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2020 Living Room Trend: Global Inspiration From Four Hands
Travel the world without leaving the living room
Alice Whitfield
May 15, 2020
Editor. Art and design aficionado. Scented candle addict. I'm thrilled to work with great pros and brands to shout loud and proud about home design!
Editor. Art and design aficionado. Scented candle addict. I'm thrilled to work with... More
Pearlescent domes glistening on an Indian horizon. Intricate carvings deep in the Indonesian jungle. Sun-dappled palaces presiding over Italian piazzas. The world is a treasure trove of wondrous sights, and homeowners have taken note. Adam Dunn, the creative director of Four Hands, is seeing wanderlust increasingly being translated into design as more and more consumers demand globally inspired goods.
The Collected Look
Personalization is helping drive this desire. “It’s really an item story for furniture,” Dunn says. “People don’t want a matching suite; they want something collected.” They want homes that tell stories and express their own distinct design sensibility. “When you have a collected space where each item feels unique, you’re allowed to put in more shape, material and texture,” Dunn says. Think cane chairs inspired by a Japanese screen, or a sofa with base molding reminiscent of Tuscan palazzo details.
The Collected Look
Personalization is helping drive this desire. “It’s really an item story for furniture,” Dunn says. “People don’t want a matching suite; they want something collected.” They want homes that tell stories and express their own distinct design sensibility. “When you have a collected space where each item feels unique, you’re allowed to put in more shape, material and texture,” Dunn says. Think cane chairs inspired by a Japanese screen, or a sofa with base molding reminiscent of Tuscan palazzo details.
A Marvelous Melange
Ideas from across countries and time periods weave a rich tapestry of inspiration. The legs of Four Hands’ Atrumed coffee table, seen above, were inspired by an 18th-century Japanese sake bottle, while the overall shape is a slight nod to African Senufo stools. The design is simple and soft, Dunn says.
The company’s Bienna rug, seen in the first photo, takes cues from Indian carvings as well as African fringe and geometric patterns. “We’re also leaning Italian midcentury modern with a clean shape,” Dunn says. The Noel media console, seen below, exemplifies this approach, sporting arched iron frames that echo shapes of classic Italian architecture.
Editor’s Picks*: Bienna Woven Rug, Atrumed Coffee Table, Noel Media Console
Ideas from across countries and time periods weave a rich tapestry of inspiration. The legs of Four Hands’ Atrumed coffee table, seen above, were inspired by an 18th-century Japanese sake bottle, while the overall shape is a slight nod to African Senufo stools. The design is simple and soft, Dunn says.
The company’s Bienna rug, seen in the first photo, takes cues from Indian carvings as well as African fringe and geometric patterns. “We’re also leaning Italian midcentury modern with a clean shape,” Dunn says. The Noel media console, seen below, exemplifies this approach, sporting arched iron frames that echo shapes of classic Italian architecture.
Editor’s Picks*: Bienna Woven Rug, Atrumed Coffee Table, Noel Media Console
Material Choice
Materials from all over the world make up these globally inspired goods. For instance, Four Hands sources travertine and marble, including swirling emerald green and dusky pink options, from India. “Indian marbles have a really nice character to them, a really natural feel,” Dunn says. He uses them on simple designs, as “the stone tells the story,” he says. The team also incorporates exotic hardwoods, rattan and cane into their work.
More Editor’s Picks*: Mazie Woven Coffee Table, Dax Maze Rug, Bran Rug
Materials from all over the world make up these globally inspired goods. For instance, Four Hands sources travertine and marble, including swirling emerald green and dusky pink options, from India. “Indian marbles have a really nice character to them, a really natural feel,” Dunn says. He uses them on simple designs, as “the stone tells the story,” he says. The team also incorporates exotic hardwoods, rattan and cane into their work.
More Editor’s Picks*: Mazie Woven Coffee Table, Dax Maze Rug, Bran Rug
Soft Goods That Floor
Dunn sees soft-line goods as an ideal way to play with globally inspired materials and shapes. “Buying a rug gives that look and style without too much of a commitment,” he says. “My favorite place to put color and texture is on the floor. It’s the easiest way to pull a room together, and helps tell the story.” He blends seagrass, natural wovens and velvets for visual interest, incorporating block printing, exaggerated fringe and repetitive geometric shapes.
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Dunn sees soft-line goods as an ideal way to play with globally inspired materials and shapes. “Buying a rug gives that look and style without too much of a commitment,” he says. “My favorite place to put color and texture is on the floor. It’s the easiest way to pull a room together, and helps tell the story.” He blends seagrass, natural wovens and velvets for visual interest, incorporating block printing, exaggerated fringe and repetitive geometric shapes.
*Sign in to see trade pricing.
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