Hue Wouldn't Believe What I Saw at the Fabric Market

After returning from Showtime in High Point, North Carolina (the fabric and furniture nexus of the universe), I have exciting news... Color is back! Hurray! After a long absence, I am happy to report a resurgence of bright, clear colors in the home textiles industry. Don't get me wrong, I love neutrals, but I love neutrals even more when they are punched up with color. So, let me share with you the color trends I saw at this season's fabric market.

We're In the Pink - I was delighted to see fuchsia sprinkled throughout different textiles, from linens and cotton prints to chenilles and woven upholstery fabrics. What excites me even more is fuchsia paired with apple green in a variety of patterns -from florals to paisleys, right on through to ethnically inspired suzanis. Every time I saw this combination of fuchsia and apple green, I just had to smile - and I am sure you will, too.

Orange You Happy - OK, I have to confess, orange is one of my favorite colors. I was delighted to see orange used not only in contemporary motifs and textures, but combined with traditional patterns to give them updated and unexpected edge.

Teal You What I'm Gonna Do - Not just for ducks anymore, teal is a beautiful color that has reemerged to add a rich visual impact to whatever patterns, textures, and other colors it is combined with. I found lovely and rich stripes, fun modern and retro patterns, and beautiful traditional frames - all using brilliant shades of teal to give them a new dimension in design.

Navy Bean There and Back - Navy has broken free from its nautical moorings and moved into mainstream home decorating fabrics. Clean, clear, and crisp, it has been updated to become an amazing neutral, adding a sophisticated element to a variety of patterns and styles. Always handsome and masculine, navy has moved in from the beach.

Passionate About Purple - I have been hearing for several seasons how important purple is in the home decorating industry. Yet, I have not seen very many weavers offering purple in their lines. Finally, purple has emerged to become an important part of the textile market. Stately as a solid velvet or chenille or striking in a floral or contemporary print, purple can either be formal or fun.

Shift Into Neutrality - Neutrals inspired by the colors of nature are still strong. Mineral shades, both with warm gold undertones and in cool grey hues, go so well with all of these clean, clear brights. In fact, pairing warm and cool neutrals in the same fabric is both smart and sophisticated. And remember, the dramatic impact of a fabric is not always about the color - it can be about the texture as well.

I am absolutely inspired about adding, matching, and mixing all of these new colors of fabrics and trims. They will be exciting new additions to our fabric gallery lines.