Spanish furniture fair offers fresh, perky colors

VALENCIA, SPAIN — While most of the fabric statements at home furnishings shows and in stores in Europe mirrored those of the United States — lots of beige, off-white and the rest of the neutral family — the furniture fair here was full of fresh and perky colors.

Especially interesting and new were a variety of tweeds — soft and supple, and colorful without being garish.

Novelties, including a renaissance of eyelash effects, also saw vinyl-coated fabrics with new techniques, photographic techniques for dramatic prints, unusual leather and suede treatments and lots of soft but dense chenille used against open strie ground.