Jackie Von Tobel – LIVE!

I’ve got some shameless self promoting to do this month to promote several seminars I will be giving in Atlanta, Charlotte and Las Vegas. If you’d like to come meet me in person and learn a few things about window treatments and emerging trends in interior design for 2010 here are the details of my appearances for March.

First, I was thrilled to be asked to be interviewed by some of my favorite bloggers, Joni Webb, Linda Merrill, and Megan Arquette for their fantastic blog The Skirted Roundtable! We did the interview last night and I had so much fun I forgot what I said! I’ll have to listen to it myself to see what I talked about! You can listen to the interview at The Skirted Roundtable later this week.

They are raffling off one copy of my book, The Design Directory of Window Treatments, and one copy of my new book, The Design Directory of Bedding so get on over there and sign up to win!!!

Next, I’ll be the featured speaker at the Las Vegas World Market Design Centers First Friday event on March 5 at 10:00 am. Here is a brief description of the topic:

Design Trends 2010

Bestselling author, product designer and blogger Jackie Von Tobel brings you the latest trends in interior design straight from the winter Heimtextile, IMM Cologne and Maison et Objet interior trends tradeshows. Join Jackie as she gives you a visual tour of these influential shows and breaks down the emerging trends in color, style and design for 2010.

Then I’m off to Atlanta for the DWC Spring event. See the full post about it here.

4000 Summit Blvd.
Atlanta, GA 30319

www.villachristina.com

I will be presenting Emerging Design Trends for 2010 and Selling High End Looks in a Down Economy. Also, be one of the first to see highlights from my groundbreaking new book and graphic software supported marketing system in collaboration with Minutes Matter, The Power of I, due for release in January 2010. I’ll also be showing my new line of eco-friendly fabrics and pillows.

After that I’ll be in Charlotte, NC for the WCAA and AIDP Spring event. This will be an all day seminar covering a wide array of subjects. I’ll be giving away books, and Minutes Matter & Studio gift certificates!!

I may be stopping by the Custom Home Furnishings Academy in Charlotte on March 27th for their open house weekend.

A big thanks to the great editors over at Drapery & Design Professional Magazine for using my Angelica fabric as the background for this years calendar. If you didn’t get your copy be sure to subscribe today!

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Troubling Trend? Taxidermy

I think most of you know that I adore peacocks. I even included them in my pillow collection as I adore the coloring and the regal beauty of the birds. I was troubled to see that many vendors at the winter shows where highlighting taxidermy as their dominant accessories.
Dead, stuffed animals were everywhere: under glass domes, on decorative pedestals, framed as art, and posed on all fours.


Peacocks were the leader in this disturbing trend. But birds of all sizes and varieties were available in abundance. The collection of dead, stuffed aviary specimens at Guadarte was beautiful but creepy.



This trend was not limited to fowl, large mammals were also in vogue with lions, tigers, giraffes, and even elephants available for sale.



It was sad to see these proud, beautiful creatures reduced to elements in a visual display selling fabrics.



The most disturbing was a display by a famous window designer for Hermes that portrayed a luxury campsite filled with Hermes products that was stuffed full of exotic animals including an elephant. I just don't get it!



All of this is in answer to the resurgence of the Cabinet of Curiosities a trend that began in the Victorian area. Personally I think it should have stayed there.



While many of the items in this new decorative category are not as disturbing as stuffed tigers or cheetahs they were all once living creatures who were killed for our need to decorate our living spaces. This is a trend that I just cannot get behind and I find it odd that it is becoming so mainstream. In a world were you feel uncomfortable wearing fur or exotic leather I wonder why there is not an outcry against the killing of these animals for decoration.

What do you think?

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Trend Report: Limed Wood

The second most dominant trend that continues to gain steam at the international markets is limed, bleached, natural, or white washed wood. It was everywhere shown in hundreds of different subtle hues of grey, tan, taupe, and white.

Patinas were boldly distressed, sleek and shiny, and everything in between. Virtually every vendor highlighted some shade of grey or mushroom wood with oak and teak being the raw material of choice.

I know, white washed oak !! – it makes me shiver just thinking of my old pinkish whitewashed kitchen cabinets that I hated with such a passion back in the 80’s! But this new oak is tinted in sophisticated shades of dove grey, tin, gunmetal, lichen, frost, and many others that lend a sophisticated edge to the rough luxe movement.

Pale woods in all hues of whites and creams were also abundant, many mixed with the color of the moment – mauve.

Grayed woods mixed with bright bluish purples were also on display in many showrooms.

This photo shoes the range of tints available at this vendor of teak furnishings.

Kitchens were shown decked out in grey distressed woods that gave them almost a menswear vibe. The perfect compliment to the soapstone countertops and farm sink!

Grey and mauve were the accompanying colors to this new pale wood.

It doesn’t matter if you’re into classic lines -

or a more contemporary aesthetic, the palette is the same.

White on white was also a popular combination with lots of play on texture and sheen for variety.

Super rustic was still on view but for the most part a more sophisticated take on the rough woods was the norm.

This roomscape was the piece de resistance of the show, combining rustic finishes, gilded accents, limed case goods and that fabulous real fur throw as a centerpiece. For me this room really summed up all of the trends at the show in one well designed package. Pale vertical stripes on the walls gradiated from a deep grey to a light lavender at the ceiling. Many subtle variations of grey on the chairs all on men's wear inspired wools welted with patent leather in bright shades of purple and fuchsias. A super pale bleached out repurposed carpet (another trend here) was the base of the display. Wish you could have all been there in person because it was spectacular. My photography does not do it justice! ( I had to sneak this one and actually got thrown out of this show room for taking pictures even with a press pass)

Photos: Guadarte, Provence & Fils, JVT

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Another Fabulous Helser Brothers Giveaway

Last year at the International Window Fashions Expo in Atlanta, Helser Brothers was awarded Client and Customer Service Provider of the Year and they are certainly doing everything they can to live up to that reputation by providing fantastic opportunities to their customers. First, in January they gave away a free trip to one lucky blogger to Paris for Maison et Objet and now they are sending one lucky participant to Creative Camp 2010 to report on their blog Why Helser about the experience.



For those of you who are not familiar with Creative Camp it is a hands-on weekend event for professional fabricators and workrooms featuring step by step instructional seminars by some of the leading fabricators in the industry. The focus of the camp is on small group networking and hands-on experience. Attendees will have the opportunity to leave the seminars with samples they have fabricated themselves showcasing their new skills to clients and/or decorators/designers.



Learn to tie your own designer frogs....


Master the art of smocking


Learn to make curved cornices


And much, much, more..............


Borders


Beaded Headings


Etc.......................................

This is an extroidinary event and kudos to Helser Brothers for making it possible for one very lucky winner to attend. They really go above and beyond for their customers!

If you are interested in trying to win this fantastic trip to attend Creative Camp 2010 sign up here!


Visit contest site here for details and restrictions

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Come Join Me at the DWC Event in Atlanta

4000 Summit Blvd.
Atlanta, GA 30319

www.villachristina.com

I will be presenting Emerging Design Trends for 2010 and Selling High End Looks in a Down Economy. Also, be one of the first to see highlights from my groundbreaking new book and graphic software supported marketing system in collaboration with Minutes Matter, The Power of I, due for release in January 2010. I’ll also be showing my new line of eco-friendly fabrics and pillows.

Cost - $75.00

Light Breakfast and Lunch included
Sign in begins at 8:30

Registration Deadline - March 18, 2010
(No refunds after deadline)

Send email to
info@designersworkroomcouncil.com

www.designersworkroomcouncil.com

or call

Lee Curt 770-354-9977

Donna McDuffee 678-635-5162

Hope to see you there!

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Trend Report: The Color Purple

There were literally tens thousands of vendors showing products at the three major trade shows I attended in Europe; Heimtextile, IMM Cologne and Maison et Objet. I expected to see a huge diversity in color and range among the manufacturers represented but this was not the case at all. Overwhelmingly purple was the dominant color at all three shows. In fact for many vendors it was the only color excluding neutrals.

Purple was present in all of its various hues and values including deep dark purples, brownish purples, mauves, and surprisingly; fuchsias. Yes, you don’t have to check your eyesight – I did say MAUVE! That old standby of the 1980’s. The favorite color of your Grandmother and Aunt Edith. It’s here and it’s out there in all of it’s dusty glory.

The Missoni booths were entirely purple with deep bluish purple carpets and walls. There was a ton of purple carpet all over the shows as well as walls painted and wallpapered in every possible shade.

Bright Purples mixed with toned down or grayed out versions were a common theme.

Dark charcoal purples serves as a backdrop for deep burgundy.

Some vendors used wispy, browned mauves and dusty pinks as accents.

Others were very bright, mixing deep purple and vibrant fuchsia with rich burgundy reds.

This Aussie vendor mixed them all together in a fabulous suzani.

Pale hues were abundant but did still had more heft than the usual lavenders. They were a bit greyer or browner, definitely not pastel.

Bold patterns and textures were created using the various hues with lots of high contrast heavy embroidery and embellishment.

Even traditional prints and embroidered silks were predominantly purple.

Sheers were available at Heimtextile in every imaginable construction and a gain in our color of the moment.

Loved this combination!

Fantastic embroidered ikat at Dadar in various shades of purple.

Very pale and very brown versions were abundant especially in linens. Loved the subtlety of the color on the natural fiber – it was gorgeous.

Bold high contrast prints brought out the vibrancy of these colors.

In many cases paired with neutrals the colors almost became neutral themselves.

Purple has traditionally been a tough sell in the US. We had a few discussions with vendors and other designers about why this is the case. Some of us thought that I could originate with our forefathers heritage and the breaking away from the crown in the American Revolution.

Purple has long been the color of royalty and ruling classes in Europe and as such was probably shunned during the formation of our new country. Perhaps that bias is still present today in some way.

Europe has definitely embraced this color wholeheartedly as its go to option for the coming year but it remains to be seen if the US will be as willing to adopt it in their own interiors. We are seeing it featured prominently in shelter mags and by vendors but I am not sure if consumers will really take to it easily.

What do you think? Is the US ready for purple, mauve and fuchsia? Can we overcome the stigma of those 80’s mauve and grey and teal color ways? Are you personally planning on injecting some purple into your life? Comment and let me know………

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