The main (Swedish) home decor trend theme for next season (ss 2012) is pronounced: lightly soiled pastels against a base of bright, sandy beige and grey tones. Says who? Says Formex, the largest meeting place for nordic interior design. And even though they are not always right, in terms of actual impact in people’s homes and minds – let’s say the SS 2010 Glorious Mix of psychedelic patterns and a modern jet-set feel didn’t happen – Formex usually somewhat nail it.

For the spring season of 2012 key concepts are sensuality, lightness, dreams and your own personal bubble. The home is our personal mood board where we collect, arrange and display objects that arouse memories and feelings. Formex sees an enhanced feeling for the sensual and tactile, dreamy and poetical, and that we’re attracted by floating and gauzy materials, graceful shapes, three-dimensional effects, transparents and iridescent surfaces. The colour palette is slightly off-colour pastels, against a background of light, sandy beige and grey tones. Dark graphite grey provides the contrast and iridescent mother-of-pearl gives the otherwise light, romantic range of colours a modern touch.

We’ll see! Muted pastels + rougher materials is certainly a spring-favourite of mine. So is the beige/blond+grey combo. And for now, my association is decor guru Pippi Longstocking goes to Italy. Add some mindfulness and pearls. But it’s Christmas season still! This was just an appetizer, we’ll get back to spring in January. But if someone wants to be ahead of the trends, here’s a lovely x-mas inspiration – or actually Hanukkah decor (Thanks Cep!) to inspire:

| pic via style at home |

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! And many thanks for stopping by!

This weekend has held the Autumn 2011 Formex Fair. As always with these fairs – and maybe with this one in particular – there is much ado about nothing. Of what makes this event, fresh ideas & insights, trends and innovations are extremely small parts. Actually, you almost only find it in the marketing material! This of course is beneath contempt, since Formex could be The Place for inspiration, clearly ahead, like a fortune-teller-market. Instead, the exhibition is mainly blah when it comes to fresh new thoughts. Luckily enough though, we stayed for a lecture by Lotta Ahlvar, the CEO of Swedish Fashion Council. This very inspiring talk outlined some upcoming trends. Again it was confirmed that the Swedish white minimalist era is over. It belongs to the 00s. The successor can not be understood and defined already, of course, but Ahlvar spoke of somethng like “down-toned and cozy” as the present new concept. An anti-trend of course, after all the whiteness in this country. With the 70′s as style reference, nature as the source and the farmer as guru, a bit of style- and view-shifting is afoot.

Lotta Ahlvar highlighted a clearly growing trend in Sweden – the urban farmer. Or at least, the urban cultivator. The city is transforming into Farmville. Think potato plantations in the window and warp chickens on the balcony (and maybe a dairy cow in the garden?) Long passed are those multi-equipped fancy kitchens people never cooked in, just showed off the occasional sourdough. Now it’s time to plant some uniquely rare beans. In a cozy and 70s nostalgia environment. Crafts belong to the new (new-old) movement too and wool was noted as a trending material; knit, crocheted or tangled. Recycled. And wood! Lots of wood. Even more of the Swedish pinnstolar and Windsors (especially appropriate as one of our main resources and exports is wood). Moving on to the trend colours,  the charts for 2012-2013 contained lovely reds and 70s yellows together with gold and copper (i.a., this is only one / my selection). I really believe in Brandy orange + brass. There was also charcoal and clay. Now this was some of the trend news, let’s await a greater impact! I personally am convinced Lotta Ahlvar is right on track in her trend spotting (and n.b. I’ve fueled some of the content; all excesses are on me, not the lecturer). If not already, in due course (the style-anxious) Swedes will take the new trend line very seriously. Furthermore, this path is a natural consequence of our eco-thinking, conscientious waste sorting & recycling and not least given the ongoing trendification of the countryside.

As mentioned above, the innovativeness and trend sensibility demonstrated in the Ahlvar speech (and in the written Formex material) was not very much reflected in the Formex fair’s main content: the exhibiton. Some nice things were spotted – pictured above, though seen before -  but the overall impression was just as shabby chic as 2005. Loads of factory-worn or whitewashed signs with positive messages and other “newly-made antiques”. Not one single eye-opener, which leads me to conclude that the Swedish (mainstream) market for interior design products is pretty dull. Do It better Yourself – my next mission is to find/invent and share some DIY-ideas.

And speaking of, I like the DIY fair Hem & Villa and the Home fair way better. This year [Oct 13-16] it’s themed – tadá! – Close To Nature. Trend report follows.

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The Stockholm Formex Fair is the largest trade fair for Nordic interior design, and we have a tradition of tracking their statements on future home decor trends. Before each season’s fair, Formex pronounce their trend predictions, and the current season (SS2011) was given the trend theme Glorious Mix. This season was the first I didn’t get at all what they were talking about. Or well, it was the new surge for gleaming shiny surfaces, the psychedelic patterns and the modern jet-set feel I couldn’t see coming. Maybe it’s here now, at its peak, in the middle of the season – it has nevertheless escaped my eyes. And most definitely escaped my home :p

For autumn/winter 2011 the prediction says: Cosy Minimalism. With influences from the simple and natural elements of both Nordic and Japanese design and architecture. The focus is on a warm and comfy atmosphere.

With disasters and conflicts increasing around the world we seek security in a cozy home environment that exudes warmth, companionship and care. We gather around a crackling fire and enjoy surrounding ourselves with timeless materials such as rough wood surfaces, leather, suede, wool and terracotta – robust natural materials that will stand the test of time and simply become more beautiful as the years pass. The design expression is elegant, austere and sculptural, with a masculine feel. This is softened and given a warm, cozy feel with the aid of attractive, tactile materials such as knitted and soft structured textiles in patchwork and layered designs. Classic masculine check patterns are combined with graphic stripes and geometric, ethnic motifs. You will find updated versions of tweed, glen check and tartan. The color scheme focuses on a warm and sophisticated palette. The base consists of saturated earth tones and beige tones inspired by wood and leather, complemented by wonderful warm red shades and a selection of brighter colors inspired by the vegetable plot. The metallic shimmer of copper in a variety of forms is the most interesting accent for the season. The interior design feel is modern retro, but with a new aesthetic mix that radiates a timeless and relaxed elegance. Warmth, harmony and balance are the catchwords for the season.

Allright, I can believe in this! Makes sense. Did my own little inspiration board below.

Formex pic plus wood lamp by Muuto, a vintage Eames DSW from Firefly House, London and a beautiful patchwork kelim auctioned at Lauritz.

…accoring to Formex, i.e. from a Swedish/Nordic point of view.

As the Formex fair is the largest trade fair for Nordic interior design, we always open our ears to what exciting stuff they have to say about future home decor trends. Each season, before the fair, their predictions are pronounced. In terms of a theme. AW 2009 was Vintage Travel, SS 2010 was Creative Flow, this current season is themed Happy and – next, Spring/Summer 2011…

…is given the trend theme Glorious mix. G l o r i o u s  mix. Starting point is that the idea of mixing, matching and reusing has gained a strong foothold in the Nordic region. Though things are beginning to change: we’ve started longing for design, art and gleaming shiny surfaces again. My dear, have we…(!)

This is the Formex trend diagnosis for SS11:

The personal mix is still our guiding principle, yet now we are going the whole hog with a more imaginative, bold and optimistic style, accentuating vibrant art and design, and with a large dose of humour. The look is sophisticated and elegant, with a modern jet-set feel. The impression is graphic and stylistically pure, yet at the same time relaxed and humorous, based on style rather than money. We have taken our inspiration from Sixties pop optimism, with naïve designs, sculptural furniture, new colour combinations and large, graphic, optical and psychedelic patterns reminiscent of Marimekko and Pucci from the 1960s. Our favourite colours are a harmonious blend of turquoise and jade green, lilac and lemon-yellow, against a background of airy, light, almost white shades. And, of course, masses of shimmering gold. Glamour is back!

Ouch, so they say..! Reporting previous seasons I’ve been hammering my keyboard rather carefree, nodding, but this time I’m not sure. The graphic, optical and psychedelic pattern-impression and the modern jet-set feel? And is there ever harmony in a blend of turquoise and jade green, lilac and lemon-yellow against a background of almost white shades (see pic) – added masses of shimmering gold?

Trendey thinks maybe home decor aint walking that liney. No yet, anyway. The 50s revival only just started and I think we’ll need to rearrange the way we bring in the decades.. But we can’t decide, neither can Formex. You decorate as You wish. Always and remember no rules apply.

There is a blog called Fine Little Day. Maybe you all knew about it. I didn’t. It has a shop attached to it, a fine little shop, but what I particularly want to talk about is wallpapers. Wallpaper-envy. Of all the wallpapers on the planet, these below are of the kind I’m most passionate about. Vintage, in the very best sense of the word. Colourful in a muted, faded way. Floral in a pleasant non-disturbing kind of way. Most of all, they are granny-esque. If I’ve understood it correctly, they (i.e Elisabeth of Fine Little Day and her family) bought an old house, that looked like this on the inside …

Yummy. We might see more of this when they have moved in and settled (I hope). Another cool – fine – thing is that the son of this household, Otto, 9 years old, has designed his own wallpaper. It bears the name “Ohoy” and it is actually nominated to The Formex Formidable design prize.

You can vote for Otto & “Ohoy” at the bottom of this page.

@ Oddbirds – one of my favourite Swedish interior design companies. Currently showing at the autumn ’10 Formex fair. The Oddbirds collection ranges from furniture pieces, paintings, lamps and lovely cushions to bags, scarves, necklaces and notebooks. And DIY kits, not to forget. Colours, shapes and functions are cross-fertilized, so the result may be a bit of each! Always fun, always odd.