Design*Sponge » Blog Archive » a feel a mini-trend building

lately i’ve been at something of a loss for a new mini-trend. normally i’m rounding up products in my head on a regular basis but these days i seem to start one idea (gold? geo? jet-black?) and then end up skipping to something else before the previous thought is fully fleshed out. i suspect my own personal style is undergoing something of a shift and my brain is still trying to handle the old style ideas mixed with the new ones. either way, i’ve found myself drawn to highly, what’s the word, textured? pieces of furniture lately. maybe texture isn’t the right word but i keep looking for pieces of furniture that feel knobby or have some sort of raised texture to them. these pieces from mitchell gold and bob williams and jayson home are exactly what i’m talking about- whether it’s bamboo or a knobby-spindle feel i’m drifting away from the clean lines of mid-century modern and dying for something a little more regency and decorative. lord knows where this will go next but i’m building the trend in my head right now- hope it to have it finished for next week. is anyone else feeling this change or looking for things that are a bit more decorative? maybe it’s a reaction to the MCM resurgence…

[left to right: chippendale chair at jayson home, bebe bunching table at mgbw, hickory spool table at mgbw]

Ahh! Yes, and it’s freaking me out, ’cause I truly do love mid-century design. I’ve been drawn lately to some more deco pieces though, and that in turn has brought on regency tendencies.

My MF and I are moving in March, and I’ve already been warning him that I would like to make the new place slightly more feminine/ornate, but with a modern clean twist.

That’s what feels fresh to me right now. So I’ll probably end up mixing in a couple more ornate pieces with my more streamlined ones.

Oh, I don’t know. I’m transitional right now.

Your timing is perfect. Lately I’ve really been drifting to the Bloomsbury style.
My first love is also mid-century, but lately, the spare silhouette is leaving me wanting more. I see floral curtains in my future.

Understand. Appreciate all good design, but when something has been done a too much it takes a little spark out of it (i.e. DWR). Don’t get me wrong, love a lot of it the great designs from the recognized designers. But I seem to really appreciate more of a classical high design style of someone like Robsjohn Gibbings. Keep the industrial in the kitchen.

I love to mix it up as well, which could either lean towards transitional or eclectic. In my opinion the MCM trend is a bit old and has been drawn out to death, which is why most individuals are turning to a look that has a more detailed look (sculptural). I appreciate several looks of each of the many design styles that exist. I just can not stick to one look, it tends to become drawn out and boring. Though some, do still like this MCM craze, I am hoping that it dies down so the other beautiful styles can shine, becaue I am SICK of seeing this one particular look all over the place. Also, people should design their home with pieces that work for them of course and not fall victim to trends, because they think it is what they are suppose to do to be hip or because one person thinks it is fantastic.

I love how you put it “out there”, the conflict of what’s a personal style, and what is a reaction. Such a great point.

My home is a mix. I happen to have an organic, intense, love of MCM design, yet, I love other styles also. It doesn’t bother me in the least that I may see a lot of MCM “around.” I prefer to pick and choose the pieces, of any style, that I love and want to be surrounded by. Those who will be led by any particular craze will always tire of the current “big thing” and look to the next. I don’t see it as a MCM issue, I think any style can bring up those questions if it is particularly popular at the moment. We now know that the MCM styles are classic. History has shown us that.

It’s good to analyze where the questions are coming from! That’s exactly what one should do. I feel people have much more confidence in furnishing/decorating their homes. I definitely see it. There will always be trends, for those who need them, and manufacturers who exploit them, but it’s a better scenario to choose pieces from the styles that speak to you. And, it doesn’t necessarily mean to reject what is currently “in”, but rather, to acknowledge the trend position, and see if there is something for you within that trend, that speaks to you now, and for the long term. Point being, some trends ARE based in purely great design, as MCM is. To look down on it would be unfortunate, given its great contributions to the design world over many years.

Honestly, the kind of furniture you are leaning toward is late 19th century furniture…there are so many different variations therein that it’s too broad to characterize with one word, since it ocvers so many different decorative arts styles. But it IS nice to see some posts on something OTHER than teak, mid-century furniture with bright upholstery- and isn’t it interesting that we still think of that as “modern” design, when in reality, it is about 50-60 years out-of-date?

I LOVE these peices, and have always been drawn to the more ornate. I would say that I can’t stick to one specific style or period, and have a more eclectic taste. I hope your new suggestion of a ‘trend’ makes these kind of peices more affordable and available.’

I think a room with mid-century pieces dotted with a couple more “texture” or “knobby” pieces could be quite refreshing. However, a room filled with all ornate freaks me out!! I always like to decorate with a little twist on a style, makes it personal and different. In response to livered, I think that MCM has stuck around because it is so classic. I mean, how much simpler can you get? And let’s be honest, MCM has never been super mainstream, which is probably another reason it hasn’t gone out of style.

Angie Montreal, I’m so with you. I love MCM and had really wanted to do my new place in it, but I’m starting to tire of it. If I had a dollar for every Petrie/Andre/fill-in-the-blank low-slung, tufted, spindly-legged sofa I saw in a magazine or a friend’s apartment, I could buy a new Liebherr fridge. It’s like the Stickley of the new millenium. I’m sort of craving a French 40s look right now. Something modern and not too frilly but glam. But designdesign, you’re right. It’s all in the mix.

Even though these pieces are referencing historical design elements, there is something modern about them, particularly that table in the middle. It’s essentially cube-shaped, and the knobby bits are all the same size. But it’s inevitable that we will exhaust mid-century as a design trend, and it seems that time is drawing near. I’m with all of you…I’m looking for a headboard, and have been drawn to intricately sculptured wood, with a curvy silhouette. Which is quite a surprise to me!

Such are the state of affairs in late 2007. Micro-trends and the identity politics of our consumer culture are giving everyone who is paying attention an uncommon dose of anxiety.

I grew up with “Danish Modern,” and started to acquire pieces to match. Now, I hate many of them. Why?

Enter the micro trend - six months of design magazines feature an eclectic mix of modern and earlier styles. We feel its mighty marketing lure, but HEY, we are also thinking of a way to differentiate ourselves from the crowd. And some people are not paying enough attention to recognize that the shift has been underway for some time. The Louis XVI chair with the Milo Baughman table? Yes please. A turned Portugese library table with an Eames lounge chair? Don’t mind if I do.

Robsjohn Gibbings is a nice answer because it was intentional mix of modernist clarity with historical savoir faire.

… and that was my first design blog post. But, yeah, I’m really hooked.

As I have acquired a larger knowledge of design history, I have found myself attracted to a lot more styles.

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