Benjamin Moore has announced their much anticipated color of the year! It’s officially Metropolitan AF-690- a cool, refined shade of gray. “Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan AF-690 exudes beauty and balance,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore Director of Strategic Design Intelligence. “It’s a color in the neutral spectrum that references a contemplative state of…
Benjamin Moore has announced their much anticipated color of the year! It’s officially Metropolitan AF-690- a cool, refined shade of gray. “Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan AF-690 exudes beauty and balance,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore Director of Strategic Design Intelligence. “It’s a color in the neutral spectrum that references a contemplative state of mind and design. Not arresting nor aggressive, this understated yet glamorous gray creates a soothing, impactful common ground.” These are passionate times, and, perhaps finding common ground with a paint color is the start in the right direction that we need!
It’s not difficult to convince us to love Metropolitan. We love how gray tones can instantly give both peaceful and chic vibes to any room they enter. Gray is easy-going and classic- a color you truly can’t go wrong with.
And what colors go with gray? Literally ALL of them!! Blues, pinks, reds, oranges, purples, whites, blacks, other shades of gray….the list could go on! Metropolitan will not only go with any color, but it will make that color POP!
Additionally, we love how sophisticated it looks with pretty much all materials- metals, marbles and other natural stones, leathers, fabrics, and woods- it makes them feel so rich.
With trends coming and going at what seems to be lightning speeds in these days of social media and the internet, we feel that it’s never a bad idea to invest in a timeless and classic color for bigger furniture pieces and Metropolitan tones are just that. They will feel current for many, many years to come and you can work in and change out trendier color tones on smaller pieces seamlessly.
We’ve included just a few of our favorite looks inspired by Benjamin Moore’s Metropolitan AF-690, and we could have come up with a zillion more! To bring some Metropolitan vibes to your home, contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe designer. Don’t have one? Let Walt personally select one for you here or visit us at one of our 10 locations!
One of our favorite details of our WGN Radio office makeover was the hand painted pillows from our incredible, local manufacturer Eastern Accents. More on the pillows in a bit, but first we’d like to just touch upon what an amazing company Eastern Accents is. They are a family business that is not only based…
One of our favorite details of our WGN Radio office makeover was the hand painted pillows from our incredible, local manufacturer Eastern Accents. More on the pillows in a bit, but first we’d like to just touch upon what an amazing company Eastern Accents is. They are a family business that is not only based in Chicago, but all manufacturing is done is Chicago as well. Their manufacturing facility and offices employ over 300 people- including an experienced sewing staff, artisans, and highly skilled craftsmen- some of whom are multi-generational employees. Their specialty: high end bed linens, pillows, and window treatments. Their focus is quality, fashion, and customer service- we are proud to be partnered with another Chicago company that shares the same values as ours!
Now, on to the fabulous hand painted pillows! Maureen and Caitie wanted to add a personal touch to all the hosts’ offices. After meeting all the on air personalities, it was clear to us that they all have big personalities and clearly don’t take themselves too seriously, so we wanted to add something fun. We immediately thought of Eastern Accents. Being such a highly customizable manufacturer, we knew they could help us dream up something unexpected. And, being right in our backyard, we knew they could deliver custom quickly! Included in their talented staff is an artist who hand paints custom pillows. She is a true talent- give her your vision, color palette, and style and she will make it come alive on a pillow. No two pillows are exactly alike! We took notes when we met each host and gave her ideas for each person.
Caitie is Steve Cochran and his wife’s personal designer, so she already had some inside scoop on Steve. He is making over his own home office with Caitie and, at his wife’s request, it will be transformed from a dated golf theme (complete with golf border wall paper!) to a cool, transitional space. To pay homage to the golf office he is saying goodbye to, we just could not resist adding a hand-painted golf scene to his pillow!
When we entered Bill and Wendy’s office, the first thing we noticed was Bill’s extensive Mold-a-Rama collection! It was such a quirky but charming thing to collect that we knew his pillow needed to feature a Mold-a-Rama symbol on it. We especially liked this idea because Wendy was born and raised in Brookfield, IL- home to the Brookfield Zoo and many Mold-a-Rama machines!
Roe’s biggest request, make that need, from us was a replacement to his beloved “Canarble Wagon” aka bar cart. His old one was damaged in the move the new offices and we wanted to keep the liquor theme going with his pillow! We must say that it looks very cool and sophisticated on his shiny new Canarble wagon.
John Williams has owned many dachshunds in his life, including one that he famously billed as the “World’s Largest Dachshund.” We know how important dogs are to their owners- they really are members of the family! While we considered a hand painted dachshund pillow for John, we new that Eastern Accents had a hand sewn leather dachshund pillow in their line and it is already so extra special, so we had one made for John. The design on the pillow is laser cut and topically applied. We are so blown away by the many talented artisans right in our back yard at Eastern Accents!
Last but not least, the newsroom! We had the WGN logo cut into a custom made stamp and hand blocked onto a pillow to include with their fabulous Palisades sofa vignette. It was the perfect little touch of WGN!
We also used Eastern Accents in our Jenner Teacher’s Lounge makeover. You can read about that here. Nothing but the best for these hardworking teachers and faculty!
We are really proud to offer the beautiful Eastern Accents line to our clients. Not only is their style and quality just breathtaking, they also help our local economy and the quick trip from their warehouse to ours decreases our environmental impact. If you’re interested in learning more about the Eastern Accents line, contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe Furniture designer today. Don’t have one? Come on out to one of our 10 locations or have Walt personally select one for you here.
It’s the first day of school for Chicago Public School students, teachers, and faculty today and we’re thinking of our friends at the newly merged Ogden and Jenner schools. Today is extra special for the Ogden and Jenner schools because it is the first day with the two schools merged. If you’re not familiar with…
It’s the first day of school for Chicago Public School students, teachers, and faculty today and we’re thinking of our friends at the newly merged Ogden and Jenner schools. Today is extra special for the Ogden and Jenner schools because it is the first day with the two schools merged. If you’re not familiar with this merger, here’s a little background. For many years, Ogden School was overcrowded while Jenner School, less than a mile away, was only half used. Community members from both schools worked to merge the two for many years and this exciting change has finally happened. Ogden will now serve as the Elementary School and Jenner will be the middle school. We wanted to do something special for the teachers- new and old- at Jenner to make them feel all the love and appreciation we have for them- and all teachers- with a makeover of the teacher’s lounge.
The Jenner teacher’s lounge prior to our makeover was.. well…a boring and uncomfortable teacher’s lounge. Mismatched tables with plastic chairs, cold linoleum tiles, and a broken and ripped sectional… these teachers deserved so much better! Enter Maureen and Caitie Smithe to the rescue! We wanted to make the space comfortable, functional, and stylish and create an open, conversational space that could serve a lot of purposes.
To maximize comfort, we chose our insanely comfortable Bilboquet Sectional. This amazing sectional is as deep as a twin size bed- perfect for lounging and even napping! We just love how the color grey can instantly make a space look cozy and sleek and the Biloquet sectional- with a fun mixture of pillows of different sizes, shapes, and textures- did just that. We added a clean Calvin Klein rug to warm up the cold linoleum tiles. Perfectly styled cocktail and end tables complete with decorative accents made the space feel more like a home than a teachers lounge. The end tables we used are from one of our favorite lines Butler Specialty Furniture. We love their eclectic product line- they are a great go-to when we want to achieve a curated-with-ease look. Best of all, they are a Chicago-based company- we love partnering with Chicago brands!
The teachers also needed a space to eat meals, hold informal meetings, and get work done. For this, we used three of our 54” round Cecil Dining Tables paired with our durable and cool Timothy dining chairs. We love a big, round dining table because they’re conversational and always make a statement. We imagine a lot of great discussions happening around those tables as new staff get to know each other.
There was also a boring little corner of the room that needed a little love and style. To fill up that space, we used two of our Abella Wing chairs in a soft and striking navy velvet topped with two of our incredible hand-painted pillows made locally from our bedding manufacturer Eastern Accents. We also added a cute round end table- also from Chicago-based Butler Specialty Furniture– to place the school phone on.
The big reveal was a thrilling, moving, and unforgettable moment. The teachers were so excited and gracious. Huge smiles and lots of cheering- it was just awesome. As they walked through the door of their newly made-over teacher’s lounge, we gave them all a pair of our Walter E. Smithe shades because, as they say, their “future’s so bright!” We also made sure that they left with Walter E. Smithe swag bags as an extra “thank you” for all that they do to shape their student’s lives.
Want to see more? Check out NBC 5 Chicago’s Leanne Trotter’s coverage of the grand unveiling here!
We here at Walter E. Smithe wish all teachers, faculty, and students a great school year. We wish we could makeover every teacher’s lounge across America because they all deserve nothing but the best!
Interested in any of the pieces used in our Jenner Teacher’s Lounge makeover? Contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe designer or visit one of our 10 locations. Don’t have a designer? Let Walt personally select one for you here.
Last week was very exciting for two great Chicago establishments- WGN Radio and Walter E. Smithe Furniture. In June, WGN Radio left their longtime Tribune Tower home for a state of the art new studio around the corner on East Wacker Drive. The offices have unbelievable views of the city, river, lake, and Navy Pier.…
Maureen and Caitie Smithe were thrilled to be at the WGN Radio studios and headquarters.
Last week was very exciting for two great Chicago establishments- WGN Radio and Walter E. Smithe Furniture. In June, WGN Radio left their longtime Tribune Tower home for a state of the art new studio around the corner on East Wacker Drive. The offices have unbelievable views of the city, river, lake, and Navy Pier. As lifelong WGN fans, we were excited for their new digs and even more excited when they gave us the opportunity to decorate the newsroom and the offices of some of our favorite on-air personalities- including Steve Cochran, Bill Leff & Wendy Snyder, John Williams, and Roe Conn.
Their offices aren’t huge and they definitely could use some warming up and personal touches. While we wanted each space to feel unique and tailored to the talent’s unique personalities and tastes, we also wanted there to be a nice flow since the offices are all in a central area overlooking one another with glass walls.
Our Liza Ottomans warming up Steve Cochran’s office.
To create the unified flow, we selected a couple pieces that were to go in every office. Every on-air personality told us the biggest need they had was for additional seating for when there are impromptu meetings in their office. To meet this need, we selected our sleek Liza Ottomans from our Arbor Home line. We picked out a rich, dark blue velvet to fit WGN’s logo and color scheme. We lined them along the glass windows- their X bases and nail heads added the perfect pops of interest, color, and style.
Our Ethan Chair and Ottoman with Getty Image artwork of the Tribune Tower in Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder’s office. Wendy’s dad used to call her “Wendella,” so we found it cute and fitting that the artwork in her office included the Chicago River!
We also wanted to pay homage to WGN’s roots and longtime home, the legendary Tribune Tower. Built in 1923, this neo-Gothic skyscraper is a Chicago icon. We found framed Getty Images of historical photos featuring the Tribune Tower. Each office has their own unique framed photo- we love them all and honestly cannot pick our favorite! It’s pretty amazing to see how much our beloved city has evolved over time, while the Tribune Tower has remained a distinct mainstay.
The Faye Dining Chair made for a chic and comfortable accent in Steve Cochran’s office. We love it underneath the cool old picture of the Tribune Tower!
In addition to the benches, the larger offices had space for chairs. For Roe and Bill & Wendy’s offices, our Ethan chair and ottoman warmed up the spaces with extreme comfort and style. We love the channel stitching throughout the center of it that continues on the ottoman. Our Fritz Black Stone drink table provides a stylish spot to place whatever beverage you’re serving- and it looks so elegant next to the cognac leather on the Ethan chair. Since Steve’s office is slightly smaller, we placed our wonderful new Faye dining chair near the entrance. Don’t be fooled by the words “dining chair”- this chair is so comfortable and stylish that it absolutely be used as a decorative accent chair.
We were incredibly excited to surprise the WGN crew with our amazing hand painted pillows from local bedding and window treatment manufacturer Eastern Accents. We will save the story behind these for another blog post! Stay tuned!!
Roe’s new Canarable Wagon!
We had a big, important request from Roe Conn: a new “Canarable Wagon!” Every Roe fan knows that Friday is famously “Canarable Wagon” day on his show. His notorious “Canarable Wagon” was a beloved bar cart that sadly was broken beyond repair during the office move. But, fear not, Walter E. Smithe can take care of that! After “test driving” many bar carts, we ended up using our Fulton Market bar cart because it’s, for one, very stylish, but also very functional. It can be rolled around the office easily, it has raised sides to keep everything on it intact while rolling it around, and it’s very well built, so we are confident it will last for many, many “Canarable Wagon” Fridays to come.
Hanging with Judy in the always exciting WGN Radio newsroom. How fun are our Palisades sofa and Carina Bone Inlay Chests?!
While we had a blast designing the spaces for the on-air personalities, we also loved working with the fun newsroom crew! They were very helpful in identifying how to best use the space of a very long, boring, unused wall in their room. Their needs: storage and, with the long, continuous hours in the news cycle, a comfortable place to sit down- and even lay down. Our gorgeous Palisades sofa is extra long with four cushions- plenty of space to lie down! We added a pair of our favorite Carina Bone Inlay chests and put classically chic Alabaster lamps on top of them. We were so excited with how the space turned out- and the news crew definitely shared in our excitement! Longtime newswoman Judy Pielach was so cute- she immediately claimed “her” drawer and moved her personal items right in! As an added bonus, we were told that the large Palisades sofa and pillows absorbed the sound in the room nicely- always good for radio!
We would like to thank our friends at WGN Radio for entrusting us with the space they use everyday…and, since its radio, its not just everyday- it’s all day, everyday! We had a blast with the team and we are honored to work with them!
John Williams modeling our ultra-cool Walter E. Smithe sunglasses! Grab your pair today in any of our 10 showrooms while supplies last!
Interested in any of the pieces we used at WGN Radio? Visit one of our 10 showrooms or contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe Furniture designer today! Don’t have one? Let Walt select one for you here.
Roe looking comfy in his new Ethan chair and ottoman with our Fritz Blackstone drink table.
Made with love in the USA! Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is very proud to offer thousands of items manufactured right here in the great U.S. of A! We’ve had the honor of visiting many of our manufacturers’ factories and we are just blown away with the talent, craftsmanship, and pride that go into…
Made with love in the USA!
Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is very proud to offer thousands of items manufactured right here in the great U.S. of A! We’ve had the honor of visiting many of our manufacturers’ factories and we are just blown away with the talent, craftsmanship, and pride that go into creating the beautiful, custom masterpieces that end up in our clients’ homes.
Our manufacturers span all across the country, from custom-made iron pieces from Wesley Allen and dessert chic upholstery from Cisco Brothers in California, to our Avalon Home line in Mississippi, to an expansive list of furniture manufacturers in North Carolina- the furniture capital of America- including our phenomenal Smithe Signature Collection. We carry many lines built here in the Midwest, including custom casegoods from Palettes and Valley View Oak and our own Smithecraft upholstery line in Ohio. Our beloved Adirondack chairs made of recycled milk jugs right in Indiana. We even have lines made locally here in the Chicago area, including our chic upholstery line The Mark and our lovely bedding line Eastern Accents.
We are happy to be a small part of these incredible companies’ made in the USA success stories. Domestic manufacturing is so important for our economy as well as the planet. The carbon footprint is greatly reduced when goods don’t have to travel across an ocean to reach our stores. We also find the level of quality and craftsmanship to be exceptional. Another benefit of domestic manufacturing? It allows our clients to customize to their heart’s desire and that’s where we get our “You Dream it We Build it!”
We love this video from our Palettes by Winesburg collection. Check it out if you’d like to see all the skill, hard work, and love that go into building furniture in the USA.
Want to decorate your home with high quality, high style, highly customizable pieces made in America? Contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe designer today! Don’t have one? Let Walt personally select one for you here.
Thanks, Dad! Dads… they’re our rocks, our heroes, and our most favorite guys… but they’re also impossible to shop for! What do you get the man who has everything on the day that’s all about him? Something for his home, of course! Some dad’s have a smart eye for design and others need all…
Thanks, Dad!
Dads… they’re our rocks, our heroes, and our most favorite guys… but they’re also impossible to shop for! What do you get the man who has everything on the day that’s all about him? Something for his home, of course! Some dad’s have a smart eye for design and others need all the help they can get. Either way, Walter E. Smithe Furniture + Design has got them covered. Here’s our Father’s Day Gift List..
1. Julian Bar
We can’t tell you how many dads we’ve witnessed come into our showrooms and open the doors of our Julian Bar and decide it’s the piece of furniture that they just need to own!
https://www.smithe.com/stock-program-julian-bar/aftsawes033st-p39/iteminformation.aspx
2. Approaching Civilization
We love how the colors in this artwork can pull a room together- and we bet your dad will too!
https://www.smithe.com/featured-product-approaching-civilization-with/lba52ko0149-p39/iteminformation.aspx
3. Martini Luxe Accent Table
Give Dad a sleek spot to place his favorite drink!
https://www.smithe.com/century-furniture-martini-luxe-accent-table/cntsf5596-1382/iteminformation.aspx
4. Happy Bulldog
No doubt your dad’s got a spot in his home that needs the perfect masculine accent and our Happy Bulldog statue is just the piece he needs to fill that spot!
https://www.smithe.com/featured-product-happy-bulldog-85x48x78/abhfd69151blue-p39/iteminformation.aspx
5. Dansforth Wing Chair
This will officially become “Dad’s chair” the moment it gets delivered into his home!
https://www.smithe.com/stock-program-urban-leather-dansforth-wing-chair/ublc1309st-p39/iteminformation.aspx
6. Curata Writing Desk
For the dad who appreciates good design!
https://www.smithe.com/hooker-furniture-curata-writing-desk/hs160010458dkw-5/iteminformation.aspx
7. Agate Drink Table
Dad needs a pop of color alongside his favorite chair!
https://www.smithe.com/stock-program-agate-drink-table/msa1355st-p39/iteminformation.aspx
8. Taylan Decanter Set
Let Dad display his favorite liquors in style!
https://www.smithe.com/featured-product-set3-taylan-decanters/ix145003-p39/iteminformation.aspx
9. Cedar Bonsai Tree
Finally a Bonsai tree that doesn’t require any maintenance!
https://www.smithe.com/featured-product-cedar-bonsai-tree/nxwp7859gr-p39/iteminformation.aspx
10. Stressless Metro Chair and Ottoman
Any busy dad will appreciate the clean, Skandanvian design of our Stressless Metro Chair by Ekorness and we bet they’ll appreciate how it supports his entire body even more!
https://www.smithe.com/stressless.inc
11. Oliver Entertainment Cabinet
The perfect spot for a massive television to watch the big game!
https://www.smithe.com/stock-program-oliver-entertainment-cabinet/den7044st-p39/iteminformation.aspx
Need help finding the perfect Father’s Day gift for the dad in your life? Contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe Designer today! Don’t have one? Let Walt personally select one for you here.
Did you hear there’s a wedding taking placein London in a quaint little church by the name Westminster Abby on Saturday? All sarcasm aside, we are thrilled for America’s very own Meghan Markle to marry her prince and the wedding buzz is giving us lots of British design fever. Here’s our list of some of…
Did you hear there’s a wedding taking placein London in a quaint little church by the name Westminster Abby on Saturday? All sarcasm aside, we are thrilled for America’s very own Meghan Markle to marry her prince and the wedding buzz is giving us lots of British design fever. Here’s our list of some of our favorite items to make your home a (mini) Kensington Palace!
1. Maitland Smith Union Jack Marquetry top accent table
With it’s incredible Union Jack marquetry top, antique bronze drawer pull, and traditional English carved legs, this accent table is truly a piece of artwork!
https://www.smithe.com/maitland-smith-casual-finished-occasional-table/ma3630104-954/iteminformation.aspx
2. Vintage Map of London
London’s deep history makes Chicago look like a baby! The mystical winding streets, River Thames, and all the cool neighborhoods are just some of the reasons this map keeps our attention. We also love that its neutral color palette creates uses for it in just about any home!
https://www.smithe.com/bassett-mirror-company-vintage-map-of-london/btm9900262-526/iteminformation.aspx
3, Tiara Chandelier
Who need a tiara on their head when they can have one in their home! The Tiara Chandelier will give any home the royal treatment!
https://www.smithe.com/currey-and-company-tiara-chandelier/cy9439-571/iteminformation.aspx
4. Ritter Point Wing Chair
Every proper castle, no matter how big or small, needs a proper wing chair! It’s the perfect balance of old and new with a classic design and updated, ultra-hip channel tufting. With Century’s vast selection of fabrics and finishes, the options to personalize this chair are almost limitless.
https://www.smithe.com/century-furniture-ritter-point-chair/cnt11721-1391/iteminformation.aspx
5. Union Jack Painted Box
We love the punch of color and UK edge that this Union Jack painted box by Jonathon Charles will add to whatever dresser, étagère, or cocktail table it’s placed on. The leather handle on the lower drawer is an undeniably British accent!
https://www.smithe.com/jonathan-charles-union-jack-rectangular-box/494420-wll-993/iteminformation.aspx
6. Redcliff Side Chair
Inspired by the storied traditions of old English hunt clubs, the Redcliff side chair brings English elegance to any dining room it enters. We just love the sweeping lines and thoughtful design- just a lovely piece of furniture!
https://www.smithe.com/century-furniture-redcliffe-side-chair/cnt369531-1382/iteminformation.aspx
7. Bromhan Table Lamp
This royal blue lamp could fit right into Kensington Palace’s rich and timeless aesthetic.
https://www.smithe.com/bassett-mirror-company-brohman-table-lamp/btml2917t-526/iteminformation.aspx
8. Graham Settee
We just love a good British Chesterfield! Some of our favorite features of our Graham Settee are its petite size, rich saddle brown leather, and wonderful button details along the bottom… and, did we mention its incredible price and the fact that we stock it for immediate delivery?! Smashing!!
https://www.smithe.com/stock-program-graham-settee/scl25110st-p39/iteminformation.aspx
9. Lookout Farm Poster Bed
Four Poster Beds are so fabulously British and the most proper of places for any king or queen to sleep! We love that the Lookout Farm poster bed offers the option to easily change the posts to high or low- cause royalty’s gotta have options!
https://www.smithe.com/thomasville-lookout-farm-hilow-poster-bed-queen/thv84418475-976/iteminformation.aspx
Need help pulling together some UK Style in your home? Contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe designer at one of our 11 locations today. Don’t have one? Let Walt personally select one for you here!
Looking for the perfect gift for your mom or your children’s mom? Don’t over think it!! She wants something for her home! All moms do. Here’s our list of some of our ten favorite mom-pleasers. The Fleur de Glee writing desk There is nothing more cheerful or beautiful than our beloved Fleur de glee…
Looking for the perfect gift for your mom or your children’s mom? Don’t over think it!! She wants something for her home! All moms do. Here’s our list of some of our ten favorite mom-pleasers.
There is nothing more cheerful or beautiful than our beloved Fleur de glee writing desk. It’s the perfect spot for Mom to get work done while feeling like the royalty that she is! Add a furry chair for an extra pop of glamour! Shop here
All moms love taking care of people and our Ettore black glass tray is a sleek and cool way to deliver whatever it is Mom is serving up! Find it here.
Brighten Mom’s home with our ultra-fab Vincentia Pendant. It will glisten in an entryway, dining room living room, or walk in closet! Shop this pendant here.
Is it just us or is there just something so clean and gorgeous about the combination of brass and marble? Mom would agree! Check it out here
We love the natural texture of fur and faux fur and this pillow elevates the texture game even more with some sleek channel tufts. It’s exactly what your mom’s sofa is missing! See these pillows here.
There is something so cool about the intense natural colors of these Geode Bookends. Mom would love them! Shop here.
With its gorgeous cream ostrich-embossed leather mixed with clean lines of brass, our Design Classic chair by Thayer Coggin is the definition of timeless elegance! Learn more
This sweet little clock can fill an empty space with style in any room. We bet your mom will love it at her bedside, on her favorite bookshelf, or in her office. See the Levine Desk Clock
Moms love to entertain and our incredible Lisette Dining table can almost instantly expand from seating for 4 to seating for 14- and everything in between! The best part? It’s in stock for immediate delivery! Check out the Lisette
The Cagney swivel chair is the perfect place for Mom to rest and relax after a long day. Mom approved!!! Learn more here
Need some help selecting the perfect gift for the mom in your life? Leave it to our expert designers! Search Designers by location or let Walt personally select one for you here!
Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful moms out there!
Spring 2018 High Point Market Color Trends Our buying team recently returned from the spring furniture market in High Point, North Carolina. If you’re not aware of it, North Carolina is something of a Mecca for furniture. It’s the largest area in the country where furniture manufacturing takes place and many furniture manufacturers have their…
Spring 2018 High Point Market Color Trends
Our buying team recently returned from the spring furniture market in High Point, North Carolina. If you’re not aware of it, North Carolina is something of a Mecca for furniture. It’s the largest area in the country where furniture manufacturing takes place and many furniture manufacturers have their corporate offices and warehouses in North Carolina as well. It’s also well known for the massive High Point Furniture Market- in fact there’s an entire downtown devoted to just the show that sits empty for the majority of the year. This semi-annual event- held in the spring and fall- is an opportunity for nearly every furniture manufacturer and designer, both nationally and internationally, to introduce their new products for the upcoming season. There is always a ton of buzz about what trends are seen throughout the market. Over the next few weeks, we are excited to share some of our favorite trends we spotted with you! This week, we will share our favorite color trends from the Spring 2018 High Point Market.
While there were certainly many specific colors we saw all over the market, an overall trend that we are really excited about was the bold use of color throughout the show. It seems like we’ve been in a long period where neutrals ruled but the tide is shifting towards bold but thoughtful use of colors- on both upholstery and casegoods.
While we saw just about every color of the rainbow, here are the colors that were trending most:
Sage, moss, and cactus greens… and all greens for that matter!
Green makes a stunning statement while also being a color that is timeless and you won’t “get sick of” after a few years. We absolutely fell in love with emerald green and love that there are now extensions to the green color trend. Whatever hue of green pleases your eye the most, you really can’t go wrong with anything green!
Yellow
Yellow has made a smashing and exciting comeback this spring. It’s bright and cheerful and a striking way to bring color into a room. We saw all yellows across the board- from very soft, warm light yellows, to bright, bold yellows, to golden yellows.
Pastel Blue
We always say that blue is the one color that is consistently on trend and, even so, it always catches our attention and affection! This spring, be prepared to see lots of pastel blue which is just so darn pleasing to the eye! It pairs so nicely with other colors too! We love the pastel blue/ soft yellow combo and the unexpected blend of pastel blue and cactus green.
Purple, lavender, lilac, violet, ultra violet
If it’s in the purple family, you can count on it being HOT this season! Pantone named Ultra Violet their “Color of 2018” and boy did they nail it! It’s a passionate color that is as sophisticated as it is pretty and playful. We loved seeing all the different interpretations of the trend- it was all so fresh and exciting!
Apricot, raspberry, pink, and lilac
These “sherbet tones” are so darn gorgeous and eye catching. They are a great extension to the pale pink trend. We love these colors on their own but also mixing them together- they are soft enough that they can be blended without feeling too in your face. There is just something about a pastel color that is so calming and makes us happy!
Reds
That was not a typo, we said reds plural because, like so many of the other color trends, we saw a wide array of colors that were either red or had red undertones. This range included oranges, pinks, bright reds, maroons, burgundies, and eggplants. They were often pulled together with a tweed fabric that had undertones of many or even all of the mentioned colors.
Looking to add some COLOR to your home? Contact your favorite Walter E. Smithe Designer today! Don’t have one? Let Walt personally chose one for you here!
We here at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design are excited to launch our newest way to create beautiful homes: Smithe Online Design! While we love meeting clients in our showrooms, and we are passionate about in-home design consultations, we understand that some clients prefer to design their homes from the comfort of their computers…
We here at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design are excited to launch our newest way to create beautiful homes: Smithe Online Design! While we love meeting clients in our showrooms, and we are passionate about in-home design consultations, we understand that some clients prefer to design their homes from the comfort of their computers and phones.Perhaps you live outside of the Chicago area, or work and/or kids dominate your day, or maybe you just do everything online! Whatever your reason, please let us help you with your design goals.
Countless clients come to us because they tried to “do it themselves” online and things just did not work out. Laying out a room and selecting the perfect pieces is a difficult and often daunting process – leave it to our experts! We will make the process easy and fun.
Get started by filling out our questionnaire so that we can get to know you, your style, and your project. Then, one of our designers will contact you on a day and time that you select by whichever method you prefer: email, phone, or video chat to discuss the project. Our designer will come up with a detailed room plan, mood board, and a no-obligation shopping list all created with your budget in mind.
Our fee is just $99 per project, and we will credit that fee toward your order. So, our design services will end up being free with your purchase!Smithe Online Design is the same impeccable Walter E. Smithe style, design service, and quality, but offered to you without the need to leave to leave your home or office. Get started!
Think meeting with a designer face-to-face in-store and/or in your home is how you would rather get started? Let Walt personally select a designer for you here.
