Color top trend, and outdoor fabrics move in

By Carole Sloan -- Home Textiles Today, 10/27/2003 12:00:00 AM

HIGH POINT, NC —

While more color was the general theme — as it is throughout the home furnishings world— specific applications of fabrics to furniture made news at the International Home Furnishings Market here last week.

It also was a market with a lot of mid-20th century retro looks, now geared to tempt younger consumers.

Lots of red, a good amount of yellow and clear, crisp blues were abundant. While beiges and myriad shades of brown were evident, they were not front and center in the showrooms.

With few exceptions, it was a traditional market in terms of fabric designs — elegant florals on both jacquards and prints, larger-scale in the ditsy all-over wovens and what the market calls "a dry look," namely cotton effects whether cotton or blends.

Stripes were plentiful and were used as feature fabrics rather than as secondary coordinates, many in bold colors and scale, others more subtle.

High-tech fabrics moved from the contract arena to the residential side of the market, continuing the blurring of lines that has been evident in fabrics for several years. This was especially apparent in what has been the "outdoor" fabric segment, as outdoor fabrics are coming inside with sun- and stain-resistant properties. It's a move that could well impact all decorative fabric end uses — from windows to decorative pillows to slipcovers.