Embellishment Prominent in Home Décor Retailers
Written by: Lynda Musante

Texture...Elegance...Sparkle...these come to mind when viewing many of today's popular home décor retailer's displays. Beads and embellishment are not just for special occasions any more. Common color palettes found include:

• Chocolate browns, combined with ivory, taupe, pumpkin influences as well as robin egg blue

• Blues, ranging from aqua to palest, almost silvery blue and shocking peacock blues

• Rusts/burnt orange: these aren't a simple retro throwback to the 70s, these intense colors include paprika, persimmon and softer begonia tones

• Ivory with tone-on-tone shades of taupe, oatmeal, brown-bronze

• Greens were less lime-influenced and more soft and mossy-in fact in one store we saw preserved moss-covered rocks used in an arrangement!

Beads were on placemats; candle rings; pillows (both embroidered onto the surface as well as fringe); on covers for votive candles; on garden light strands; jewel influences were found on the table tops, for example in Z Gallerie (z gallerie.com) martini glasses had bases in jewel tones and shapes:

Figure 1 Jewel-toned Martini glasses from Z Gallerie

Asian-influenced home décor and tableware was also popular. Again jewel-toned lacquer-ware with the luminous appearance that only many layers of lacquer can impart was in many stores. Pillows, furniture details and wall art also were found in many different stores.

Figure 2 Urban Outfitter's Lotus Candle Holder

Figure 3 Elephant Teapot from Z Gallerie

Figure 4 Asian Square dinner ware, Pottery Barn

Fashion magazines have declared that red coral is "out" this season, but we found an attractive collection at Z Gallerie featuring white coral. Combined with rich chocolate brown, white coral is a stark, elegant motif.

Figure 5 Pottery Barn Bedding

Figure 6 Home decor featuring white coral, Z Gallerie

Rich pattern and design appears to be growing in popularity. Last year's Eastern Indian-themed prints have continued, and a wider Middle Eastern influence is more prominent. Some patterns seen also reflect an updated Colonial American appearance.

Pillows are an easy and inexpensive way to update the look of any home and many offerings are highly textured and beaded. Samples in stores included, beads couched into patterns; glitter painted; fringes with beads and thread-wrapped beads; woven and embroidered pillows were also found in abundance:

Organics, meaning shells, palm fronds, bamboo, leaves, moss, cat tails, coral, bark, river stones, and more were everywhere. Bring nature into the environment, may be a way to counteract how much influence technology has on our daily lives. Prints and wall art also had many calming nature scenes in the retailers as well.

Overall, a calming serenity is prevalent with home décor, with many collections comprised of a tone-on-tone family of a particular color and often accented with a pop of a contrasting color. Pattern and highly-designed prints are a way to tie colors together in a room. Adding beads to many common home items is a great way to add texture and a feeling of richness. Using Soft Flex wire products, which can withstand wear and tear, washing and dry cleaning, is how you can create one-of-a-kind accents for your home.