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- [00:02]
A
Welcome to how to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home. I'm Caroline.
- [00:10]
B
I'm on the marketing team.
- [00:11]
C
And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.
- [00:13]
D
I'm Liz. I head up the creative team.
- [00:15]
A
We're your hosts.
- [00:16]
B
Join the expert team at Ballard Designs.
- [00:18]
A
For tips, tricks and tales from interior designers, stylists and other talents in the design world.
- [00:22]
C
Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each episode.
- [00:25]
D
We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email us@podcastallardesigns.net now, on with the show.
- [00:34]
C
Welcome to the podcast. We have a brand, a brand new trends report for you guys. For 2026. We have our wonderful guest that we've had the past two years. We have Will Turner here.
- [00:48]
E
Hello.
- [00:48]
C
From the design team. And Hillary Park.
- [00:51]
E
Yes.
- [00:51]
B
Thanks for having us.
- [00:52]
C
So both of them work with me. We, the three of us develop the product for Ballard Designs. And because of that, we are on top of trends. It is our job in a good way to hear what's coming and try to predict what we feel. We want to play.
- [01:10]
B
Where.
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C
Where do we want to play? What do. What are we inspired by?
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A
What are customers going to want to buy in two years from now?
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C
Which is a fun job.
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B
It's very fun.
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A
That's scary.
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B
Also a little bit of a time warp because we don't know what year it is.
- [01:23]
E
No idea what year you're run.
- [01:25]
B
No.
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A
What year?
- [01:26]
B
Sitting in 2020.
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E
25.
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A
You're living in 26. Designing for 28.
- [01:31]
C
No.
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A
27 and 28. Soon. And then.
- [01:35]
D
Yeah.
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B
But still waiting.
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A
Predicting 26.
- [01:39]
C
Yeah. We said last time, trends are not so specific. Ends out. And there's a lot of fluidity to it. And I know we also. The word trend is out. If we're going to talk about things like nothing. No one wants anything on trend. Like, you know what I mean? They don't want to be defined by trend. So as we have this trend report, we are aware that you might be like, either. Darn it, I am. I'm. We're going to say something you love or we're going to say something you're like, absolutely not.
- [02:11]
A
Yeah. So you're reporting the facts. We're not casting judgment.
- [02:15]
C
Correct.
- [02:15]
E
There's some judgment.
- [02:18]
C
Will brings the judgment. But we usually start by telling you guys that we have scoured the Internet and some of our sources are fashion snoops, wgsn. We look at Pantone definitely all the shelter publications veranda just put out their 2026 predictions. So I even brought those and printed them. Most of the shelter publications put out one. So it's their opinion based. Based on what they're seeing. First dibs just put out theirs this week. Our boss sent it to us. Um, Trend Union is still one we also use, which is the Lee Ildercourt. We look at what she said and we've attended her big. She had a big presentation on craft this year. And really speaking to the artisanal, which we kind of highlighted last year, that people really want these one off pieces. Speaking of not being on trend, people really want to feel like they have created their own thing. So did I miss any of our big sources? I mean, we of course do all the shows, all the show houses in Atlanta. We attend the markets. We had a market high point.
- [03:28]
B
So Antique show, the Marburgers that came.
- [03:33]
C
So this is where we're getting all our information. Pinterest was another that just put out.
- [03:38]
E
Their trend report is my new favorite. I haven't used it in years. So.
- [03:43]
C
Yes. Will just got excited the other day. He was like, have Pinterest. I was like, yes. Get your algorithm.
- [03:49]
E
It's always been Instagram and with other things going on. I just liked Pinterest because it's very specific.
- [03:56]
A
Yeah. Once it gets your algorithm, it's so good. Like it. Once it knows what you like.
- [04:02]
E
You know, I think it caught on very quickly.
- [04:04]
C
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we talked about how all of us are synced up. Algorithm.
- [04:09]
D
Yeah.
- [04:10]
C
Last year, in our last episode, because we were talking about things we'd seen and we're like, yeah, I saw that too.
- [04:14]
A
So.
- [04:14]
C
So I'm sure as we go through, we'll find multiple things that we're all seeing again. So we started with color last time. I think color is such a huge part of what influences a lot that we do. So do you want me to go through what we. The predictions we heard first? Sure, yeah.
- [04:33]
B
I think that'd be a good point. And then we can start up our internal palette and what we kind of shaped it up to be.
- [04:38]
C
Yes. And how it actually shaped. Because these predictions were also made year. A year and a half ago.
- [04:45]
B
24. We were listening to them.
- [04:49]
C
Yes.
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B
4, 26.
- [04:50]
C
So these predictions too, Is this what they were predicting? And now we're here. So are these true, too? So some of the big ones from the FS and wgsn, we have transformative teal, which is as. As you know, it's a deep Teal. We talked about teal last time, so it seems to still, like, be a big one. We have wax paper, which, again, is an off white. It's a creamier white. It's definitely not a cold, sterile white. We have fresh purple, which is when you grew up and you said purple. It's the purple crayon.
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D
It's purple crayon. Yeah.
- [05:27]
A
It is grape juice.
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C
Yes. It is the grape artificially flavored.
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B
Yeah.
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C
Yes. Yes.
- [05:32]
B
Yeah. Yeah.
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A
It's electric.
- [05:34]
C
Yes. And then we have cocoa powder, which we talked about last year as well, and how much we are loving brown. And as you can see by what we're even wearing today, our whole team is dressed in brown. So we are. We are on trend pro brown. And then the last is green glow, which is a acid.
- [05:56]
B
Yeah.
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D
Also very electric slime. Yeah.
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B
Oh, yeah. Anybody?
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C
Nickelodeon green slime is a really good way to describe it.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Really Dump them slime.
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C
Yes.
- [06:08]
B
Yeah, we got slimed. That's nostalgic.
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C
Okay, we're pivoting as usual. But have you guys played Cues and Clues?
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B
My kids love it. It is the hardest game for me.
- [06:19]
A
Wait, what is Cues and Clues?
- [06:21]
C
Cues and Cues. Yes, Cues and Cues. Plug. Not sponsored. So this game is literally. Liz, we will play it next week. Maybe on. Maybe we should do it on an episode because.
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D
Okay.
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C
It is a board with shades of color. Like, shades. And essentially you have to describe the color to everybody around you, and everybody guesses what color.
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E
You're very hard.
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C
You're saying. So if I said Nickelodeon Green Slime, you would put it on whichever little color dot you thought I was describing. So anyway, it's like a giant paint.
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B
And you get points the closest to the color.
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A
Gosh, I need to do this.
- [07:01]
C
So I just purchased it because I played it with my family during the holidays, and I was like, I love this. And it is hard to describe because I said orchid. Because. Do you remember Orchid was one of the colors. Yeah, exactly. I mean, that's fair. That's where I was. It was a bad choice of words to describe this very pink that went purple. That was. It was like Orchid Pantone a few years ago.
- [07:27]
D
Right.
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A
And it's radiant.
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B
Orchid.
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C
Right? Yes. Thank you. It was that color. But none of my family, they were, like, working.
- [07:33]
E
Not in our business.
- [07:34]
C
Yes. So it was funny to play. So I think we need to play.
- [07:37]
A
Like it was the 2016 Pantone color of the year. Duh.
- [07:42]
B
And the other kicker of the game is, correct me. You can only say, like, one or two words, right? Like, you can't use a full sentence. So it is okay. Yeah.
- [07:50]
C
Anyway, it's funny. So back onto colors. So those were the five that were kind of the big predictors for this year. So there's some pages we gave the team, and we'll have a presentation ready for you guys, for anyone listening as well. So you can kind of see the colors we're talking about. But then we looked at these colors, and we have chosen some other colors that kind of work what we think are good for home. And because those colors are predicted for across, like, the industry. So that is saying clothing and sports cars. Yeah.
- [08:32]
B
So all types of different products, right?
- [08:34]
C
Yeah. It's not like it's interior. So when you think about your home, and it's more of where we're at in homes and kind of making this central, safe location that you. You feel just really at peace, you know, very meditative space.
- [08:52]
E
Nesting.
- [08:53]
C
Nesting, yes. We, you know, brought some of these tones down, and I know that last spring, we were very excited and had very punchy colors. And the peony pink did not work for you guys. You guys were like, that is too aggressive. Let's take it back a notch. So we brought the colors back a little bit, add a little bit of the earthiness that we spoke to last year as well. So every color has a little bit of that complexity. Nothing is really clean. The colors all have, you know, a little bit of a subtle undercolor. So we definitely. The greens, we've seen as well, predictions are saying as well, they're getting a little more acidic and color. So we're seeing a lot more briny colors. Pickled colors, they've called it.
- [09:42]
B
All these. The descriptions were great.
- [09:44]
C
Like, all sour.
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B
Lime.
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E
Yeah. Sour specifically.
- [09:50]
C
Yes. A lot about talking about that for this, for where green is headed. So you'll see a little bit of that where we've gone. A little bit of that. And then chartreuse is probably the color that probably. Listeners know if you talk about it. Yeah. Olive, chartreuse. I'm seeing another, like, good shade of green in there. Lime, I was gonna say.
- [10:17]
B
I said lime already.
- [10:18]
C
Yeah, it's definitely. It's.
- [10:21]
B
We're.
- [10:22]
C
It's being said, too, that, like, people aren't really emerald. People have seen it, done it. And so the greens, again, are getting. Are going away from that, so.
- [10:30]
A
Going more yellow.
- [10:31]
C
Yes.
- [10:32]
A
Okay.
- [10:33]
C
Yellow is also a term we could have used instead of acidic, but yes. Brown. Killing it. Loving it. Influencing us.
- [10:42]
E
Every shade.
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B
Yeah.
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D
Okay.
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E
Light to dark.
- [10:45]
C
Mm. And eat. Because khakis have also become something that people are talking about. I think it's going back to heritage and things, you know, and. Yeah. Like, kind of safety. And khaki is one of those that people know, and some place in your life, you either wore it as a uniform or it was like, in Girl Scouts, it was some part of your life. And so khaki is one of these safe colors. And as we continue to not be headed towards gray, I think khaki, of course, makes sense that people kind of found that to be their, like, safe spot. So khakis all the way to dark, espresso y browns have seemed to be what is up. Trending. And like we said, too stark whites are out. So, like, shades of cream all the way to brown. You know, you really can take it all the way.
- [11:35]
B
The neutrals kind of have color in.
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A
Them, like a warmer warmth.
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E
Like, it's that cold undertone of gray is out.
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C
Yeah. And then.
- [11:44]
A
Okay, that's sort of a gray brown. Gray, gray.
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C
And then.
- [11:47]
D
Well, black.
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B
Okay. But when did we buy these?
- [11:50]
E
Yeah, this year.
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C
I do feel like gray. Gray, no matter what, is. In my opinion, it's a winter. It's a winter color, and we're in winter.
- [11:59]
E
The color gray is out. It's the.
- [12:02]
A
No, no, the undertone.
- [12:03]
E
Sterile undertone.
- [12:05]
C
Yeah.
- [12:07]
A
And definitely in home. You know, we. We've had a lot of gray case goods in the past 10, 15 years and fabrics. We're not doing any gray case goods.
- [12:18]
E
And a lot of houses.
- [12:19]
A
Yeah.
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E
New builds were all agreeable gray, which is, like.
- [12:22]
D
Right.
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E
A really big trend in the suburbs. And now that's going away to this softer, creamier colors that can blend better with.
- [12:30]
D
Yeah.
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E
More natural colors.
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C
So builder khaki is probably. I mean, I remember exactly there was.
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E
Some khaki in my house growing up.
- [12:42]
A
Yeah. Well, khaki was a very 90s color, I think, just for. For interiors. You know, it's like khaki and that, like, yellowy khaki brown or like a camel. Yeah. And with, like, the reds and the greens and the.
- [12:55]
E
Yeah, well, it's very, like, nostalgic of Ralph Lauren.
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B
I knew that was gonna come up.
- [13:01]
E
Making an huge resurgence right now, because I think that we're seeing this, like, 80s and 90s movement that's just permeating all markets, and Ralph Lauren is killing it right now. Some beautiful pieces across the board, and.
- [13:18]
C
Colors are trending that way as well. To be. These 80s colors are very prominent right now, and you've seen them, I'm sure. Again, this butter Yellow is also, like, very prominent. There's very solid reds. And we were talking a lot about blues. So cornflower is very. Is very on trend. It's so. It's such a rich, hot, poppy color right now. Blue isn't subtle at the moment. And not to say again, this isn't across, but in trends, it is showing that blue has really become electric. And it continues to be. If you. If you look at, um, this time next year, we'll tell you how they've predicted.
- [13:58]
A
Like, wait, so you're saying that in the trends going forward, the blue is going more of an electric color versus the corn flour?
- [14:07]
B
Yes.
- [14:07]
A
Like, corn flours for around.
- [14:09]
C
For the last five for us, but not the market is still loving corn flour. Like, if you read some of the trend forecasts. And this even veranda speaks to how much people are loving corn flour still because it's punchy and it brings such a life to a room, and it's a happy color. So I think it makes a neutral.
- [14:27]
E
I think, like, in. In terms of, like, blues, like, you have. Navy is not a neutral to me.
- [14:34]
C
But you are noted on the past two years of hating navy. We would, like, circle back. For anyone who actually has listened.
- [14:44]
E
I wore a navy shirt last year.
- [14:45]
D
Hilarious.
- [14:46]
A
Just kidding.
- [14:47]
C
Last year, you did say you were. You were. You had figured out how to work in navy, so we'll see. We need you to end on that, though, so hold your n thoughts. But, yes, blue is getting a little more electric. So other colors that people are really loving still is these dirty lavenders. And we're seeing lots of that. That it goes so well with the brown. Some of the dirty blues go well with the brown. We were just saying, like, black and white right now is, like, just not really present. Everything is in these.
- [15:23]
E
You're seeing, like, this very tonal. It's, like, white and off white. It goes back to, like, this checkerboard patterns that we've been seeing that all. All the markets, textiles, clothing, things like that. You have these tonal. I mean, your outfit that you have on now, your pants are tonal. Check. It's not such a stark difference that it's just soft and cozy and it gets easier on the age.
- [15:53]
B
Yeah, it's not graphic.
- [15:54]
E
Yeah, it's not as graphic.
- [15:56]
C
I think it's that, again, going to, like, homemade and not. Homemade's not the right word. Artisanal, where, like, nothing's perfect and kind of aged and, like, none of that is stark white. If you think about it. If you think about antiques, like, Nothing's stark white or black. Yeah. And I think there's that gravitate in heritage wise back to that kind of word that seems to come up over and over again. And dark woods still in. People are really still loving dark woods. And dry light oaks are still prevalent for metals. We've seen a lot Nickel. Nickel continues. We talked about it last year, how we thought a nickel continues to be.
- [16:37]
E
Kind of both in pewter and polished.
- [16:40]
C
Yeah.
- [16:42]
E
These very warm tones, like, warmer tone.
- [16:45]
A
Of the silver colors versus chrome nickel.
- [16:48]
E
And I think that chrome will probably have a resurgence because, I mean, if you look to the 8, the 90s, there was a lot of very cold chrome. But again, I think it's. It'll be a slow decline into that.
- [17:01]
A
Well, if you think that you're decorating your room with more warmer neutrals, like browns and creams, the nickel is a silver finish that will work better with those.
- [17:13]
E
Oh, definitely.
- [17:14]
C
Right.
- [17:14]
A
Because it has that warmer undertone to it. So it makes sense.
- [17:17]
E
And it's got, like, that strike of modernity in it. Like, it's just something completely different.
- [17:26]
C
Oh, and another color I didn't speak to only because it's not on the kind of the predictions, but everybody has seen how much this oxblood, burgundy, plum.
- [17:35]
E
Cherry, like this edible tones.
- [17:39]
C
There's this deep, luscious intrigue. Again, back to those, like, 80s 90s colors of, like, this deep kind of burgundy that seems to really. I think next. I think this fall will be again, just such a strong. You'll see it in all of beautiful.
- [17:57]
E
Yarns that are like these. I hate to say blood colors, but just like. I think it's going to be the new black. Like these. These beautiful saturations of red, I think will start to take over.
- [18:13]
B
Another color that we constantly talk about, too, but I think our pink. You know, we had our peony in previous years, and we've talked about our melon and grapefruit pink color, but now it'll be more of a soft pink with a glow, a very cheerful pink, too, for. For this next season.
- [18:34]
A
You know, we. There was, I feel like mauve was a big color in home for a while, that sort of brownie pink.
- [18:42]
B
Color.
- [18:43]
A
So you're saying it's gonna go more like a little bit sweeter than that?
- [18:47]
B
I think a little bit sweeter, but.
- [18:48]
A
Also like, ballet pink.
- [18:51]
B
Yeah, ballet pink, but almost as. I don't want to say like, used ballet shoes, but, like, has a little warm, a little dusty.
- [18:59]
C
Everything's a little fleshy. Does that make sense?
- [19:02]
D
Yeah.
- [19:02]
C
Yeah. Like.
- [19:05]
E
Still cheerful.
- [19:06]
B
Yes.
- [19:07]
E
Yeah.
- [19:07]
C
I just think there's a. There is this, like, brown undertone that still, like, is kind of the through line on all these colors, so I think you're right. Did I miss any of the other ones? Now I'm like, well, I guess we.
- [19:20]
B
Should probably also tell the customers and viewers that we have two palettes. So we'll have, like, a spring fall, or spring summer palette, and then a fall winter palette. So as we're talking about these, some of these lean more towards our spring summer palette, and some are more for our fall for 26.
- [19:36]
D
Right. But they do span the full year.
- [19:38]
B
They well within.
- [19:40]
A
And they're all meant to go within.
- [19:41]
D
Tones, and they're all meant to go together. Yeah, you're right.
- [19:45]
C
So we're excited about. We were talking about some of the fabrics that we see coming that have. We have this great one that does have this deep teal and chartreuse and a little bit of this, like, gray lavender in it, and it's, like, so beautiful. And so I think you guys are really gonna love all the colors we have for the season too. It's gonna be a good year of deep colors and rich colors that you guys are gonna gravitate towards. But I did want to go back to other finishes that we were kind of looking at, so. Oh, I had the colors of everybody's. The paint colors that everybody has this year. Do you want me to list those real quick? So, like, pantone we already talked about was Cloud Dancer.
- [20:30]
A
Infamous Cloud Dancer.
- [20:32]
C
It's white Valspar. Theirs was a warm eucalyptus. Sherwin Williams is khaki. There is. Benjamin Moore did a silhouette which is really like a espresso slash charcoal. I mean, it's brown, but it's got, like, that. By charcoal, it means it's definitely, like, not a pure espresso. It's definitely got some, like, gray undertones.
- [21:00]
E
Something like this. This is heathered in it.
- [21:03]
C
Yeah, it's like a heathered brown, almost. Behr is hidden gem, which is like a smoky jade, as they describe it. If that kind of helps you, it's definitely taking that teal and making it again just a little muddier. Glidden is the warm mahogany, which is, again, that kind of oxblood color. Like, it's in that family of. Of kind of plum. And then we have little green is. It's this, like, aubergine plum color called Adventure Aventurer Graham. And brown's is a deep plum, and then Dutch Boys is a ivory. So you can kind of see again Everybody. The paint companies are also saying the same things. They're feeling again, those mahogany, like again that maroons and deep teals browns and yeah. Warm eucalyptus. Yeah.
- [21:55]
D
So a lot of really dark colors and then paired with like some jewel tone inspired colors and then some earthy colors. Very natural.
- [22:06]
E
So very natural.
- [22:07]
D
Yeah.
- [22:08]
C
It's definitely very cocooning. Like we're in a very like again, your home is your space. Space. How safe can like we're cocooning. We're making it feel that safety for us for this year. I feel like I've talked the whole time. You feel like that's what other trends, what other trends do we have for materials? We touched on metals. Did I miss any?
- [22:32]
E
We're seeing a lot more honed stones. So we're getting away from the shiny glam and going towards a more refined honed again heritage. It's that like it's used more. Yeah, I hate to say that, but like it, it's had a past. It's, it's got history. It's a like we've been seeing a lot of resurgence of these like relics and things that I think feel like rh it a long time ago. Like almost two decades of these beautiful like things they just found in the junkyard somewhere. And now it's on your coffee table.
- [23:11]
C
Yeah. Plaster again, being that imperfect kind of material.
- [23:17]
B
Natural rattan and wovens are still very strong in the marketplace. Some slightly different applications. You know, you're seeing them not just in I think decorative accessories, but we're seeing them in all types of case goods.
- [23:32]
E
Leather.
- [23:32]
B
Leather.
- [23:33]
E
Leather is being applied in all different kinds of applications on case goods. Lighting. I think at market we saw this beautiful secretary that was wrapped in this very soft lambskin and it was just so beautiful.
- [23:50]
B
Like yeah, this is a really pretty gang table at market.
- [23:54]
E
It was lovely.
- [23:55]
A
What about colored leathers?
- [23:59]
E
I think that we saw it a couple of showrooms. It again it. They're dying at these natural earth tones. So it's nothing like really out there. It's going to be something that's going to blend in with everything you probably already own or pretty close. So I mean I've seen greens, like deep reds. It's like that oxblood red that we've seen like these camel brown, all different shades of brown, which is pretty quintessential for leather goods. I mean again you can think about Ralph Lauren like that saddle saddle leather and brass accents and that's been seeing.
- [24:40]
B
A lot of that kind of on the colored, not necessarily leather, but we've Been to several markets now where we keep seeing colored stained wood finish, and we've also utilized that in some of our lines that we've recently done. But we still see that fairly often. You know, where something will have, like, a subtle color. There was this really pretty burl that was like a lavender in one of the showrooms.
- [25:02]
E
It's like, the most subtle. You couldn't even really get a picture of it. It was so subtle. But in person, it was just, like, the faintest.
- [25:10]
C
It was so beautiful, so pretty. So we did a blue stain. What's our blue stained callista?
- [25:17]
E
Yeah, very popular.
- [25:18]
C
And so that was one that we were like, all right, we gotta get this colored stain because it is such a.
- [25:22]
E
Like, we're doing that console table.
- [25:24]
B
Yeah. There's a new one. It's. It also utilizes two different veneers. So it's. It has a blue stain, and then there's a more of a chestnut stain. And then along the edges is, like, almost like a blonde veneer that kind of highlights and shows the silhouette of it.
- [25:43]
E
Very pretty.
- [25:44]
A
Yeah. I can't remember what that's called either, but it.
- [25:47]
D
It's.
- [25:47]
E
Yeah, she made it very chic.
- [25:50]
B
I just can't remember names.
- [25:53]
C
It's really all about texture again. I know we always. We have continued to speak about, and every person we've interviewed is like, texture, texture, texture. But we. I think this year, you'll see a lot of our products just have some sort of texture. You know, nothing is really flat and simple. People really want that uniqueness and that, again, that hands. The artisans who've made these wonderful weaves or, um, again, the leather trimmings or.
- [26:23]
E
A lot of mixed material. I'm really excited to see Boucle leave, though. Becoming. Yeah, something different. I just feel like it was on every single thing.
- [26:33]
D
Yeah. It's at its time.
- [26:34]
B
Yeah.
- [26:35]
E
It traps everything, so it's not practical.
- [26:38]
C
It's like a shag carpet. It, like, doesn't actually make sense.
- [26:42]
E
We'll probably need. The shag carpet of my generation, I guess, is like, this is everywhere.
- [26:50]
B
You'll remember when it was kind of on upholstery, though, I think, skirted. Oh, furniture.
- [26:55]
C
Yes.
- [26:56]
E
Back in skirts, billowing and very, very tailored. It's just very, very pretty.
- [27:03]
C
Yes. I think that they've spoken to, like, dandiness becoming, like.
- [27:07]
E
Oh, yeah.
- [27:08]
C
Like. And I think it comes across again as everything is custom, everything is detailed, everything is precious. And we definitely, you know, even we are providing as much custom that we can for the customer. We have now custom rugs. You're about to be able to do custom Roman shades. You know, we've got custom. What's the thing above your window valances, like the hard valance. Like all these things are coming. So we really. There's that elevation of making it your own and it fitting perfectly into your home because you again, it's your home. Make it feel, you know, special. Yeah. And get it right.
- [27:49]
E
It's going against this whole, like, picture perfect algorithm. Everyone is like, very analog, like we were talking about before the podcast of people going back to landlines because they would like their children to be unplugged. It's very. I think it's nostalgic. I would say it's nostalgic. I don't know what. What other people would say, but it's very nice just to go back to like, something less. Less screen time.
- [28:19]
A
Yeah.
- [28:19]
B
Yeah.
- [28:21]
A
I've actually been thinking about a lot because I was curious if y', all, you know, we were.
- [28:28]
B
I can.
- [28:29]
A
Looking at some of these. There's a lot of like, I feel like maximalism is still very much.
- [28:34]
E
Absolutely, you know, customized in here.
- [28:37]
A
But I also have just seen a lot, I think, especially with Gen Z, you know, they're all about like the Nancy Myers aesthetic, which is very classics neutrals, really streamlined, even the slipcovers and just like a, you know, classic wood coffee table, glass and really simple. And I feel like even Gen Z fashion.
- [29:01]
C
And I.
- [29:01]
A
And I was, you know, kind of thinking about those two and whether there, you know, is this sort of like almost like a recession indicator or like a reaction to the economy for a younger gen generation. Do we think it's just everyone's algorithm is different and there's sort of like this one track that's more of that kind of 90s streamlined aesthetic. And then, you know, the maximalism is another aesthetic. I don't know, y' all been seeing that sort of more neutral look out in.
- [29:40]
E
I mean, the Nancy Myers is very, I. I would say almost California cool, but very relaxed and well, it's very.
- [29:49]
A
Well floored, I would say, I would argue.
- [29:51]
E
Absolutely. Because I immediately think of like, blue jean sofas.
- [29:54]
D
And.
- [29:57]
E
I think that's like a happy. It's to me that that's automatically happy.
- [30:02]
C
Nostalgia is safety.
- [30:05]
E
Wanting to get back to that safety.
- [30:07]
C
And so I think there is again, like, I think there is this clip of like, I know what that felt like and I know. And we have everybody who probably decorated in the 80s is now, you know, like there's in this age you really decorate, right? And then you kind of like not us, but in general there's that whole like set it and forget it generation of like the 80s where. And I think that is what is heavily in the market now too. Which again is the reactionary of, I think it's like the mid century modern. You know, it's like this like as we continue up the kind of years we're now hitting, like the 80s are.
- [30:51]
E
Finally like back, which is like those big voluptuous sofas and like with the big rolled arms.
- [30:59]
A
Bouillon fringe.
- [31:01]
E
Yeah.
- [31:02]
B
Mm.
- [31:03]
A
I don't know, I just feel like it's kind of interesting the way that maximalism and Nancy Myers to me feel very antithetical, but both nostalgic. But they're opposites in a lot of ways, right? Like definitely Nancy, that sort of Nancy Myers Ralph Lauren vibe is all about like classics and you know, sort of timeless pieces that go with everything. The slipcovers in the woods. Whereas the maximalism and the customization, it's like, it's a one of a kind piece that's very specific to your home. You know what I mean? Like they're, they're, they're, they're opposites.
- [31:40]
C
It was, I feel like minimalism got more like made the 1980s feel more max. It wasn't. Does that make sense?
- [31:49]
A
And Andy Myers is not 80s.
- [31:51]
C
Yeah, you're right, she's 90s. No, 90s, 2000. Yes.
- [31:56]
E
But I think the style itself though is the 90s, because it, when I think of it, it's like these slip covered sofas, national rugs, brass coffee tables, things like that, which is very 90s, a lot of chrome or I should say polished nickel pieces, things like that. I mean, almost every kitchen that she designed in these sets has these nautical nickel lights over, over the islands, which is just very nostalgic and pretty. It's so pretty. Like it's the classic white kitchen. Whenever I think of anything that she's done and it's just comfortable, it's comfortable. And I feel like I, I don't mean this in a negative way, but the Nancy Meyers aesthetic is an easy aesthetic that anyone can do at any price point. I feel like at a younger age, age demographic that's more attainable than max maximalism. Because I can tell you right now my style has taken years to be able to finally get it to where I want it to look. So I think that it's just, it's an easier aesthetic, but it's still comfortable and it's still Nice.
- [33:10]
B
Well.
- [33:10]
A
And it builds on itself, right?
- [33:12]
E
Absolutely.
- [33:12]
A
Like, you can start there and then add two and kind of get up to it. Yeah, I think that's a good point. It's more attainable.
- [33:18]
E
Yeah, definitely.
- [33:21]
A
Sorry, I didn't mean to derail this question.
- [33:23]
C
I don't know what we were talking about. Were we talking about textures? No, no. We were talking about hitting the clay.
- [33:28]
A
Skirted.
- [33:29]
C
Yeah.
- [33:29]
A
Skirted upholstery. We're getting into more of the.
- [33:33]
C
The details.
- [33:34]
D
Yeah, yeah.
- [33:35]
E
The.
- [33:35]
C
Okay. Lattice was another one we were loving. And we've really utilized him a lot. We. Ribbons.
- [33:44]
A
Yeah, lots of ribbons.
- [33:46]
E
Xxl. Like. Like, we've seen these ridiculous bows that are, like, the entire tree. It's cool, but it's just wild.
- [33:56]
C
You know, Toll and paisley are like, two patterns that in different colored checks. And lots of plaids. Colored plaids.
- [34:09]
A
Oh, I love the unusual checks.
- [34:12]
E
Yeah.
- [34:12]
A
That y' all have in here.
- [34:13]
C
Fantastic.
- [34:14]
B
Colorful. And then stripes still with, like, interesting details within the stripes. They'll either be like, an embroidery or, like, a double stripe pattern that makes the.
- [34:25]
C
Up the stripe. Yes.
- [34:26]
D
Yeah.
- [34:27]
A
Yeah. Our.
- [34:29]
E
Like, there's a lot of French. There's, like, delicate French, like Marie Antoinette, which was. Which has made a resurgence and fashion.
- [34:38]
B
Yeah.
- [34:39]
C
And the. I do think this year, too, has a lot of beautiful European inspired things, based on what Hillary and I saw in France. There's a lot of antiques that we were very inspired by. So I think you're going to find some beautiful antique shapes and, like, details just from Europe, which is so, like, you know, in the toll. And just all the details, I feel like, are coming through. When I looked back, I was like, oh, my gosh, so many memories. And I really hope that people gravitated to, like, love them like we did.
- [35:17]
B
So I think they will.
- [35:18]
E
Judging from the range, are we launching the Colette bedroom collection this year?
- [35:23]
B
Mm.
- [35:23]
E
Okay. I'm really excited about that because I designed it, but it's very. Like, you're speaking of these French antiques. Well, this one was literally designed after one that they found at an airport or something. And they're like, we love this thing. We have to have it.
- [35:37]
A
And it has, like, a cello bass, right?
- [35:41]
E
Yeah. Like a Bombay chess.
- [35:43]
D
Yes.
- [35:44]
E
A very much so Frenchy French, but it's refined and a more transitional, just because it's made for the modern customer. But it's. It turned out really, really well, and I was very afraid that it wouldn't, but it is. I've seen all the pieces now, and I'm very, very happy with it.
- [36:02]
C
Did you want to tell them where you get. We found the inspiration twice for this one.
- [36:07]
E
Oh, yes.
- [36:08]
C
Yeah. Hillary can tell it.
- [36:10]
B
Well, we didn't purchase it, but when Will and I went to an antique.
- [36:13]
E
Store here locally, Hilary goes, oh, my gosh.
- [36:16]
C
She was there. So we saw it in it.
- [36:19]
A
It was the exact one.
- [36:21]
E
It was the exact same one.
- [36:22]
C
It was at one of the major markets. And, you know, we walked you guys through, like, the markets and we. It was beautiful and we loved it. But, you know, it was. We.
- [36:31]
E
It's like $6,000.
- [36:32]
C
Yeah, it was. We walked past it took some images. We were like, this is gorgeous. Love her. But the ironic part is, yeah, they were out shopping and it was the exact one.
- [36:42]
A
It wasn't the exact one because the.
- [36:44]
E
I'm a pattern of the wood and the painted. It's the exact one. Yeah.
- [36:49]
C
And it had a tag like. So Hillary was like, it's literally. This is because she went. We had photos of the one we saw. So it is so 20 minutes behind you. Someone was like, I'm putting that in.
- [36:59]
A
My container and it's going to Atlanta.
- [37:01]
E
It's one of our favorite stores, Box Club. They are snatching up left and right over there, I'm sure.
- [37:08]
A
So they probably were on your.
- [37:10]
E
On your right behind you.
- [37:11]
A
On the next flight behind you.
- [37:13]
B
We did see several of the same groups of people.
- [37:15]
C
Yeah. Everyone was doing the markets with us. Yeah, that was for sure. But you'll see some of that. And then burl, we still, again, talking about that texture. Like, burl is still just such a beautiful pattern. Um, so we've really utilized it a lot this season.
- [37:28]
D
And different tones of burl too.
- [37:30]
C
Oh, yeah.
- [37:31]
E
Like espresso.
- [37:32]
D
We've got a new office line, the Maris Office Collection.
- [37:36]
C
Oh, yes, that's another.
- [37:37]
D
Will create dark pearl.
- [37:40]
E
I'm very excited.
- [37:41]
A
Oh, it's very handsome. It has, you know, I think compared to a lot of our office collections.
- [37:46]
E
Well, that was a two year wait on just getting it from concept to having it launched. So I'm. It's amazing.
- [37:55]
D
So beautiful and so elegant. It's amazing.
- [37:57]
A
Walk us through why it took two years. Like, was that a sourcing issue? Was it.
- [38:04]
E
I think that that was just a transition of. Transition period.
- [38:08]
B
Okay.
- [38:08]
A
Okay.
- [38:10]
C
There's a lot with vendor too that kind of plays in.
- [38:14]
D
Right.
- [38:15]
C
This past year has been really just not just that collection, but in general, we've had a lot of trouble with the new tariffs. It's made a lot of products very expensive. Yeah. They just aren't they. We just can't. There's a lot of things that we had started designing even and developing and gotten to a certain point, and they've just, you know, with the large tariffs, we aren't able to make them happen this year.
- [38:44]
A
So it would be price prohibitive. Our customer is cutting our source.
- [38:48]
E
Oh, sorry.
- [38:49]
B
Oh, no, that was.
- [38:50]
E
Our sourcing team has killed it. I mean, for lighting specifically, I just have to praise them because I was crying this past summer that so many of my lights that I designed were not going to happen. But we resourced and pivoted and came out better than we imagined. It was just rough.
- [39:12]
C
It's just been a really hard year for a lot of manufacturers just trying to work with different vendors, you know, and the tariffs and materials, too. Like, you know, 2020 was hard because of materials, and that seems to still be the price of materials based on the tariffs. Even, you know, even if it's American made, it's. There's still been a large transition. So it's been a hard year. And so we're really excited about the pieces that have made it to fruition, because I feel very well.
- [39:42]
A
And it's been on top of, like, it's been several. Several hard years. Right. Like, we had a lot of, like, the cost of getting the materials here. Right. Like, all of the. The supply chain. Sorry, that's the word I'm like.
- [39:56]
C
What is the word I'm going for?
- [39:57]
A
Like, supply chain has changed a lot in the last, you know, since 2020. And, like, that caused a lot of our prices to go up and. Yeah, that is.
- [40:07]
E
Yeah.
- [40:08]
A
All of those compounding.
- [40:10]
B
Yes.
- [40:10]
D
Right.
- [40:11]
E
I mean, we're working on that, though. I mean, it's definitely an initiative to make the best for our customer, but also at a good price point. And we are actively trying as hard as we can. Tariffs are just.
- [40:26]
B
Yeah.
- [40:26]
D
Yeah. Well, what you've been able to pull off has just looked amazing.
- [40:31]
A
Really beautiful.
- [40:32]
D
And we're so excited to have to have all of those in our new photography.
- [40:36]
E
And I'm excited. Like, I. They're great seeing all this product coming in, and I'm just like, oh, my gosh. Hillary, Taryn, have you seen this?
- [40:44]
B
Yeah.
- [40:45]
E
Great.
- [40:45]
A
Well, Liz and I are kind of talking through fall 26 right now because we're getting ready to photograph it. And so the product for that collection is just so good.
- [40:57]
D
So, so good.
- [40:58]
C
It's exciting. So many beautiful fabrics.
- [41:01]
D
Yeah.
- [41:01]
C
Soft goods as well, just to, like, help layer everything in and everything here.
- [41:08]
D
Especially a really good year for Design.
- [41:12]
A
Yeah.
- [41:12]
B
We hope it resonates with our customers.
- [41:15]
A
Step two.
- [41:16]
C
Yeah, we have done this part. What other. Okay, so let's talk about. Do you guys want to talk about.
- [41:20]
B
Some of those more trends?
- [41:22]
C
Yeah, like the fun ones. Like, now we've talked about, like, what we're doing. We've given you kind of a lay of the land. Now we're just going to tell you some of the funny things as well that are happening out there because.
- [41:32]
D
Bring it.
- [41:33]
C
Funny things happening. So one of the fun just kind of trends, and I'm sure you guys are seeing this is cabbage ware. Pinterest said cabbage wear is like happening. Vampire core. This goes with that ox blood. Like.
- [41:55]
A
Vampire core.
- [41:56]
C
Yes. So in case you want to go into that, a lace is starting.
- [42:01]
A
Like, are we talking Dracula? Like, what are.
- [42:05]
C
It's this.
- [42:06]
D
Embellishments.
- [42:07]
C
Yes.
- [42:09]
A
I think you.
- [42:09]
C
I think you're on to it.
- [42:10]
E
Velvet. Velvets. I mean, our Queen's velvet is apparently doing.
- [42:15]
B
Yeah.
- [42:15]
E
Very amazing.
- [42:16]
D
Just so exciting. It comes so many colors.
- [42:18]
E
Well, just reupholstered these two chairs in the living room and this in our. In the green. They're beautiful. And that. I'm obsessed. Just so happy and like.
- [42:30]
A
Well, this is an exaggeration, but it seems like half of the assortment of queen's velvet is a brown.
- [42:35]
B
There's.
- [42:36]
A
There's like 10 different shades of brown.
- [42:38]
E
There are.
- [42:39]
A
There's a lot of brown shades, but.
- [42:40]
E
They'Re very, very different.
- [42:43]
A
Oh, I'm all about it. I think they're gorgeous. I'm saying there's like a lot of variety. There's saddle, there's chocolate. There's sort of a. You know. Yeah, I meant in a good way.
- [42:56]
B
Lots of celestial. Oh, yeah, celestials, like stars, moons.
- [43:02]
A
Oh, I love that.
- [43:04]
D
Oh, that's kind of fun.
- [43:05]
B
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, nature inspires.
- [43:07]
A
Where are you working that into?
- [43:08]
B
Well, maybe a fabric hardware. That'd be a great. I know we have some star Monrovian shaped drapery, hardware and cabinet hardware, bedding. We could probably.
- [43:22]
C
We just listened to this webinar pretty much on just kind of like having. I'm just gonna say the same wording it was the other week. It's like everyone needs a North Star of like, what to believe in and what that is for. You could be your sign, it could be your religion, it could be whatever's giving you hope.
- [43:45]
B
Yeah.
- [43:46]
A
Yes.
- [43:46]
E
People really need hope right now.
- [43:48]
C
Every year, like, to start off the year, we need to think about what is our purpose and direction. And that kind of goes into that Mooner. Is it your. It does. Like, it's like, are you like. I bought my crystals last year, remember? They were with me. I was like, I need fixing. Maybe these crystals. I don't know. They've been charging in my window. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with them now. They've just been sitting there charging.
- [44:11]
A
I look at them charging, like, getting sunlight.
- [44:14]
C
Yeah, you're supposed to charge.
- [44:16]
D
And the moonlight.
- [44:17]
A
Yeah, yeah. Crystals are not in my algorithm.
- [44:22]
C
Listen, I want them to be.
- [44:23]
A
They will be.
- [44:24]
C
Talked about them, actually.
- [44:25]
A
My phone's downstairs.
- [44:26]
C
Okay, good. So I'll send you my crystals. You got to amplify anyway. So I think this whole, like, lunar, celestial is like, believing in this higher power, whatever that is for you, to give you the direction and how that influences your home and how you live would be. Yeah, kind of our theme of what we've of fun ones we've taken away.
- [44:51]
A
I love that as a theme because, you know, florals are sort of the original earthy pattern and motif.
- [45:01]
B
Right.
- [45:02]
A
And I love a floral. I feel like. Are we getting to, like, the. You've seen the end of the train of the florals. What's happening with florals? That maybe is another thing we should discuss, but I like that sort of stars and the moon feel like a kind of like a relevant, also earthy.
- [45:24]
C
Motif about being animals.
- [45:25]
B
Yeah.
- [45:26]
C
So you got animals, florals, botanicals.
- [45:30]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [45:32]
C
Okay.
- [45:33]
A
So anyway, on that note, what is happening with florals? Where are florals going?
- [45:38]
C
We're very geometric, viney right now. Meaning, like, again, back to that. Like, it's a stripe without being a stripe is very organic, but to the extreme, chance is still very strong.
- [45:53]
E
Definitely.
- [45:54]
C
What'd you whisper?
- [45:55]
B
I just said I think it's still there.
- [45:57]
C
Yeah, yeah.
- [45:59]
E
I mean, I love chintz. I think that a lot of people can misconstrue that as, like, super precious fabric that you don't want to touch ever. But I don't think that that's really the chintz that is relevant now. It's. It's used. It's. It's goes back to that cottage core that we talked about a couple of years ago. It's very much in that vein of, you know, this home that you've lived in for decades, and you have this chintz sofa that you've had for 20 years. And it's.
- [46:30]
C
It's a Rachel Ashwell.
- [46:33]
E
You know, it's.
- [46:34]
A
Rachel Ashwell was like the, you know, queen of chintz. And she.
- [46:37]
E
Mario Boda.
- [46:39]
A
She Was very like shabby chic.
- [46:41]
E
Yeah, yeah.
- [46:42]
A
But she was very much like.
- [46:44]
C
Huh, Casual.
- [46:45]
A
Yeah, casual.
- [46:46]
C
She was super casual.
- [46:47]
A
Like it wasn't too precious.
- [46:49]
C
It's like Nancy Myers, but floral.
- [46:52]
E
Well, it is Nancy. It's a lot like Nancy's, but it's a lot like the original California casual, which had these elements of like guilt gold. But then you also had this linen sofa and terracotta. Terracotta. Things like that. Like you had a. It's very. I think we've called in the past European, but it's Americanized, so it's way more casual.
- [47:19]
C
And earth, like materials being from the earth that people can recognize. Again, terracottas are still like a very strong. Marble is still very strong stones, handmade.
- [47:31]
B
Tiles.
- [47:37]
C
Ceramics are still very strong.
- [47:41]
B
On that all natural thing. I think we're seeing more and more of wood on wood. So you have a wood floors and then you're also having lots of wood paneling or even a different style room. Wood on wood.
- [47:54]
C
Wood on wood.
- [47:55]
E
I read this thing about your coffee table having to match your floor.
- [47:58]
C
Does anyone ever heard of that?
- [48:00]
A
That sounds terrible. Yeah, I hate that.
- [48:03]
D
That sounds like I'm going to trip because I don't see it.
- [48:05]
E
Understand why.
- [48:08]
A
What's the reason?
- [48:09]
B
That was AI generated by the way.
- [48:11]
E
It was AI generated by the way.
- [48:12]
D
See, don't trust it. Oh, I don't.
- [48:15]
E
I don't trust that. I just didn't know if that was like an unspoken.
- [48:19]
C
I've not heard that one.
- [48:20]
A
No.
- [48:20]
C
That one's new. Nor is it one I want to follow. So I'm going to pass on that one.
- [48:24]
A
What about gingham? I feel like gingham has been all over fashion the last couple years. Oh yeah.
- [48:33]
C
I still. Frigum application is what I think makes it lame or cool at this point.
- [48:42]
A
Right. What's like. What's a lamb gingham?
- [48:45]
C
Good question.
- [48:45]
E
Like drapes. Like if. If it's just like that almost makes.
- [48:49]
C
It just too much.
- [48:52]
E
But we.
- [48:53]
C
But I just did Miles bed in a gingham. A small gingham.
- [48:56]
E
But that's. It's cute. But like, it's tonal.
- [49:01]
C
But gingham is tonal.
- [49:02]
E
Well, but I'm.
- [49:04]
C
Otherwise it becomes.
- [49:04]
E
The game is unchecked when it goes super well.
- [49:09]
A
You know, we had buffalo check as just super ubiquitous for a while. I would say in the same back to back.
- [49:16]
C
Buffalo check and gingham.
- [49:17]
A
Well, gingham is small size.
- [49:20]
C
But what point does buffalo check become gingham?
- [49:23]
E
When you.
- [49:24]
D
Buffalo check is. Is you Know, a really wide. I'd say it's almost like 6 inches by 6 inches for every square. Right. And a. A small gingham is probably like, half an inch or.
- [49:38]
E
Yeah.
- [49:38]
B
Or.
- [49:39]
D
Yeah.
- [49:39]
C
Because I just got a fabric, and it's an.
- [49:41]
E
It.
- [49:41]
C
It's a gingham, I believe, based on scale, and it is one and a quarter inch.
- [49:49]
E
Yeah, yeah.
- [49:50]
A
That's still looking up to 2 inch and anything, but anything like that.
- [49:53]
C
Well, Schumachers is 2 inches, because I wanted that one. So I know that.
- [49:59]
A
Are you still looking for your. Your lavender gingham chair fabric?
- [50:02]
C
Yeah, I keep. I'm like, lavender is wildly in. Where are you.
- [50:07]
B
Yeah.
- [50:08]
C
Thank you, Schumacher, for doing that.
- [50:11]
E
I was going to say, speaking of thinking about your dining chairs.
- [50:16]
C
I talk a lot, as you can tell, about my house.
- [50:19]
A
Well, okay, so gingham is a. Yes, we like gingham.
- [50:21]
B
Yes. Yeah. And can I give a fun side note on gingham?
- [50:23]
A
Yes.
- [50:24]
B
The new outdoor collection we have, that's cushionless. If you look at the pattern on it, it's kind of gingham inspired because it's open squares and then enclosed squares.
- [50:35]
A
And we have several. We have two new gingham fabrics coming for spring.
- [50:40]
D
Right? Two new sunbrella.
- [50:42]
C
Yes.
- [50:43]
B
Oh, and umbrellas. Have y' all seen the fun? Oh, there's umbrellas, and then there's some that also have these beautiful tassel or bullion trim and then ones that have, like, panels that are, you know, blue, white, blue, white.
- [50:57]
C
Amazing. Yes. We talked about fun umbrellas last year. I bought fun ones. So it sounds unfortunate that might be jealous that I might need more and might need to go gingham. So. Yes to gingham, because I think colored checks and plaids are so in that. I think that's why gingham is so still relevant. I think the fun thing is toile coming back in and like, that. It kind of dandy equestrian. Like, I just love that.
- [51:25]
E
Parsons.
- [51:26]
A
There's nothing as magical as a fully tall room. Yes. Like bedding, wallpaper, drapery. Oh, my gosh.
- [51:36]
C
Right. But, like, for a while, we were like, now I'm like, yo. Yeah, it was like, early 20s, 2000s.
- [51:45]
E
Yeah, yeah.
- [51:46]
C
Early 2000s.
- [51:47]
E
12. My mom.
- [51:48]
B
You're too young.
- [51:49]
E
This vacation bag that was tall, and I thought it was ugly, but.
- [51:56]
C
I think they're.
- [51:57]
E
She loved it.
- [51:58]
D
Yeah.
- [51:58]
C
They're on their way back.
- [52:00]
A
And Vera Bradley.
- [52:01]
C
Oh, they're probably back, too.
- [52:06]
A
Every. Every, like, Millennial Girl had their Vera Bradley pattern, and it was blue and white toile. It was fabulous. I wish I still had it, actually.
- [52:15]
C
But I do know what you're talking about. I got to college and I did not have it. And I didn't have one either.
- [52:21]
E
It's like that Marie Antoinette inspirations again. I mean, like, that's to me, very like.
- [52:26]
B
Oh, yeah.
- [52:26]
A
Marie Antoinette is 12, for sure. Yeah. The pastoral themes with her fake farm village.
- [52:36]
D
Yeah.
- [52:37]
A
Yes.
- [52:37]
C
That was a fun one. What other ones? Oh, they were saying circus, like, is like a little micro circus. Yeah. Like big top, striped. I think it's the stripe thing in the striped room. Sort of made that. Yeah.
- [52:53]
A
What about minimal? Minimalism, Middleism.
- [52:57]
C
That is one that. Yes. We identified in one of our reports. It's like the.
- [53:03]
A
I think halfway between minimalism and Maximilian is correct.
- [53:07]
E
Edited.
- [53:08]
B
It's just an edited version.
- [53:09]
C
I think it's the person we interviewed the other day, and I don't know if this episode is going to come out before that who had that. She was a clean maximalist, layered.
- [53:19]
A
Max.
- [53:20]
D
Minimalism.
- [53:20]
C
What? Yeah.
- [53:21]
D
Layered minimalism.
- [53:23]
C
Yes. Is minimalism.
- [53:26]
A
It doesn't look at all like that.
- [53:28]
C
Well, that's for images. Okay. Meaning there are still patterns and textures, but you're not. You're not tchotchke level high.
- [53:39]
B
You're like.
- [53:40]
A
Okay, yes.
- [53:41]
C
We didn't make it up. No, no, I'm.
- [53:47]
A
What about scallops? Last time we talked about scallops, last year, we discussed they were going in more wave direction. Now what is.
- [53:54]
E
The curves are still.
- [53:56]
C
In curves in general, I think people still like a rounded, soft shape. I think it's a comfortable on it.
- [54:02]
A
Yeah.
- [54:03]
D
Okay. So the new Veda bed.
- [54:06]
C
Oh, dead.
- [54:07]
D
Yes.
- [54:08]
C
Love her.
- [54:08]
D
So, yeah, so that's.
- [54:10]
C
That's another texture item. There you go.
- [54:12]
D
Woven, sculptural, like scallops, waves. It's a really beautiful bed frame that has lots of waves.
- [54:22]
C
And that one, you guys will see it. You. You won't be able to miss it. I hope you guys styled it well.
- [54:28]
D
She was.
- [54:30]
E
Weird art.
- [54:31]
C
Weird art. Weird art.
- [54:33]
A
Go on.
- [54:33]
E
Well, I think.
- [54:34]
D
Tell me more.
- [54:34]
C
We talked a little bit, a lot.
- [54:36]
E
About how these gallery walls are changing to mixed materials. I'll say materials loosely.
- [54:45]
C
Anything goes on the wall. Like anything, if you can mount it to the wall.
- [54:49]
E
But it's more personal that way. And I mean, we've seen some really cool. Especially you, Tara, and I've been bringing like some just really, really awesome inspirations for these gallery walls that have shadow boxes and florals, metal florals mounted to the wall and just all kinds of like some beautiful oddities. That you find that you can put a nail on it, it'll go on the wall.
- [55:16]
C
I don't know if I had told you guys this, but I. Speaking of weird things, you like, you.
- [55:22]
E
Have fish on your wall.
- [55:24]
C
Yes, I do have. I have, I have some fish from Portugal that I got years ago that are ceramic little fish that I. Yes, I did put this on the wall. Yeah, I did. You know, you're right. So yes, I'll put anything too with a nail. But my most recent weird thing was I found a pack of like an old pack of cigarettes and my dad passed years ago now, but we found it up in the woods in Maine. And I mean it was like under. We were putting up this old deck and we found this like kind of. And I literally called dibs between me and my sisters and all my brother in law.
- [55:55]
A
So I was like dibs on the old cigarette pack.
- [55:57]
C
And I got this beautiful linen wrapped canvas with the acrylic frame over it and I pinned this old pack of cigarettes in it in this little beautiful pristine box. And it, it looks beautiful because it's. It was just like a little high dad, you know, like to find this like which you know, he shoved that hiding it from my mom and all of us like up there with all those women. He's just out back just like smoking to keep saying. And I just love the image of him being like, I'm just going to tuck under here.
- [56:28]
B
Yeah.
- [56:30]
C
There was no sticks in the back. I'll say that they were. Anyway, so talk about random things, but to my point you'd be like, why is there a set of like why is there a pack of cigarettes on your wall?
- [56:41]
A
You definitely know there's a story behind. You're like, that's. Yeah. I don't know what the story is, but there is one.
- [56:47]
C
And so I think that's what. Yes. Like people are putting those on your walls like.
- [56:52]
E
Right.
- [56:52]
D
Displaying your story.
- [56:53]
C
Yeah, it's part of your story.
- [56:55]
E
A lot of people take their matchbox collections and they're starting to shadow box those. And some of them from like the 50s, the 60s and the 70s are way more interesting than they are now.
- [57:07]
D
Yeah.
- [57:07]
E
And I, I love it. We see those at mom.
- [57:10]
A
They do that with like their vinyls.
- [57:12]
B
Yes.
- [57:12]
A
And like putting the vinyls on the wall.
- [57:15]
E
I saw this ad for like a your birth year song things like it's very, very kitschy but at the same time just like, oh, I think I love a record that I like from 19 whatever.
- [57:29]
C
Yeah, but.
- [57:32]
A
Family members collection.
- [57:39]
C
But it does. Go back again to make like your house. Being authentic and curated to you and.
- [57:45]
D
Your history and your likes and. Yeah.
- [57:48]
E
It's not some algorithm that you just copy and paste it over and over and over. It's your personality. Mm.
- [57:56]
C
Okay.
- [57:57]
A
That is sort of the Ballard way.
- [57:58]
B
Right?
- [57:59]
A
That's what we want for our. Our customers and ourselves to have something unique.
- [58:04]
E
Lucy Ballard was. Yeah. Was out there, but it was cool and interesting and, yeah, we really tried to bring some of that back.
- [58:14]
C
So get your old relics and dust. Blow the dust off, put them next to your brand new bullion fringe and your beautiful tape trim drapes.
- [58:25]
D
Right. And instantly you're the most interesting person on the block.
- [58:32]
C
Come over for a drink. Do we have any other funny ones? I think people are still into hosting.
- [58:38]
A
I still think that grandma crafts, grandma.
- [58:41]
C
Crafts are still trending.
- [58:42]
E
I just started these Paint by numbers. I love it.
- [58:50]
C
And are you happy? Yes.
- [58:51]
E
Oh, God, I love it. I don't have to talk to anyone. I don't have to see anyone. Just me and my music and my candles and my.
- [59:01]
A
I love that your candles. Wait, so give us your whole. You like candles and turn on music and paint. Your Paint by numbers.
- [59:07]
E
Yes.
- [59:08]
A
That sounds lovely. What a great.
- [59:10]
E
There's this amazing candle that I like. I don't know if we're allowed to. It's. It smells amazing. It. There's.
- [59:18]
C
What is it?
- [59:18]
A
You have to.
- [59:20]
E
From Maison Louis Marie and her Marie Louis. It's one of those. It's bella cucina in Buckhead's house scent. And I remember walking in that store one day and I was like, what is the smell I needed.
- [59:34]
C
I love a house scent.
- [59:34]
E
I want my house to smell like this. And so I bought a candle for every bathroom that I had. Like, it is just such an amazing, like, wild jasmine. It's fresh. It smells like you walked into the most expensive spa you could find. And so I do that and I do some Chopin. And then I. Oh, my gosh.
- [59:56]
A
I love that.
- [59:56]
E
Great. Very relaxing. But like, truly, this scent is so invigorating. It's just. You just feel like you're in this spa.
- [60:05]
A
My mind Grandma crab does needle pointing. But it looks very different from yours.
- [60:09]
E
My sister.
- [60:10]
A
I'm wearing my glasses and my headlamp.
- [60:13]
E
Yes. She needles my grandma.
- [60:16]
A
I drink my tea.
- [60:17]
E
I have tea, too. Don't worry, Bergamot.
- [60:23]
A
I love it. I know. We gotta work on our grandma embroidery.
- [60:28]
B
Like stitch kit for Christmas.
- [60:30]
A
Yes.
- [60:30]
B
For myself. So I can learn how to do all the stitches. But I haven't oh, my gosh.
- [60:34]
C
Oh, you would be so good at it. It's so easy.
- [60:36]
B
Okay.
- [60:37]
A
It is.
- [60:38]
B
I believe you.
- [60:39]
A
Yeah.
- [60:40]
C
Liz, you don't break it.
- [60:41]
D
Okay.
- [60:41]
A
I'm gonna. I'll show you off camera what I've been working on recently.
- [60:46]
C
It's great.
- [60:47]
D
Anyway.
- [60:47]
E
All right.
- [60:48]
A
What's your grandma craft?
- [60:49]
D
I don't know if I have a grammacraft. Do I have grammar?
- [60:52]
A
Craft artists. So y' all have, like, 20, 26.
- [60:57]
D
Although.
- [60:57]
A
Although watercolor hurt.
- [60:59]
D
I did just message both of you that there's an upholstery workshop coming up to learn how to upholster.
- [61:07]
E
Oh.
- [61:08]
D
So I would love to do that.
- [61:09]
E
I would love to do that.
- [61:10]
A
I don't think it counts as a grandma craft.
- [61:16]
D
Like.
- [61:17]
A
Yeah, it's really aggressive.
- [61:19]
E
Rip off the upholstery.
- [61:20]
C
Upholstery. Really Finishing a bed. I feel like it's all gonna be the same.
- [61:24]
A
Yeah.
- [61:24]
C
I don't know.
- [61:25]
A
Upholstery their nails.
- [61:26]
C
I want to say I really want.
- [61:28]
E
A nail done just so I can, like, reupholster whatever I want.
- [61:33]
A
No, don't.
- [61:35]
C
I'm not.
- [61:36]
D
All right, so I'm not taking you to the workshop.
- [61:38]
C
I'm going with you. Yeah, I've done it.
- [61:39]
E
I'll be going to the.
- [61:40]
A
I told you. Yeah, I told you about how I worked for a summer in an upholstery shop.
- [61:44]
D
I know y' all.
- [61:45]
A
My nails. I would. I swear. I. I don't have nails.
- [61:49]
E
I'm fine.
- [61:49]
A
Get upstate on your tetanus before you do it.
- [61:52]
D
I'll send it to you.
- [61:53]
E
I will do it anyway.
- [61:54]
C
I feel like I'm grubby.
- [61:55]
A
It's good. You can do it.
- [61:58]
B
It's just something.
- [61:59]
A
It's not relaxed. It's not a relaxed.
- [62:00]
D
No, it's not.
- [62:01]
A
It's not a relaxing.
- [62:03]
B
It's not a.
- [62:04]
D
It's not a relaxing with a cup of tea.
- [62:08]
E
But I. I mean, I like. I. I. I'm looking for a sideboard for the living room, and I am down to refinish something. Like, I. I don't. I don't have a problem. I'll sand it down. I've done stuff like that before. I. I would love that. So I think a reupholstering something would be so fun.
- [62:28]
C
Yeah. Will and I are the same person. I'm like, yes, let's do it until I give up. And then I'm like, oh, that was cool. Yeah, I have to try it. That happens, like, before. It can be in your camp. I have to try it even when you're capable.
- [62:42]
A
100. I'm just. It is.
- [62:45]
D
Yeah.
- [62:46]
A
It's hard and, like, that's why it's.
- [62:48]
E
So expensive to buy a handmade sofa that's $10,000.
- [62:52]
A
You gotta pull out every single nail and staple.
- [62:55]
B
Yeah.
- [62:56]
A
And then restaple them all. A lot of staples.
- [62:59]
E
I feel like you just.
- [63:00]
B
I think I'm on Caroline's. I'll give project fatigue, and I feel like an upholstery project, but you have.
- [63:05]
A
To pull out every single staple with it. You use these, like, really sharp. It's like a screwdriver, but sharp. Like, pointy. To, like, dig every single staple out. Like, I don't know. It's just.
- [63:16]
E
It's.
- [63:16]
A
Yeah.
- [63:17]
D
And if it doesn't come out, then you have to get the pliers and, like, pry it out.
- [63:20]
A
Yeah. Staples and your fans and your arms and your.
- [63:23]
E
All over.
- [63:23]
A
And then, you know, you gotta. Restable.
- [63:25]
B
Yes.
- [63:25]
A
You can use a gun with an air compressor, but.
- [63:27]
C
Okay.
- [63:28]
B
Just.
- [63:29]
A
I mean, you know, I will say there are a lot of videos on TikTok that make it look super easy and lovely.
- [63:35]
B
Right.
- [63:36]
D
Because those folks. And. And I am following half of them, but. Yeah. So that's kind of where my. My upholstery desires.
- [63:44]
C
Sure.
- [63:44]
B
Do it.
- [63:44]
A
Do the class. All right, cool.
- [63:46]
E
Okay.
- [63:48]
D
I feel like this, like, holds my feet to the fire. Like, I gotta do it now.
- [63:51]
A
You said it on the podcast.
- [63:52]
C
I love it, though. I'll put it in your, like, 20.
- [63:55]
D
Oh, my gosh.
- [63:56]
A
I have.
- [63:57]
D
I've got a whole checklist by this point.
- [63:58]
C
Yeah, you do. It's already pretty full. Well, I hope that helps people feel. I mean, either inspired or. I. I know last year we ended with you. Do you. Boo. Sort of, like, situation of, like, whatever you love. Stay home and stay bold.
- [64:16]
A
That's what I kept saying.
- [64:17]
B
Right.
- [64:17]
A
You don't have to get on every single trend. Just pick the ones that you like.
- [64:23]
C
Especially for your home. So we continue to tell her to, like, be bold. Enjoy it. Live that best life at home.
- [64:33]
E
It's safe at home.
- [64:36]
C
I hope you guys enjoyed hearing about some of the funky trends, the things we're gravitating towards, the colors we're loving, patterns we're loving, materials we're loving. And I hope that helps everyone feel emboldened to go out and redecorate this.
- [64:52]
B
Year with our product.
- [64:56]
E
That's such a great product.
- [64:57]
B
There is.
- [64:57]
C
Yeah. I hope you guys enjoy the year and let us know what you're loving once we launch out the new things for 2026 and make your home your beautiful sanctuary.
- [65:09]
A
Let's see, wait, February 15th is the launch? I think it is live the 12th. But come on, things will start changing over the next week. Yeah, yeah, the week of the 15th.
- [65:24]
C
So right on downtown.
- [65:25]
D
Very, very exciting.
- [65:26]
E
Does it usually hit the stores still mid March?
- [65:29]
A
Yeah.
- [65:29]
E
Okay.
- [65:30]
B
Right.
- [65:31]
C
But you can fall in love online.
- [65:33]
E
I know, but I mean, as we've seen, our customer loves an in person experience. Yeah, I love to be able to sit on the stuff I've designed.
- [65:41]
D
Well, this is the end of February, early March in Atlanta.
- [65:45]
E
Awesome. Great.
- [65:47]
C
And that's our show.
- [65:48]
A
You can find all of the show notes on our blog howtodecorate.com podcast to.
- [65:53]
C
Send in a decorating dilemma, email your questions to podcastallarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space.
- [65:59]
A
And of course, be sure to follow us on social media at Ballard Signs.
- [66:02]
D
Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. And please leave us a review. We'd love to hear your feedback.
- [66:09]
A
Until next time, happy decorating.