Strolling through the aisles of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas for the annual HD Expo, it was apparent that the hospitality market is flourishing, and the show offered plenty of sources for inspiring design ideas.
1. Creative booths
Many exhibitors flexed their creative muscles in their booth designs, most notably Old Hickory Furniture, who won the Best of Show and Best Small Booth awards for its rustic tent-like booth, an homage to the glampers at heart. We also loved Flavor Paper’s scratch-and-sniff wallcovering that was a not-so-subtle nod to the recent surge in marijuana dispensaries.
2. European design
Across the furniture category, the influence of European design was clear. Thin profiles and mixed materials were prevalent, giving the pieces an elegant look and feel that is ideal for the crossover applications that have blurred the lines between corporate, residential and healthcare markets.
3. Brass
Brass continues to show a strong presence from furniture to lighting to fixtures, although much of it is brushed, rather than polished for a slightly more subtle metallic finish.
4. Rope and metal
Outdoors, interesting rope and metal configurations characterized a number of seating products that provide a relaxed, yet familiar aesthetic with plenty of durability.
5. Millennial pink
Various shades of the millennial pink color trend are still very strong in terms of upholstery fabrics, spilling over from the fashion industry, the European market, current color forecasts and customer preferences for warmer, softer colors that help create a sense of calm and respite from our increasingly fast-paced lifestyles. Other muted pastels and plenty of grays and turmeric shades with pops of blue were also prevalent across multiple product categories.
6. Bolder colors
Bolder colors were seen in the carpet category, where varying hues of blue, aquamarine and purples made a presence in a number of booths.
7. Texture
Additionally, it’s clear that carpet has moved toward a highly textural look, thanks to varying pile heights that add plenty of dimension and visual interest on the floor surface. Carpet is also evoking the handcrafted. We noticed many designs embracing imperfections that give them an almost hand-woven look, adding character and depth along with large-scale patterns that make a strong statement.
8. Tile trends
Ceramic tiles seem to be moving in two different directions: one toward bold, high-contrast geometric patterns that almost have a three-dimensional appearance, as well as products that mimic natural stone so well, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference from the real thing. Digital printing capabilities have also led to some impressive patterns and styles that give designers incredible flexibility to create virtually any type of custom design, not only in flooring but in the wallcovering category as well.
9. Technology & customization
Overall, the theme across every product category that is sure to resonate with designers and specifiers is that manufacturers of every stripe are leveraging technology to enable greater customization. Although there was plenty of creativity on display in the booths, the nearly universal message was that the products on display only represent the tip of the iceberg in terms of the possibilities.
Designers now have more creative flexibility than ever before to put their own fingerprints on the products that go into the spaces they create. And that’s something we can all get excited about.
Now, here's more photos of our design trends we couldn't fit in the article
