JUNE 12, 2008
Stylewatching in Contract Furniture
At the 2008 NeoCon show in Chicago, Knoll Textiles showed a palette of cranberry reds, muted purples and lilac, and magenta pink, tempered with cool neutrals. Bright white, as seen in the HBF showroom, was another obvious trend at NeoCon this year. I saw warm wood in smoky greys or light stained veneers with subtle straight grains. Popular accent colors included yellow, berry, orange, and lots of blues paired with white.
Boldly sculptural showroom structures were big at NeoCon as well. Steelcase displayed a white screen cut to create an intriguing, dimensional woven pattern.
Texture was another big story. DesignTex showed positively shaggy pouf lounges that everyone wanted to touch. Retro patterns and furniture styles are still prevalent.
Knoll Luxe, a new high-end textile brand featuring fibers like wool and mohair, had several exciting fabrics. Its Bavaria resembles an apparel tweed – a great example of how the lines between contract and residential styles continue to blur. Meanwhile, its Jaipur fabric, produced in India, is heavily embellished with embroidery – showing the global influence that keeps appearing in patterns and colors throughout textile and furniture design.
