7 Trends at the Atlanta International Gift & Furnishings Market
Comfort and nature were big influences at the August 2020 event. Fresh finishes, shapes and textures also debuted
Becky Harris
August 21, 2020
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Home has taken on new importance this year. And at the recent Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, held Aug. 13-18, the trends supported a comfortable, multifunctional and healthy home.
An attendee gets a temperature check before entering the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market in August 2020.
International Market Centers CEO Bob Maricich at a press event described the current market conditions as “the new abnormal” and said he looked forward to the day when the old normal returns. The summer market was held virtually and in person, with painstakingly planned COVID-19 safety measures. International Market Centers worked diligently with medical consultants and kept city and state leaders informed of its safety policies.
Vendors helped buyers and designers attend remotely with virtual showroom tours, and online resources were expanded. I attended virtually, looking through showrooms’ offerings and Market Snapshots and speaking with organizers, vendors and designers online and on the phone. But even though the experience was filtered by a screen, the dominance of certain trends was clear.
International Market Centers CEO Bob Maricich at a press event described the current market conditions as “the new abnormal” and said he looked forward to the day when the old normal returns. The summer market was held virtually and in person, with painstakingly planned COVID-19 safety measures. International Market Centers worked diligently with medical consultants and kept city and state leaders informed of its safety policies.
Vendors helped buyers and designers attend remotely with virtual showroom tours, and online resources were expanded. I attended virtually, looking through showrooms’ offerings and Market Snapshots and speaking with organizers, vendors and designers online and on the phone. But even though the experience was filtered by a screen, the dominance of certain trends was clear.
For those who chose to attend the market in person, the organizers built in plenty of room to socially distance. The preregistration process assigned entry times and locations for a contactless and uncrowded experience. There were contactless temperature checks upon entry and assigned wristbands that were checked as attendees moved from building to building. Other measures included socially distanced escalator riding and restroom visiting, showroom maximum capacities set at one person per 120 square feet, encouragement of hourly handwashing, elimination of self-serve food and coffee, a large crew of mask ambassadors and constant cleaning.
About three-quarters of the showrooms were open, with the smaller, closely clustered temporary booths suspended for safe social distancing. Attendance was around 20% of the usual summer market total. Eighty-nine percent of attendees came from the Southeast.
This year the swag bags included a mask, hand sanitizer and a copy of the safety protocols. Without the usual snacks, drinks, events and guest speakers, organizers noted that attendees were there to buy and that many retailers and firms sent fewer people to represent them than usual.
International Market Centers also runs Las Vegas Market and High Point Market, and you can learn about the plans and safety protocols for those upcoming events by visiting its website. Here are seven design trends that stood out at the Atlanta market.
About three-quarters of the showrooms were open, with the smaller, closely clustered temporary booths suspended for safe social distancing. Attendance was around 20% of the usual summer market total. Eighty-nine percent of attendees came from the Southeast.
This year the swag bags included a mask, hand sanitizer and a copy of the safety protocols. Without the usual snacks, drinks, events and guest speakers, organizers noted that attendees were there to buy and that many retailers and firms sent fewer people to represent them than usual.
International Market Centers also runs Las Vegas Market and High Point Market, and you can learn about the plans and safety protocols for those upcoming events by visiting its website. Here are seven design trends that stood out at the Atlanta market.
1. Coziness at Home
The summer market introduces fall and winter products, and coziness is always a factor in the new offerings. But with everyone spending so much more time at home these days, there was a sharper focus on cozy comfort this year.
BoBo Intriguing Objects presented a line of camping-inspired pillows, chair cushions, poufs and throws. The Swiss Army logo adds a graphic punch to the earth tones of these comfort-enhancing items.
The summer market introduces fall and winter products, and coziness is always a factor in the new offerings. But with everyone spending so much more time at home these days, there was a sharper focus on cozy comfort this year.
BoBo Intriguing Objects presented a line of camping-inspired pillows, chair cushions, poufs and throws. The Swiss Army logo adds a graphic punch to the earth tones of these comfort-enhancing items.
The cozy theme also was seen in the warm neutral shades that have been trending for the past few seasons. Tans, beiges, ivories, pale yellows and mocha browns continued their comeback. These shades mix well with the warm grays that also are popular.
The colors work nicely with the chunky wool knits, nubby textiles and fringe that were on view at the market. This cozy pillow collection is from Sugarboo & Co.
The colors work nicely with the chunky wool knits, nubby textiles and fringe that were on view at the market. This cozy pillow collection is from Sugarboo & Co.
There was plenty of color at the market as well. Plucked from nature were bold hues like those seen in this scrumptious blanket by Lands Downunder. Terra-cotta reds, soft lilacs, jonquil yellows and sky blues created a vibe of comfort and joy.
2. Biophilic Design
Biophilic design brings nature indoors with colors, materials and shapes — as well as live plants — to promote health and wellness. The market showcased products that reflect this design approach.
Beautiful planters, display-worthy watering cans and misters, and other indoor-plant-related items were on display to satisfy an increased interest in gardening. Syndicate Design and Garden offered a line of terrariums, moss, terrarium tools and other supplies that encourage tending to glass-enclosed indoor gardens, above.
Biophilic design also has taken hold in the kitchen, where people have been spending more time during the pandemic. There were charming pots for kitchen herb gardens. Also available were handmade live-edge cutting boards, a favorite item of kitchen photo stylists.
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Biophilic design brings nature indoors with colors, materials and shapes — as well as live plants — to promote health and wellness. The market showcased products that reflect this design approach.
Beautiful planters, display-worthy watering cans and misters, and other indoor-plant-related items were on display to satisfy an increased interest in gardening. Syndicate Design and Garden offered a line of terrariums, moss, terrarium tools and other supplies that encourage tending to glass-enclosed indoor gardens, above.
Biophilic design also has taken hold in the kitchen, where people have been spending more time during the pandemic. There were charming pots for kitchen herb gardens. Also available were handmade live-edge cutting boards, a favorite item of kitchen photo stylists.
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Biophilic design was represented in maximalist floral prints as well. Many of these on display were inspired by English cottage gardens and had a vintage feel. The floral prints dovetail with the popular cottagecore aesthetic, which is full of nostalgia for old-fashioned cutting gardens, woodland animals, dreamy fern- and moss-covered landscapes and other scenes that nod to simpler times.
Floral prints were found on all sorts of kitchen and dining room textiles, such as tablecloths, aprons, tea cozies and dish towels. This vintage-inspired Winterblossom floral tablecloth from Now Designs spreads cheerful blossoms across the table. Whimsical floral patterns also appeared underfoot on rugs. A standout was Rifle Paper Co.’s popular floral illustrations rendered in hooked wool as part of its collaboration with Loloi.
Floral prints were found on all sorts of kitchen and dining room textiles, such as tablecloths, aprons, tea cozies and dish towels. This vintage-inspired Winterblossom floral tablecloth from Now Designs spreads cheerful blossoms across the table. Whimsical floral patterns also appeared underfoot on rugs. A standout was Rifle Paper Co.’s popular floral illustrations rendered in hooked wool as part of its collaboration with Loloi.
Woven natural textures brought the outdoors inside in furniture and accessories. These lampshades from Maison Maison come in an array of natural woven materials and feature details such as scalloped edges.
3. Matte Finishes
There was still a lot of metallic shine around the market, as there has been for the last several years. But this summer, matte finishes added contrast to the bling. This cocktail table by Global Views recalls the playful footed tables that furniture designer John Dickinson cast in plaster in the 1970s.
There was still a lot of metallic shine around the market, as there has been for the last several years. But this summer, matte finishes added contrast to the bling. This cocktail table by Global Views recalls the playful footed tables that furniture designer John Dickinson cast in plaster in the 1970s.
4. Light Wood Furniture
Designers have embraced the arrival of light wood pieces, whether bleached, cerused, whitewashed or simply a light-colored species. Light-colored wood can lend a warm Scandinavian modern vibe to furnishings or update the look of a traditional piece, as with this Church Console from BoBo Intriguing Objects. The design was inspired by an antique French console and the wood is untreated oak.
Atlanta interior decorator Brian Patrick Flynn, a seasoned veteran of the market, attended virtually this summer. He’s excited about the possibilities for lighter wood pieces. Of bleached white oak furniture he says: “I’m seeing more and more of it, and I love it. The overall vibe fits the whole modern cottage, let’s-stay-home-and-feel-comfy, transitional-coastal vibe that I think Gen-Xers, boomers and millennials are all gravitating toward.”
Designers have embraced the arrival of light wood pieces, whether bleached, cerused, whitewashed or simply a light-colored species. Light-colored wood can lend a warm Scandinavian modern vibe to furnishings or update the look of a traditional piece, as with this Church Console from BoBo Intriguing Objects. The design was inspired by an antique French console and the wood is untreated oak.
Atlanta interior decorator Brian Patrick Flynn, a seasoned veteran of the market, attended virtually this summer. He’s excited about the possibilities for lighter wood pieces. Of bleached white oak furniture he says: “I’m seeing more and more of it, and I love it. The overall vibe fits the whole modern cottage, let’s-stay-home-and-feel-comfy, transitional-coastal vibe that I think Gen-Xers, boomers and millennials are all gravitating toward.”
5. Fresh Takes on the Tight-Back Sofa
This room presented by Classic Home is woodland-inspired, with layered natural fiber rugs, wood-paneled walls and a live-edge coffee table. And look closely at the mossy green tight-back sofa.
Flynn says this sofa style is one to watch. The designer looks for staying power and the potential to evolve when he chooses pieces for his rooms. “One thing I really appreciate is how many brands are putting fresh spins on the tight fixed-back sofa,” he says. “With the artisanal modernism movement growing in popularity, it’s great to see comfortable pieces that have super sculptural lines, so much that each piece truly doubles as a freestanding piece of sculptural art.”
The combination of the neat lines of this sofa’s channel-tufted upholstery and the simple shape of the piece allow it to fit into a modern streamlined space as well as more traditional or transitional rooms.
This room presented by Classic Home is woodland-inspired, with layered natural fiber rugs, wood-paneled walls and a live-edge coffee table. And look closely at the mossy green tight-back sofa.
Flynn says this sofa style is one to watch. The designer looks for staying power and the potential to evolve when he chooses pieces for his rooms. “One thing I really appreciate is how many brands are putting fresh spins on the tight fixed-back sofa,” he says. “With the artisanal modernism movement growing in popularity, it’s great to see comfortable pieces that have super sculptural lines, so much that each piece truly doubles as a freestanding piece of sculptural art.”
The combination of the neat lines of this sofa’s channel-tufted upholstery and the simple shape of the piece allow it to fit into a modern streamlined space as well as more traditional or transitional rooms.
6. Sculptural Curves Mixed With Pleats and Folds
Strong sculptural curves appeared on all sorts of furnishings, such as this daybed and shelves by Ashley Childers for Global Views. The pleated pattern on the daybed’s leather upholstery highlights another trend seen at the market: pleated and folded looks.
Strong sculptural curves appeared on all sorts of furnishings, such as this daybed and shelves by Ashley Childers for Global Views. The pleated pattern on the daybed’s leather upholstery highlights another trend seen at the market: pleated and folded looks.
The Parabola chair from Blue Ocean Traders also mixes striking curves and a pleated texture, and its tall back incorporates a folded look. This photo was a finalist in the Market Snapshot contest, which showcased innovative and trendsetting products from the event’s home decor and gift collections. Attendees voted before the market began and the winners were announced on opening day.
The Tambour cabinet from Uttermost’s Revelations collection also mixes curves with a pleat-inspired look. The doors in this piece function like a rolltop desk to reveal storage space inside.
As people try to find a live-work balance while doing both from home, interesting storage pieces are taking on new importance. It’s essential to be able to stash work and schoolwork away when it’s time to relax at the end of the day. Freestanding shelves, bins, baskets and cabinets help rooms perform multiple functions.
As people try to find a live-work balance while doing both from home, interesting storage pieces are taking on new importance. It’s essential to be able to stash work and schoolwork away when it’s time to relax at the end of the day. Freestanding shelves, bins, baskets and cabinets help rooms perform multiple functions.
7. Taking the Indoors Outside
Another trend was taking the familiar comforts of indoor spaces to the outdoors. Homeowners have been eager to make their yards more comfortable extensions of their homes in 2020. New outdoor lighting, furniture and other accessories to make that possible were seen throughout the market.
The event also presented a dazzling array of outdoor rug options. This example from Amer Rugs’ Bohemian collection is made in Turkey from polypropylene to stand up to the elements. “This was inspired by our bestselling designs for indoor rugs and has transitional patterns with fresh color shades, which is unique in this category,” says Anupriya Choudhary, director at Amer Rugs.
Another trend was taking the familiar comforts of indoor spaces to the outdoors. Homeowners have been eager to make their yards more comfortable extensions of their homes in 2020. New outdoor lighting, furniture and other accessories to make that possible were seen throughout the market.
The event also presented a dazzling array of outdoor rug options. This example from Amer Rugs’ Bohemian collection is made in Turkey from polypropylene to stand up to the elements. “This was inspired by our bestselling designs for indoor rugs and has transitional patterns with fresh color shades, which is unique in this category,” says Anupriya Choudhary, director at Amer Rugs.
This outdoor rug from Surya has a striking Greek key pattern, once reserved for formal indoor living spaces. Conversely, outdoor rugs are no longer limited to porches and patios. Savvy designers guide clients with active kids and pets toward beautiful and durable outdoor rugs for high-traffic interior spaces as well.
Your thoughts: Which looks from the Atlanta show do you like best? Please share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Your thoughts: Which looks from the Atlanta show do you like best? Please share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Thanks for this report, Becky.
I have to say I like each and every one of the trends presented. There's something for everyone.
One particular trend I'm happy to see is the continuous improvement of design and quality of outdoor rugs. With the increase in larger window installations, it's important to ensure that the carpets which are exposed to more sunlight are not only durable and fade-resistant, but also beautiful and comfortable underfoot.