In Through the Outdoors, Part III: Outside In Opportunities
It doesn’t matter if your business advises on personal finance or personal finesse, the Outside In trend offers many opportunities for savvy brands.
In Through the Outdoors, Part II: Outside In Examples
As climate change forces us indoors, more and more people are exploring ways to recreate the outdoor experience without all its headaches. The Outside In trend incorporates elements of fantasy, abstraction, and facsimile to reimagine nature as we wish it to be.
In Through the Outdoors
The Outside In trend takes a lot of clues from biophilic design but interprets nature through radically different lenses. Where biophilic architecture focuses on natural elements that have contributed to our evolutionary survival, Outside In does not limit itself to such literal definitions of nature, nor does it stick to notions of realism. Rather, it often incorporates elements of fantasy, abstraction, or facsimile.
The Great Escape
Layers that hide as much as they reveal or that distort as much as they delineate. Floral fantasies that explode on walls, opening us to a different world. Even the comfort of an oversized sofa is enhanced by the peaceful purr of a feline friend (imagined or otherwise). Milan Design Week exposed our cultural appetite for escapism.
Web3 and The Future of Luxury, Part III: Phygital Craftsmanship
While many brands are satisfied with using AR to enable customers to visualize merchandise for their homes, others are seeking further ways to create mixed realities (MR) that blur the physical and digital divides
Web3 and The Future of Luxury, Part II: Phygital Exclusivity
Aspirational goals for the NFT aside, the desire for exclusivity has not waned. Rather, it’s just being redefined. Instead of seeing NFTs as a commodity, smart brands recognize them as unique tools. To survive these changing values, brands must recast their products not solely as physical goods, but as covetable experiences.
Web3 and the Future of Luxury, Part I: Phygital Self-Care
Traditionally, our society recognizes status through the purchase and display of physical goods. But as time, self-care, and wellness become the new aspirational goals, how can luxury retailers offer phygital experiences to Gen Z consumers?
Getting Phygital: The Marketing Revolution is Here
While phygital products sound futuristic, they are already a part of our daily lives. This fast-moving digital marketing trend will change how we experience our homes.
Why Classicism Never Goes Out of Style
Classicism in home decor has returned. But the truth is, it never really left.
Dopamine Décor
If dopamine dressing is a serotonin suit of armor, dopamine décor is a full dose of medicative merriment. It goes beyond the vibrant colors of its fashion sibling to combine multiple sensory experiences into a daily environment of good vibes. The biggest takeaway from this trend is how personal it is.
22 Design Trends for 2022
Forecasting requires constant horizon scanning, looking for clues that could signal the next big thing. I’ve identified 22 trends that will rule the home industry in the year ahead.
The Bubble Effect: Curve Appeal Takes Over
Curves, bubbles, squiggles, and blobs—these are the design elements we need right now. Recent design fairs had Curve Appeal to spare, indicating this trend isn’t going away soon.
Bubble Mania: Inflatable Furniture Is Blowing Up
Pieces that look like balloon art, techniques that make steel puff, and a new riff on blown glass. This is the kind of inflation we want to see.
2022 Design Trends: Bubble Mania Won’t Burst
Call them blobs, orbs, curves, or cells, Bubble Mania is taking over home decor. From inflatables to rounded edges, bubbles are today’s hottest design trend.
The New Age of Romanticism
From transparent glass to translucent resins, gauzy textiles to perforated screens, today’s home decor reflects a new age of Romanticism.
So Many Fairs, So Many Colors
From rusty reds to vibrant yellows, deep greens to tranquil blues, the September fairs welcomed us with a rich rainbow emerging from the gloom of the past 18 months. Here are the prominent trends to look for in 2022.
Blockchain: Why It Matters
Fear not. This is not a post about the Metaverse. Rather, this is a post about blockchain, why it’s a game-changer, and why you need to pay attention—even if you’re in the business of making physical products.
Blobs ‘R Us
How does a goopy candle signal societal change? When its very existence is a Promethean act. The blobby shapes reflect us—both our hopes and our insecurities. And they're not alone.
Neo-Naturalism and the Elements of Style
Neo-natural design will be driven by a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between humans and other living organisms, by our desire to co-exist with our planet, and our reprioritization of nature’s authentic flaws over aesthetic perfection.
What Biomimicry Means for the Future of Product Design
What if, instead of using nature as an inspiration to beautify, we used it as an inspiration in how we design? Biomimicry, the concept of emulating the natural world to solve human problems, is now more possible than ever.