Past makes Perfect
What was, is new again. It’s always interesting to see how materials/trends that we all knew and loved (or not so much) morphe into something that is cool again. Like the word “cool,” things keep appearing on the mood board that are familiar, with new and exciting applications. Mixing shades of our past into the modern realm of design is no easy task, but when we pull it off, it’s pretty wonderful. We’re sure that David Hicks and Andy Warhol are smiling down at the design world with all of these incredible prints and bold colors gracing our homes. Check out a few…
Tweed. The fabric of menswear in Britain, until fashion goddess, Coco Chanel designed a lovely women’s jacket. How and when did it jump on to your chair? Technically, the upholstery tweed trend started in the 1820’s for high society in Scotland and Britain. Fast forward to 2022 and tweeds everywhere are packed with substantial textures, mixed with linen or wool tweed, in smart modern colors. Now we are seeing more touches of wool, arrays of stripes both neutral and multi-color, and an eclectic range of small scale woven patterns from crunchy contemporary plaids, to soft sensational plain tweeds.
Chintz. A bit of trivia…chintz fabric originated in India. The word chintz comes from the Hindi word chint, which means “spotted.” Chintz has made a rebound, no longer considered “chintzy,” the fabric is once again embraced by designers for it’s robust patterns and bold colors. Reacting against minimalism, maximalism has taken the design world by storm, celebrating exuberance portrayed in the combination of textures and patterns.
Neon. 1980’s? Say it ain’t so. We all swore we’d never go there again. Here we are, with neon sneaking back in. Spring 2022 we’re seeing a lot of color — pastels, florals, and maximalist prints. Neon is shocking and a bit unexpected. The recent surge in neon decor has inspired many designers to offer products in knock-you-over shades of pink, orange, yellow, green and blue. From acrylic chairs with neon tinting to painted pieces, textiles and rugs. These days, perhaps it’s the the visual interpretation of bright optimism that neon elicits, that make it a perfect way to express ourselves.
The take away? History tells a story, and the past paves the way for a new generation of creative sensibility and change. Tweed, chintz and neon will mingle through decades of design with each generation making it their own. 💚
Many thanks for the content/image credits:
Tweed: Tweed FR Fabrics by Designers Guild, FLOR, Vogue, Saint Laurent.
Chintz: Wallpaper image: 1stdibs, Design by Kati Curtis Design, photo by Eric Piasecki, Jane Churchill.com, dress by ASOS, Delft Chintz sofa by theinside.com. Decorative pillow in Valentina Floral Fabric by Schumacher,
Neon: Clear Home Design, Jimmy Choo’s crystal mules, Colina Lounge Chair by Perigold, Mountains of Montana – triangle pillow cover: Etsy, curatedinterior.com, Society6
