The Year Ahead

A generational shift in the American consumer that's been evolving over the past few seasons appears to have fully blossomed as furniture, decorative accessories, and tabletop manufacturers present their design, style, and color trends for 2005. That shift, of course, is to younger consumers who want their lives to be free of clutter. They aren't into collectibles, and they aren't into "over decorating." They are into simplicity and understatement, but are not afraid of strong, bright statements. The new generation is already being catered to by retailers such as West Elm (part of the Williams-Sonoma group), CB2 (a new division being rolled out by Crate & Barrel), and the Container Store ("It's my favorite place to shop," we've heard more than one savvy shopper state). Even Karim Rashid, the designer who's been a big influence on products created for the younger consumer, recently opened his first retail store in New York, featuring his designs from more than 60 suppliers.

Responding to our annual Trends and Forecasts Survey, here's what manufacturers told us to be on the lookout for in 2005.

"Retro" leads the pack in design directions, followed closely by "Modern/Contemporary." That might seem a contradiction in terms, but it isn't. Retro refers to design of the 1950s through the 70s (rich patterns, bold graphics, geometric shapes, strong colors) updated for today's Modern/Contemporary look. Palecek's Old Hollywood collection features silhouettes that evoke nostalgia for the period. But rendered in the natural materials Palecek is known for, Old Hollywood's furniture pieces and decorative accents are thoroughly contemporary.

Flower power is back in Villeroy & Boch's Wonderful World collection of floral shaped tableware, in colors such as "taxi cab yellow," and "bubblegum pink." Art deco is recaptured in the line's coffee pot and creamer and sugar, inspired by archival designs. Jill Rosenwald's Luna collection for Toyo Next features evocative black and white patterns that mimic phases of the moon.

Thomasville's Beekman Place furniture line is modern in shape and design, with a real dash of retro in its geometric patterned fabric. The scale of this line also reflects the trend to smaller-scale pieces suitable for young urbanites moving into converted loft buildings or modern high rises. Named after an exclusive Manhattan residential enclave, Beekman Place, with its java finish and textured split bamboo surfaces, is just as suitable "amidst tropical lushness or lazing alongside the Rio Grande." In a country as big and varied as ours, designing for a wide audience is a must.

"Traditional" design landed in third place among responses. While nearly two-fifths of vendors see the category as growing, that's a big drop from the 51 percent that saw it as a growing style for 2003. Among many manufacturers, traditional has a twist, where a shape is updated by using different materials with either added or subtracted decorative trim. "Classical" and "Tropical/Island" still register with respondents, but fewer vendors believe they are gaining in popularity.

Among directions cited as fading from importance in 2005: "Americana" leads the way with 25 percent of respondents waving it goodbye. "Safari" and "Lodge" were reported on the decline, and interestingly, while 48 percent of respondents said that "Retro" was a rising design direction, 9 percent said that it was declining in influence.

"Brights" are coming on strong in more ways than one. Some 67 percent of respondents think the category's popularity will increase, placing it in first position, up from second for 2004. "Sky blue and white are vivid … blue and brown look sophisticated … pink and green is vivacious … canary yellow and brown combinations are striking," says Mark Moussa, president of Arteriors Home. Feather Sound's Nolita collection of luxury bedding, pairs scarlet red with brown. While brown wasn't listed in its own category in our survey, it has become the combination color of choice among many designers.

Offsetting brights are "Earth tones" and "Neutrals," with more than half of vendors relying on Earth tones and more than a third counting on Neutrals as mainstays of the color palette. "Black and/or white," "Tropicals," and "Jewel tones" follow in popularity. (For a full report on color trends across a variety of industries, see "Mood Magic," page 114.)

In the licensing arena, respondents see "Fashion designers" as the leading licensors for 2005, with 56 percent citing their influence, up from 36 percent the year before. The impact of names such as Vera Wang, Todd Oldham, Kate Spade, Cynthia Rowley, and Liz Claiborne, whose licensed designs adorn products from companies such as La-Z-Boy, Lenox, Lexington, Syratech, Target, and Waterford Wedgwood, has vendors thinking that more of the same can't hurt.

Some 50 percent of respondents cited "Nostalgic" as a licensing trend for 2005, putting it in second place, slightly lower than its 56 percent rating for 2004. Licenses of characters, people, or properties deemed Nostalgic — whether Betty Boop, Humphrey Bogart, or Andy Warhol — correspond to the leading Retro design direction.

"Artists/Illustrators" and "Adventure/ Lifestyle" have both slipped a little from their rankings in 2004, and "Sports/Collegiate" was up a little, cited by 29 percent of respondents. In furniture, "Sports" got a big publicity boost with Bassett's introduction of the John Elway Home Collection during October's High Point market. The NFL Hall of Fame quarterback tagged his name onto a line of "reclining and home entertainment furniture."

• Vendors will introduce about the same number of new lines (a median of four) as last year.
• Vendors say that quality, style, and price are the most important factors to retailers.
• Half the vendors surveyed plan price point changes in 2005, mostly upwards.
• Almost half of vendor respondents say their most important sales channel is the gift specialty store.