REMARKABLE TRENDS – THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR (PART 1)
The interesting thing about our industry is that although we spend a lot of time to find the logic behind trends and are fairly well able to predict the next new thing or direction, sometimes an iconic shape, a certain animal or other very recognizable shape pops up which will dominate the interior scene for a season or 2 before it fades out. This time we find that stacked shapes are the new ‘Thing’.
There is always a logic behind the why trends and icons appear and for these stacked and composed shapes there is a connection with the many geometrical shapes which have been trending plus the color blocking/ art trends which we have seen the last couple of seasons. A painting or illustration with 2 or 3 colored patches often with a black circle of stripe is easily made into a 3d decoration item using metal, acrylic or plywood. That this stacking and composing is not a new thing won’t come as a surprise. Ancient tribes all over the world have made totems to ward away bad spirits or welcome the good ones. Antique candle holders are normally composed of several parts into 1 item.
Stackable
A perfectly functional trend which matches with the need for space during times where the home is being used for multiple purposes. A very basic example are desk organizers, items we simply can’t get enough of these days. Kids items are also a very thankful topic to work with. From toys and puzzels where kids create stacks or totems to cabinets which can change shape by merely re-assembling them in a different way. A somewhat older example of this is the Room Collection by Olovsson and Cho. Cabinets made of wooden units with different shapes to become whatever you want them to be. Designs sometimes lie in wait for their moment to shine and now is the time for stackables.
Totems
Probably the newest and hottest way of designing decorations is Totem style. There are many ways of interpreting this old folk art of making protection objects. Rubem Valentim made a series of Aztec like totem shapes which can be assembled to wish and are also completely flatpack and therefore the perfect online gift and puzzle to keep people busy during Covid times. Studio Sol for Leccia made the series Tootem which consists of mirrors and metal/ aluminum disks mounted on poles. Functional decoration with a touch of retro (mostly due to the shape language). It’s a perfect example how printed 2d art can be translated into 3d objects. Franck Evennou made a series of turned wood shapes which were stacked totem style. No function, just deco but a creative mind can see multiple uses for these totem like shapes.
Turned wood
Although totems and stacked shapes can be made of basically every shape put on top of each other, turned wood seems to be trending. Nowadays people really like to see how things are made and one of the surprisingly more popular topics on youtube these last few months were videos where unassuming pieces of wood were turned into vases, bowls and multiple other decorative items. Many of the more popular woodworkers are pretty young and they have a new take on what shapes to make and what materials to combine. As it goes with Youtube you can get into a spiral where you jump from one video to the next and there are a lot of very recent videos out there.
