Often, when I'm introduced to clients, the first term used to describe me is "trend expert." That's flattering, of course. Who doesn't want to be known as an expert about something? And in fact, it's a pretty fair description of the role I play at the Proteus.

I have the enviable task of identifying trends early enough to share information with our clients and internal teams. This often influences, contributes to and, in some cases, changes the course of the product development cycles.

In particular, I help our clients become more mindful of and responsive to consumer design preferences and, in turn, make richer connections with them. We work to broaden our clients' understanding of what consumers care about, what motivates them, what entertains them, what gives them pleasure, how they're spending their time - and, of course, how they're spending their money. This all requires keeping a vigilant eye on what's appearing in magazines, in the media, in the culture and, ultimately on the retail floor.

And I'm lucky. I get to travel to some of the most important design shows around the world. Of those, few have more influence or are more deeply engrained in the collective conscious of the world's best designers than the Maison Objet Show in Paris and the Salona del Mobile in Milan, which I've had the good fortune of attending the last few years. Our clients may not have the money in their budgets to send members of their staff to Paris or Milan, but Proteus views them as essential, putting me in the position of serving as the eyes and ears of our clients at the events. (See accompanying article for my view of this year's Maison Objet that will begin to influence 2009 mainstream products.)

Let me share with you what we're seeing as some of the major current trends in home decor design (extrapolated from shows in Milan, Paris, Frankfurt, Orlando, and elsewhere in the U.S.). You'll notice that a downloadable PDF of images is available to you here. My suggestion is that you have that in front of you as you review these trends. As much as I try to convey impressions in words, there's simply no substitute for the visual images themselves.


New Traditional
New Traditional has actually been around for about three or four years. But we still consider it an up and coming trend because of the way it continues to evolve in the marketplace. You can see it in almost every consumer product category - from chairs to faucets to lighting to writing instruments. New Traditional contributes flair and dimension to the traditional style. Usually applied to more contemporary styles, its decorative elements offer visual interest and a romantic feel.

In years past, the contemporary Euro look was criticized for being too harsh and cold. Enter New Traditional. Its decorative elements add warmth and character to the severity of the Euro style. The trend is expressed in many ways, from decorative appliqués to simplified and stylized traditional forms. Take, for example, the black chandelier created with flat cutouts of a baroque chandelier arm. It's a stylized version of an antique baroque chandelier - but it's been refreshed and now has a more youthful feel for today's homes.


Nature
This emerging trend is influenced by all living things and is occurring in direct response to the social trend to be more earth-friendly. This look imitates what we see in Nature. For example, we're seeing wooden animal head wall hangings, outdoor lighting that looks like bean sprouts growing from the ground and objects carved from raw wood without being painted or finished in some other coating. The notion is to remind us of the planet we live on.

The style range expands from contemporary to artisan and ethnic aesthetics. The contemporary style will explore synthetic materials such as plastic and foam. The forms and shapes tend to be more whimsical versions of the nature objects. On the ethnic side the execution is achieved by using natural materials like wood, cork, bamboo, stone, antlers and animal skins. Colors are expressed in earth tones and warm hues.


Facets
Once created to avoid radar detection for stealth bombers, designers are now using surface facets as a way to create dramatic visual interest. The look is mostly seen in high fashion home furnishings. The facets are expressed in either irregular patterns or in unified geometric patterns. Beyond faceted surface treatments the trend is expressed by angular geometry on the object as a whole. The effect is to reflect light, thereby creating visual texture to any environment. Facets are mostly used on accent pieces in the home.


Organic
Organic forms are defined by shapes that tend to be amorphous, flowing, asymmetrical, and soft. This trend is obviously a reflection of nature, usually in the interpretation of plant life. It has also gained popularity with the increased social influence of earth friendly behavior. Advancements in manufacturing techniques and computer modeling have also influenced its development. The trend has advanced from "blobby" forms of years past to organic shapes with crisp lines and tension. For example, an organic chair with soft contouring around the body will contrast with crisp edges on the side, giving the overall form definition and the tension needed for an extra level of sophistication. Advancements in manufacturing techniques have also contributed to its popularity. The style is predominantly found in contemporary settings.


Exoskeletal
This trend puts the emphasis on negative space. First expressed on structural bridges and then modern architecture, the look has been taken to a whole new level in home furnishings. Not relying on high structural forces has allowed designers freedom with the negative space. Some are inspired by nature, some by geometric patterns and some are stylized versions of truss structures. For example, designer Ross Lovegrove took inspiration from the cellulose structure of a bone to create the back of his chair.


Chindia
Our final trend is influenced by the emergence of China and India and their blooming economies. Chindia is expressed through Chinese and Indian colors, prints and patterns. In everyday life, you can see it in the popularity of Chai tea, green tea martinis and frappuccinos, and Bollywood Indian movies. In home furnishings, you'll find the influence expressed in everything from Buddha heads to vibrant Chinese prints. As far as trends go, it's one of the hottest of the hottest.

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