Furniture is one of those things in the house which gains a lot of
attention from guests. They are talking points, topics of
communication, and as good communication is probably one of the most
important skills in life, it’s good form to nurture it through the
little things, like furniture talking points. Communication aside, the
furniture which you choose will represent your personality, taste and
even values. Check out our other 2014 trend articles:
Let’s take a look at the top furniture trends in 2014:
1. Outdoor Furniture Indoors
Lug
those deck chairs in from your garden and plonk them in your living
room. I wouldn’t go this far but it’s pretty much the heart and essence
of the trend. Try to remain classy and do everything with a dash of
sophistication so it looks like the chairs or tables are there
purposefully, rather than the possibility that you’ve lost your mind or
are using them as a temporary replacement. Aged metals, glass, wicker
and natural wood are popular options.
We are seeing more and more
of outdoor type furniture for indoors in designs and exhibitions to
warrant a prediction that this’ll be a growth trend for 2014. The photo
below shows a fantastic example of wicker furniture from Kenneth Cobonpue, which looks fresh.
Outdoor Wicker Furniture Indoors by Dotter Solfjeld Architects
2. Glamour
We
all appreciate a bit of over the top showiness every now and then, and
it’s likely we’ll be seeing it more and more over the next few years as
‘glamour’ is in, big time. Opt for opulent furniture that oozes with
excess lavishness. Try to create that ‘wow’ feeling in a guests mind
and let you’re extravagant side free. Glamour has been around for a
long time, but it’s made the 2014 list as it’s one of the stronger
growth trends in the furniture market. Glamour is also in for interior design in 2014.
Gloriously Glamorous from Thom Filicia
3. Custom Made Furniture
Individuality
is a big thing, and it seems to be something which the wealthy feed on
through expensive personal customizations and products that only they
have. Customized made furniture can be extortionately expensive, but it
can also be accessible and affordable enough to the average Joe.
Custom doesn’t have to mean expensive as all it takes is a person who
creates these pieces as a passion, who isn’t as interested in huge
profits, but rather takes pleasure in the joy of creating the piece.
Custom
is usually noticeably different and different sparks conversation.
People are now expressing their personality through their furniture
more and more. In 2014 we have already seen and will continue to see a
grow in custom furniture and personal touches within the home.
Inventive and Imaganative Chairs from Studio Frank
4. Cultured Furniture
This
trend is all about bringing foreign culture into your home. I think
the design below is a perfect example of using African inspired
furniture in a tasteful and uncluttered manner. This laps over and
complements hair on hide which is a trend also gaining traction in 2014
(as seen at the bottom of this photo). Look for patterned upholstery
and quality wooden carpentry.
Adding Culture and African Pizazz Designed by Derrell Parker: Photo by Kuda Photography
5. Metallic Leather
Let
your furniture bring a sparkle to your rooms in 2014 with metallic
styled materials. While many furniture pieces can blend into the
background of a room, by using striking silver and gold finishes your
furniture will simply be calling out for attention to all who enter the
room and will not be happy to be left unnoticed!
If the room is
decorated in an under-stated manner then it is such confident chairs and
sofas that will bring life and vibrancy to the room and sure to leave a
lasting impression on your guests.
Metallic Leather from Elad Gonen
6. Statement Dining Tables
Enjoying
a meal with friends and family is fine dining but why not make a
statement to your family and friends at the same time with a unique
dining room table. Embellishing your dining room with a standout
furniture piece is a trend we have seen in recent exhibitions.
This
striking wooden dining table feels like it could be straight from a
knight’s banqueting hall yet the light wood tones and contrasting white
chairs make this a modern day statement of style and class that also
shows your guests the importance of environmental natural furnishings.
Gorgeous, Light Toned Natural Wooden Table from Meridith Baer
7. Environmentally friendly furniture
John
F Kennedy is quoted saying “The supreme reality of our time is…the
vulnerability of our planet.” The type of furniture you choose will
often reflect your closeness to the planet and your beliefs about how to
create a sustainable environmental future. Wooden furniture is timeless
and a trend that will continue in 2014 as we aim to create a footprint
that is at one with the world around us.
Try to choose products
that have been crafted using recycled timber or from a sustainable
source so that you truly know your furniture is environmentally
friendly.
Green & Renewable Source: Environmentally Friendly Furniture from Ron Mann Design
8. Small Furniture
Uncluttered
rooms and open space are the theme for 2014. I’ve mentioned in point
15 that as apartments and houses are generally becoming smaller in size
due to housing shortages and population explosions, the furniture within
the house also has to adapt with the size of the house. This trend, in
that sense is a double edged sword, where uncluttered and open meets
smaller apartments and houses. Look for tight, compact furniture,
something that’ll simply do the job, but with class of course!
Small Furniture Used Well from Design West Inc.
9. Technological Furniture
Smartphones
have quickly become an indispensable device for many people and whether
this is a good trend is left for another debate, but one thing is for
sure – furniture is following suit. As the use of smartphones and tablet
computers increase in popularity this year so will the furniture
options that facilitate and enable your furniture to become one with
your technology.
Look out for hidden wireless charging docks that
are concealed in a bedside table, USB charging ports in a dining room
cabinet or audio and video connectors linked to your TV or Hi-Fi system.
This trend is also seen in a home spa with devices such as saunas that often offer an audio auxiliary input from your smartphone.
Charging Port Draw for Cell Phones by Mullet Cabinet
10. Vintage Furniture
What
better way to go green in 2014 than to add a few vintage furniture
items to your collection. Vintage furniture is a trend that continues to
be popular and a great way to ensure that old furniture doesn’t end up
in a landfill site too early in its life. Plus, it is often the old
furniture that is also the most well made and durable when compared to
modern flat-pack items.
A vintage table or book shelf will also
ensure that your home furnishings are unique and one of a kind that have
certainly not required the felling of more trees.
Lovely Vintage Table
11. Pleats
This
is one that we’ve seen a lot more of at the end of 2013 and the start
of 2014 in the trade fairs than in previous years. For those who don’t
know what pleats are, they’re material which has been doubled back on
itself and secured in place. The pleats demonstrated on both the sofas
and the curtains below have been done right, and I think you’d agree
that when done right they look elegant and classy.
Pleated Curtains and Couch from Risinger Homes
12. Multi-Functional Furniture
We
are seeing the use of multifunctional furniture making more of a
statement in 2014. Is it a coffee table, storage shelf or a chair? –
well it is actually all three and while its design may not be to
everybody’s tastes this type of furniture is very practical in a modern
minimalistic home design.
Other types of multifunctional furniture
include beds that transform into work desks or chairs that conceal
hidden drawers. For a smaller home this type of furniture is certainly
something that you should consider.
Storage, Table and a Chair from Hart Wright Architects
13. Light Toned Woods
If
you’ve read some of our other trend articles, you’ll have seen that
light toned woods are popular all around the house in 2014, therefore
it’s no surprise that they’re making a triumphant statement in the
furniture market. We’re seeing high quality and durable light woods
such as oak making a strong statement in the market. The great thing
about this trend is that it’s difficult to go wrong, as natural is
beautiful and light toned woods can be used to craft any type of
furniture.
Light Toned Inventive Tables – Huisstyling
14. Hair on Hide
Hair
on hide, as in animal skin which still has hair on it, as
unappealing as I’ve just made it seem, is a growing trend in 2014. For
the activists amongst us, you’ll be happy to hear that it doesn’t have
to be natural as synthetic options are also available, in fashion
solutions. Hair on hide has been popularised from skinned rugs on the
floor, but no longer are these content with being walked over; they’re
jumping up onto our chairs and tables.
When done right it can look
classy; but be warned, when done wrong it can look like you’re trying
too hard, and if overly zealous, one could look a little blood thirsty!
Regardless of how controversial the subject is, we’re seeing more of
hair on hide in the shows, noticeably enough to see an increase in this
trend for 2014.
CoCoCo Showing off Their Hair on Hide Chair
15. Inventive Small Home Solutions
In
many countries around the world there is a shortage of housing,
especially in the United Kingdom. House prices in the U.K. are set to increase 5%
over a short period of time because of shortages, and as a result of
this shortage, combined with a shortage of land which can be built upon,
new builds are becoming smaller and compact. I’m sure you’ve seen it
when driving down the road, two large houses which are next to each
other, bought by a developer, knocked down and rebuilt into 5 or more
small houses: These have to be compact. This goes hand in hand with our
2014 architectural trends article where we highlight the move towards inventive storage solutions.
Compact
houses need compact solutions, which is why I’ve included this as the
15th point. We’re seeing inventive and hidden storage as the next big
thing, using once unused spaces such as the stairs as pull out draws, as
well as fold back floors, utilizing unused space under the floorboards.
An unfolding and growing trend which’ll continue to grow and grow.
