Bold New Year

The American spirit flourished in the aftermath of September 11, as we felt compelled to express pride in our country. Designers and trendsetters followed suit with a plethora of product that was roughly defined as "Americana." Regional elements reflecting western and southwestern motifs were also a part of this new category, and by 2003 more than 25 percent of gift and decorative accessories manufacturers surveyed said that Americana was a design direction they considered to be on the rise.

What a difference a year can make. Today, only 12 percent of manufacturers and vendors see Americana as a prominent design direction for 2004. One respondent said, "Americana has seen better days; it's saturated the market." Likewise "Lodge," which is very similar to "Americana" in its appeal, remains a minor design direction, with only 9 percent of respondents listing it.

"Nesting/Entertaining at Home" and "Traditional" were the top two design direction categories for 2004, reversing the positions they held in 2003. Traditional has slipped somewhat, with 43 percent of respondents citing it in 2004, versus 51 percent in 2003. "Retro" has gained steadily over the past three years, with 39 percent of respondents seeing it as a design direction for 2004. First spotted in stationery, greeting cards, and character licenses such as Betty Boop, Retro is now much more mainstream, influencing design in home products ranging from appliances (Waring's soda fountain mixer would have been right at home in any Howard Johnson's restaurant) to furniture (Thomasville's Bogart collection recalls the Hollywood icon), and accessories (such as the mod designs of Jonathan Adler).

"Spiritual/Religion" has also declined in popularity over the past three years, dropping from 34 percent to 24 percent of respondents citing it as a design direction this year. "Asian" and "Safari/Adventure" have also slipped in the standings. However, the Asian influence on Western design has been so influential over the last decade that its basic tenets are now incorporated in much of the "Modern/Contemporary" category. The Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani home collections are just two of many Zen-influenced examples.

A new category added to this year's questionnaire was "Tropical/Island." It was quoted by 22 percent of respondents as a direction to be on the lookout for in 2004. One doesn't have to look very far to find pineapples, palm trees, monkeys, rattan, and wicker figuring prominently in furniture and accessory designs, with brands as diverse as Tommy Bahama and Pacific Rim leading the way.

Don't expect a sea change in color trends in 2004. Other than a fading of "Pastels" — which was cited by 24 percent of respondents as "important" or "very important" for 2004, versus 32 percent in 2003 — and primary colors dropping in popularity from more than a third to less than a third for 2004, the color palette should remain stable. "Earth Tones" led the color trend categories at 62 percent, and "Neutrals" were mentioned by 48 percent, both numbers similar to last year's survey results. In between, 59 percent of respondents said "Brights" were "important" or "very important."

Leaving the earth tones and neutrals to upholstery and wall coverings, brights used in soft goods, lamps, vases, and floor coverings quickly bring focus to a room or enhance a decor with a minimum of expense. They also exude a sense of optimism. Toyo Next, Susan Sargent for Oriental Accent, Company C, and Arteriors are just a few decorative accessories resources that put an emphasis on brights.

While pastels may be losing popularity at the moment, a new rendition of those hues is making an appearance on the international scene. P.J. Aranador, a Filipino designer and manufacturing consultant, calls these new shades "reflections." "These are actually whites that are tinted with the palest hues of blue, pink, green, lilac, and terra-cotta," he says. "They are washed in appearance, as if reflecting pale colors in a pool of water."

Licensing remains a major component of the furniture and decorative accessories industries. Bogart, Hemingway, Stewart, de la Renta, and Ireland are just a few of the celebrity names to be attached to furniture collections over the past few years. The latest name is that of fashion designer Todd Oldham, who has designed a collection for, of all companies, La-Z-Boy, a name synonymous with recliners and couch potatoes. Oldham's snazzy fabrics and crisp profiles for lines titled "Snap," "Toybox," and "Arc" are no doubt intended to help steer Gen-Y furniture shoppers in the La-Z-Boy direction. Oldham has also created the Home [Room] Collection for Target. For nostalgia buffs, Betty Crocker is back in the kitchen, with her name attached to a line of ready-to-assemble kitchen caddies, islands, cupboards, tables, and chairs manufactured by Home Styles.

"Nostalgic" led the licensing categories in our survey of gift and decorative accessories manufacturers, with 56 percent of respondents rating it "important" or "very important" for 2004. "Adventure/Lifestyle" was mentioned by 48 percent. Both categories define the recently launched National Geographic Home Collection. It represents "adventure," for obvious reasons. And what person of a certain age doesn't recall with nostalgia the yellow-bordered photojournalism magazine mailed to their home or perched on a rack in a dentist's waiting room? Lane, RJS, iPhotoart, Palecek, Sferra Bros., Toyo, Wildwood, and Zrike are the collection's eight licensees, with products ranging from upholstery to lighting and tabletop.

"Artists/Illustrators" was rated second among licensing trends for 2004 at 50 percent. It goes without saying that the gift industry relies on licensed artists such as Mary Engelbreit, Warren Kimble, Karen Rossi, newcomer Dylan Scott Pierce, and Paul Brent (featured in "Licensing Portfolio," page 190), for fresh innovative designs. "Book/Movie Characters" was listed by 37 percent of respondents, and "Fashion Designers" by 36 percent as important licenses for 2004.

Other points mentioned by survey respondents include:

• 73 percent will introduce between one and eight new lines in 2004.
• 37 percent will introduce more lines in 2004 than they did in 2003; only 14 percent will introduce fewer.
• 77 percent expect their total sales to be higher in 2004; only 4 percent expect them to be lower.
• 52 percent report that the "Gift Specialty Store" is their most important channel of distribution. Fourteen percent cited "Home Accessories Store."
• The products respondents manufacture or distribute include home accents, tabletop, holiday decor, candles/candle accessories, frames/desk accessories, collectibles, stationery/greeting cards, jewelry/fashion accents, and personal care/aromatherapy.

This year's survey, sent out by mail and also available online, was based on the answers of 196 manufacturers and distributors. The responding vendors reported sales volume that ranged from under $500,000 to more than $100 million. More than a third of the manufacturers, 37 percent, have sales of $1 million or less. Almost two-fifths of these vendors, 39 percent, have sales between $1 million and $4.9 million. The remaining one quarter have sales in excess of $5 million.

The survey was conducted by Judi Fulbright of Gifts & Decorative Accessories Market Research Department.