The Rural Voice, 1999-03, Page 44Home Decorating
Home furnishings show is a great adventure
By Patti Robertson
A great adventure is always in
store for one w ho attends a design
oriented trade show. so this year
N hen I attended the annual Toronto
International Home Furnishings
Market w ith hubby Ward and
daughters Heidi and Hailey in tow it
proved extremely interesting! It was
wonderful. to see the exhibits (more
than 400 from Canada and abroad)
through my family's eyes. We were
treated to displays of the broadest
variety and the highest quality in the
latest collections in wood and metal
furnishings. upholstered pieces.
bedding. lighting and decorative
accessories in every imaginable style
and price point available to today's
consumer.
Notably. the new trends use shape
and silhouettes or a combination of
these elements which have been
borrowed from favoured styles from
the past. such as the Arts and Craft
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APPLIANCES & ELECTRONICS
871 • 10th St. E. (across from Zellers)
HANOVER 364-1011
102 Main St. E., LISTOWEL 291-4670
40 THE RURAL VOICE
movement. Empire Style (a personal
favourite of mine) Mission. Louis-
Phillippe and the '50s modern
contemporary classics. The
combination of
metal and wood
is still a popular
favourite and
refined rustic
pieces featuring
aged wood are a
great addition to
today'. lifestyle.
Inno%ative and
retro -styling of
wrought iron
products are still
high on the
home fashion
scene.
Details,
Consumers
are offered
`little extras'
accents and ornamentation are all
playing a key note in styling. On
wooden pieces this means a return to
engraving and painted patterns
inspired through Oriental motifs,
featuring flowers. faces. and fruit.
Decorative handles in every possible
style are in abundance.
European -styled sofas and armchairs
simulate architectural lines and
sensual curves which lend a "laid-
back" feel to classical elegance. And
on today's. market we, the consumers,
are offered "little extras" as most
upholstered pieces offer the bonus of
co-ordinated or accented decorator
cushions in a Targe array of stylings
in contrasting patterns and fabrics.
Decorative studs and braiding accent
the silhouettes of several collections.
Large ottomans are extremely
popular pieces being added to today's
home collections. Not only does the
addition of an ottoman add comfort to
relaxation time, an ottoman
effectively works as extra seating or
topped off with a tray it can double as
a coffee table.
Slightly scaled shelving units and
painted pieces are being offered to
add a high styling to hallways or
those forgotten and often difficult
corners of our homes. And notably
the "Home -Theatre" and the "Home -
Office" markets are offering savvy
solutions to meet specific needs,
tailor-made to suit our homes, with
both practicality and space -saving in
mind. Lighting and accessories as
always are excitingly designed to
offer the "perfect finishing touch" to
our rooms whether it's offered up in
the always appropriate classical
styling or something more whimsical
and youthful.
Colour and rich tactile textures
abound today's decor scene. Earth -
tones are at the top of the list. but
unlike those of the '60s and early
'70s these hues are being presented in
combination with mauves,
periwinkles and an unlimited variety
of yellow tints and tone. Textures are
paramount and a real "show stopper",
served up in tone on tone neutral
combos, a mix and match of soft
chenille fabrics with leather welting
or wonderful cushy. distressed,
informal velvets or Persian inspired
chunky textured fabrics. And primary
hues are certainly making a colour
statement on today's home fashion
scene. Blue, yellow and red are all
out in full splendour rendering youth
and vitality to many styles. Wood
tones are as rich as ever — honey,
cinnamon, sand, blondes, red -browns
and many other natural hues round
out the offering.
As my daughters noted, there is
certainly "something for everyone
and every home on today's home
fashion market!" What will be most
important for us consumers is to
know how our family desires to live
with these pieces, and what works for
us and our lifestyle. Educating
ourselves with a basic knowledge of
periods and furniture styles will assist
tremendously in pulling together the
"well furnished home". To start, tour
your favourite furniture store and
decorating product store, ask
questions that pertain to the styling
that catches your eye. Planning the
"well dressed home" is achievable. It
is a most exciting adventure!O
Patti Robertson operates Classic
Interiors in Winghain.