The Eclectic Look
Casual chic stays the course with new furniture collections that offer variations on the theme.
By Bessie Nestoras -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 12/1/2000
Dark finishes, mixed media, and rich textures are among the trends in home furnishings and decorative accessories for 2001. The latest introductions at the October High Point Market also leaned toward tropical and foreign influences, in collections such as Drexel Heritage's Ivory Coast and Bordeaux, Thomasville's British Gentry, Bassett's Trinidad, and Laneventure's Club Havana. The exotic was hinted at in wood finishes named "Algiers," "java," "toffee," and "double espresso." Palm bark, crushed coconut shells, distressed glass, marble, stone, and varieties of cane were used in combination with a variety of woods and fabrics.
Perfectly matched furniture is a thing of the past, and the "cookie cutter" look is out; customers are demanding more eclectic pieces. For example, The Lillian August Collection at Drexel Heritage features French- and Italian-style pieces that can be easily mixed and matched. The Allister dining table with ball-and-claw feet was shown with dining chairs in two different finishes-one dark and one slightly lighter-that either dressed the set up or gave it a more relaxed look. Like most of the other manufacturers, August concentrated on mixing leathers and woods. Old-fashioned casters on tables, chairs, and even stools harked back to grandmother's parlor. In a truly eclectic statement, August was able to pull together checks, chintzes, and toiles (in reds and yellows) in one room.
Drexel Heritage introduced two new lines in its Signatures by Heritage collection: Bordeaux and Ivory Coast. Bordeaux is very French and combines intricately carved wood pieces with marble to make a grand statement. Ivory Coast turns to West Africa for its inspiration. The pieces in the Ivory Coast line use a variety of materials to create an eclectic ensemble. Leather, wood, and crushed coconut shells are featured.
Cool Collections
Island-inspired pieces were present in most of the furniture showrooms. While the look, for the most part, is timeless, the exotic materials used give each piece a modern edge. The sophisticated First Avenue Collection, also from Drexel Heritage, boasts clean lines with soft curves, in "espresso finished" walnut. The hardware in the collection is inspired by jewelry and gives the line an Art Deco feel.
The Nautica Home Horizons collection from Lexington Home Brands conjures up that same appeal, but incorporates woven rattan, twisted sea grass, and leather into its dark wood pieces, for an elegant yet casual island feel.
Laneventure went island-hopping in order to bring another kind of island casual to home furnishings. The Club Havana collection captures the flavor of the Caribbean in furniture that blends woven rattan, teak, and soft woven abaca (a fabric made from banana leaf stalk) to create an environment that is both sophisticated and relaxed.
British and British Colonial
Taking a different approach to the casual chic look, Thomasville focused on the English country home with a new 44-piece collection called British Gentry. The line features leather couches and tables with leather tops and crocodile accents. These are combined with distressed pecan, burl veneers, and parquet inlays, all done in a dark finish called "Conservatory." This casual chic look is more traditional than others.
Bassett's Trinidad Collection captures the British Colonial look by using dark woods and wicker accents, as well as palm bark and marquetry with a palm leaf design. Exemplifying this look is the Plantation sleigh bed with padded wicker panels and clustered reed cap rails.
Sophie's Choice
Lexington Home Brands also introduced Sophie's Attic, a line of nostalgic furniture and accessories, in response to customer demand for the weathered, antique look. The story of the collection is told through a fictional character named Sophie Ballentine. Throughout her life, Sophie collected furniture pieces dating back to the turn of the 19th century. She kept a journal of her travels and the furniture she discovered along the way, including the four-poster bed that she purchased during her honeymoon in Charleston, and the secretary (said to have belonged to Alfred Lord Tennyson) that her Uncle Martin gave her for her 16th birthday. The pieces in the line were pulled from past Lexington collections and given distressed finishes to suggest a gently used look. Each piece comes with its own "story" written on a hang-tag.
All of these new collections add up to a casual chic that perfectly suits the consumer mood as we head into 2001.
