Design trends for 2010 look to magical ’80s

Every autumn, design professionals converge on the Boston Design Center to preview trends in high-end home furnishings for the coming year.

(For consumers who love the styles but are watching budgets, there’s always the hope that these looks will eventually filter down to the mass market.)

Alexis Contant, vice president and general manager of the Design Center, delivered this year’s design inspiration. Her exuberant introduction paid homage to the styles of the 1980s.

Calling the ’80s a magical time, Contant took a lighthearted approach, contrasting Dallas and Dynasty with The Real Housewives of Orange County and the Preppy Handbook with the 2010 Lacoste collection.    

Here are the styles Contant predicts for 2010:

·         Miami Vice: The white, angular look is back on furniture with crisp, clean lines. Lacquered whites contrast with sexy, neon colors.

·         New Americana: This style encompasses all periods, from the classics of the 1700s to the modernism of the mid-20th century.

·         Pomp & Circumstance: A more formal, European classicism, this look is enhanced by brocades and stripes.

·         Space Age: Contemporary metals and ultramodern shapes, concentric circles and hard edges make a statement.

Fabrics, furniture and accessories sport magnificent patterns. There are crisp geometrics and streamlined Art Deco angles on everything from tile to carpet to upholstery.

Last year’s large-scale florals have morphed into smaller vines, ferns and river rocks, coordinating beautifully with classic stripes. Embossed and broken-in leathers are deliciously comfortable and reminiscent of the Southwest.

Luxe Green (“high design, low impact”) is a strong trend for 2010, with environmentally- conscious products like organic and eco-friendly fabrics and high quality zero-VOC paints (no volatile organic carbons) allowing the buyer to have luxury with responsibility.

This white, angular furniture is reminiscent of the 1980s but also is very contemporary.

Next year’s surfaces and materials call out for contact. Wickers and rattans are completely updated by technology. Touchable textures seduce with curves and contours, like Urban Archeology’s origami wall covering. Mirrors and sheer fabrics move light around a space.

Global influences continue to bridge the design gap between the modern and the traditional. Classical Japanese and Chinese motifs are ubiquitous, and British Raj style embraces rich colors, dark Victorian woods and Indian-inspired ornamentation.

In the high-end design market, color is always new, but not seasonal. Contant explained that the companies at the Design Center invest heavily in their fabrics, so colors that are introduced stay around for awhile.

In the coming year, color is inspired by the 1980s Bright, tangy citruses and saturated carnival hues (think Cirque du Soleil) make a vibrant statement. Shimmery pales are tailored and serene, cool and sparkly, but not metallic.

The elegant, earthy taupes are everywhere. “There will always be light neutrals in the house,” said Contant, “but this isn’t one.”

These deep, sophisticated gray-browns convey a chic, Calvin Klein or Armani zeitgeist.  

These lime upholstered pieces would look great in an office or in a residence.

Home design tends to parallel fashion, but although the power shoulder is back on the runways, you shouldn’t rush to drag your Duran Duran disks and blocky mauve sofa out of the basement. As Conant reminded, “Things never stay the same. Everything gets updated.”