings, fixtures, design accents, and gifts. It’s like looking into the future!
New York’s semi-annual independent home and gift show, Shoppe Object, tends to focus on smalls, textiles, soft goods, paper products, and giftables. What I love about walking this show is how curated it is; the founders really try to present a thoughtful mix of innovative brands and makers, so the products you see feel cool and cutting edge. These shows sometimes aren’t open to the public, so I wanted to pull back the curtain on this past market so you can see what’s about to be everywhere.
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You can’t knock the visual power and punch of stripes; they remain a classic for a reason, and I love seeing bands of color popping up in the most unexpected of places, like on a set of taper candles. You could stick to one set of British Color Standard’s tapers or mix and match a bunch of hues all the way down your dining table.
Bright, funky candles appeared in nearly every aisle, sure, but I spotted another micro-trend at work in the taper, votive, and vessel offerings: a theme of element zodiac signs. Now, you can light up your element sign — fire, water, air, earth. I loved 54 Celsius’ new Elements collection, which combines the element theme with the shapely candle craze. Each has its own unique element-inspired fragrance, too.
Speaking of shapely candles and 54 Celsius in particular, designer Lex Pott’s now-iconic Twist candle is still going strong. More colors are available, and now you can shop a slightly different silhouette, the Knot, which is slightly larger in size but has a similar burn time — approximately 10 hours per end. These styles aren’t inexpensive, but remember: You don’t need a candle holder for these beauties, so you’ll save in that way.
Buy: Twist Candle, $40.00 from Nordstrom
With all the candle trend talk out of the way, let’s hone in on another class of decorative (and functional!) accessories: planters. If you’re looking to give one of your little plant babies a new home — or to add to your collection — consider the Strata Plant Vessels from Areaware. Created by Simone Brewster and influenced by her first jewelry collection, the stacked designs resemble bangle bracelets and cleverly conceal their saucers in their shapes.
Buy: Strata Plant Vessels, $65.00 from Areaware
Artist Virginia Sin is always doing something original with her ceramics and home goods brand SIN, and this market was no exception to that rule. She took her signature knot, wavy, rolling hill, and mound silhouettes and expanded upon them by applying some of these motifs to new lighting and mirrors. The latter category isn’t even on her website yet, but you know these pieces will make you smile and add a touch of whimsy wherever you put them.
Buy: SIN Mima Table Lamp, $180.00 from Food 52
The mushroom lamp trend is still alive and well, that is, if the items displayed at Shoppe Object is any indicator. I spotted a wall of swirly glass cuties made by American Design Club, a Brooklyn-based company that helps creatives make and market their original designs.
Buy: Humber Petite Glass Mushroom Lamp, $120.00 from Garmentory
Remember the neon sign craze that took the world by storm around 2015 or 2016? Well, it’s still going strong, but now blue chip artist reproductions are now being offered alongside words and emojis. Yellowpop, a neon sign vendor is leading the charge here, partnering with legendary artists like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. Look for another exciting artist collaboration to launch soon.
Buy: Marilyn Monroe Small by Andy Warhol, $549.00 from Yellowpop
Yes, you can find a maximalist trash can (if you’re looking for one), and it’s the Pattern Bin from Dusen Dusen for Areaware. Boasting contrasting prints on both the outside and inside, this waste basket comes in three different designs. Choose from Ring, River, and Spiral, all of which have a retro-meets-modern, psychedelic look.
I’m always so excited to shine a light on any new-to-me artist or art print vendor that I stumble upon, particularly when the pieces are affordable and striking. Meet Roomytown, a UK-based studio you might know from their kid-centric prints. Happy to report that their grown-up offerings are beautiful, too. You can find everything from almost Scandi-looking abstract plaids to these monochromatic watercolor swatch studies, inspired by a 1692 book on mixing shades. Pieces come unframed as well as framed and ready to hang.
