I returned from the bi-annual Las Vegas Furniture Market late last night. During the 4 days that I attended the show I was able to meet with and view products from approximately 196 different manufacturers. Not an impossible task but also not an easy one; especially since one of the things I do while there is to meet with lots of manufacturer representatives so I can learn information on the new products. Then again there is the pure physical side; the exertion of being on your feet for 9 to 10 hours a day combined with all of the walking from one showroom to another. On average I saw 48 different showrooms per day. With more than 1,500 manufacturers showing their lines at this market it would have been impossible to meet with each one unless I was to simply run a Marathon to the entrance of each showroom and just peak inside. Come to think of it; I am making a note to take a pedometer to track how many miles I walk next time I attend the show.

This market had a very good attendance; there were several showrooms that I went into where I had to wait to meet with the representative as they were busy with other attendees. I particularly enjoy the showrooms where I can simply walk around and absorb all that is on display without having to do the full tour with the representative by my side. I find that when I am able to quietly observe the items on my own that I start imagining what projects the item would work in and I also start to envision different ways to use the products.

My favorite new furniture item at the show was the Metal Dining Room Table. This table is manufactured in a classic shape and style but it is the materials they used for the fabrication [metal] that give this table a fresh and innovative twist while still remaining functional. There were many other new items that caught my eye; especially the furniture that mixed rustic style with a little industrial design. I feel that this combined style of furniture is very masculine yet it still appeals to the female population. I enjoy the clean lines of this furniture and the combination of modern clean details with rustic or country charm.

I have to say that the item which surprised me the most at this show was Bamboo. I learned that bamboo is extremely versatile in furniture design and can be used to manufacture not only chairs, tables or mirrors but is now being used to create decorative wall panels; consoles and buffets; bathroom vanity cabinets as well as sinks and countertops. In addition there was a brand new line of “green” furniture which uses bamboo to create their entire line of beds, side tables, dining tables, chairs, coffee tables, and cabinetry. This one manufacturer has branched out from only making bamboo flooring and is now creating very detailed and functional furnishings for residential applications.

One of the new colors you will start to see integrated in home décor is a peacock blue. There are several shades of blue which kept making an appearance in many showrooms but the peacock color which is not a teal or a turquoise or that pale blue – silver we have been seeing the last few years is the one which seemed to have the most presence at this show. Continuing on a trend from last year there are several bold colors accenting home décor and they all tend to be very vibrant in tone for instance pink is still in vogue along with orange and red. The greens are ranging from a true grass green to the avocado greens most of us associate with a 1970’s decor. Plum/Violet/Purple is still a popular accent color as well as dark chocolate browns, and primary yellows. It almost appears as if the most vibrant colors were selected from the “Crayola” box and put to use this year when creating their new pieces.

My new favorite light fixtures are the LED desk lights as well as the beautiful fixtures with Murano glass. The colors of Murano glass are so vibrant and true it really underscores the bold accent of colors showing up in the prints of fabrics and area rugs. There is also still a continued emergence of industrial looking light fixtures; a little throw back to the 40’s and 50’s with shiny chrome finishes.

Another theme which is starting to appear is the casual country farm; casual country appeal. I viewed lots of use of chicken wire and distressed wood on everything from light fixtures to cabinetry, chairs and tables. The use of burlap looking fabrics for upholstery is still very popular and I am not seeing a decline in this trend; in fact now there is an introduction of prints on the burlap fabric; not simply just writing in different languages but images
of roosters and other animals as well as decorative symbols.

Modern furniture still has its place in design and home décor. There were several floors and showrooms dedicated to contemporary furnishings. My favorite in this category had to be the manufacturer who produced a beautiful dining room table [legs] out of high polished chrome; substantial legs and then fabricated the top from very rustic solid pieces of lumber. There is a matching console table as well as storage/display shelves. Sorry but this vendor did not allow photographs and I understand why; I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of this style emerge in the next year and they were the only manufacturer at market who had anything like this.

Kudos go out to the furniture designers and manufacturers who created the outdoor tables fabricated from used tires as well as the outdoor furniture created from recycled plastic and plastic bottles. There are now several manufacturers of “green” outdoor and portable fireplaces that use bio-fuel to create the wonderful flames we all enjoy watching while sitting around a fireplace or fire pit.

All in all it was a very successful excursion and I am sure my feet will forget about all of their discomfort in the next week. I came back with a lot of great new resources while also updating my design library and knowledge of some inventive decorative items which are not only eco friendly but stylish and functional as well. If you would like to have more information or are interested in purchasing any of the new items from this market please don’t hesitate to contact us and continued to stay tuned as I will go in depth with details on certain categories of items in upcoming columns.

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