Southwestern is a relaxed interior design style that can be dressed up or down, and expressed traditionally or with a contemporary twist. It originated in Arizona and New Mexico, and draws its cues from both the region’s desert surroundings and its rich indigenous heritage. The versatility of Southwestern style is part of its appeal; its proudly American roots and homely charm also help explain why Southwestern furniture and decor keep cycling back into fashion.

The typical Southwestern color palette combines shades of brown and terracotta with turquoise, orange and perhaps a hit of peach or green. Colorful fabrics in striped or geometric patterns are an essential element; think area rugs, throw pillows, serapes and tapestries. Textures are rich and lived in, rather than sleek and shiny; handwoven baskets, leather, and raw wood cut in a way that showcases its natural shape are all fantastic Southwestern elements. Harking back to the days of ranching, animal hides, sheepskins, antlers and cow skulls will lend a kind of earthy authenticity to your Southwestern space. A dose of Mexican influence shines through in hammered metal and pressed tin accents, inlaid wood, handpainted talavera tiles, and wrought iron railings, chandeliers and candelabras.

All of this may suggest that Southwestern style is tied to the region’s past more than the present, but mid-century modern furniture fits beautifully into this look. Leather-upholstered modern seating is a winner, especially in desert tones like brown, tan or orange.

It’s possible to introduce elements of Southwestern style into any room in the house; it’s also an ideal look for the patio, thanks to its relaxed vibe. Bring those geometric fabrics outdoors, introduce wrought iron elements, and scatter a few poufs and floor cushions for those long, hot evenings. Complete the look by adding an array of cactuses and succulents; they’re robust, they rarely get thirsty, and they effortlessly evoke the desert landscape like no other plants.

The words “modern” and “contemporary” are often used interchangeably, but they are in fact two subtly different styles.

Modern refers to a set of specific design movements, which taken together help define 20th Century style. From the 1920s, forward thinking designers and architects like Mies and Le Corbusier sought to create a new visual language that expressed the spirit of a rapidly changing world. Mass production, new technologies, and a political establishment discredited by the carnage of the First World War created the conditions for a creative revolution in industrial design, broadly described as modernism. As the century progressed, modernism evolved and took on new forms, culminating in the Mid-Century Modern movement. Today, “modern” is used to describe iconic pieces designed between the 1920s and 1950s, plus current designs inspired by the era. It’s a fixed style, with a well-defined roster of historic practitioners.

Contemporary style is a little more slippery. The term technically covers anything being produced right now, in a way that breaks with styles of the past. That said, there are a few common themes that arise again and again in contemporary interiors. Uncluttered rooms, featuring minimal ornamentation, and furnished with pieces displaying clean, strong lines are contemporary. Function is important, and in some cases leads the design, with aesthetics coming in a close second. Whites and neutrals are foregrounded, while brighter color is used judiciously if at all. Some contemporary interiors incorporate elements inspired by modern design, blurring the line somewhat.

Modern design has stood the test of time, while contemporary is a little riskier — it’s impossible to say for certain whether a new piece will age well. However, contemporary style arguably gives you more room for experimentation, in that the rules are still being written.

Wood veneer developed a bad reputation in the mid-twentieth century, when a lot of mass produced veneering was of lower quality and applied to furniture that was not built to last. Modern veneering by talented craftspeople, using quality materials, is of a completely different order. For their strength, their small ecological footprint and their simple beauty, veneered pieces are among the most desirable furnishings available.

What is veneer?
Although the tools have improved over the years, veneering has an extremely long history. The Ancient Romans and Egyptians used veneers to create the appearance of expensive wood by covering a cheaper base. Today’s veneers are usually thinner than ⅛ inch, and can be as fine as 1/40 inch. The veneer is applied to a base of plywood, MDF or any kind of composite wood, selected either for affordability or for desirable characteristics like superior durability; it is then attached with hot hide glue and pressed into place with a veneer hammer.

There are three cutting methods used to produce veneer, each of which creates a different appearance. Rotary lathes peel the log in a circular fashion, producing a plain looking result that is usually used as plywood. Crown cutting is produced by slicing across the growth rings. Finally, rift cutting is where the most distinctive sections of wood grain are selected and displayed for a more textural look; this technique is typically used to produce oak veneer.

The case for veneered furnishings
It seems counterintuitive, but veneered furnishings are actually more durable than solid wood. Some solid woods are prone to warping and splitting in their natural state; even moving house can cause damage. In many cases, veneer over a strong but flexible substrate is actually more stable, making it less likely to crack or sag.

Veneer also lets manufacturers showcase the natural qualities of wood like grain and color. There are many different types of grain, including burl, which displays a beautiful swirling effect, pommele, said to resemble the flesh of an apple, and crotch, which captures the point in a tree where branches have forked in different directions. Woodworkers can create great effects by piecing together patterns and inlays, before staining or finishing in the same way as any other wood product. As an added inducement, veneer is sustainable and environmentally responsible. Wood in general is less wasteful and generates fewer toxins than other materials, and veneering ensures the most use out of each tree.

Black and white is a classic combination that moves in and out of the fashion spotlight yet never loses its power. It’s crisp and clean, and allows a designer to place emphasis on shape, composition, placement and pattern, without the distraction of color. A maximum contrast monochrome scheme can be adapted to suit any room in the house, from bathroom to bedroom; punctuate a black and white space with accents in a single metallic or jewel color for even more impact.

Style Edit: a twist on monochrome
When positioned on a pure white pedestal, tabletop or credenza, a sleek black sculpture like the A Hole In My Heart Sculpture makes a simple, striking statement.

Chairs are especially well suited to the black and white treatment, whether in the form of graphic printed upholstery or a deceptively simple, sculptural shape. Eero Saarinen’s iconic Tulip Armchair is a show stopper in black and white, or just pure white. The Guapa Office Chair by Midj looks almost futuristic in glossy white, while the Mimi Armchair is simply fun. Paired with a black table, the Giuseppina Dining Chair is really in its element.

Accessorize your sofa or sectional with dramatic pillows, like the Circolo Pillow from Dellarobbia, available in four configurations that combine sharp styling with soft comfort.

Designers have long known that black and white are a natural choice for contemporary lighting. The Taj Light is available in matte black and white, both of which highlight its clean lines. The sleek Neutra Hanging Lamp by Kartell is also available in both black and white, allowing you to mix and match these extra-large fixtures as you see fit. Or, if a floor lamp is what you really need to finish your monochrome room, consider the high-contrast Cadmo Floor Lamp or the unique Sipario Floor Lamp, which doubles as a coat rack.

The right lighting is an essential part of creating a truly enjoyable outdoor living space. But there is far more to it than installing lights on the patio — and far more opportunities for creativity than you may realize.

Lighting paths: Use path lighting to give guests a clear idea of where to walk, but remember that it’s not necessary to light every foot of the way. It’s unlikely that your garden will ever be completely sunk in darkness, even late at night, so use path lights sparingly at wide intervals and enjoy the contrast between light and shadow. It’s worth noting here that cool or white light is closer in appearance to moonlight while standard, somewhat yellowish light bears more resemblance to daylight.

Lighting plants and trees: Garden lights can be used to highlight interesting shapes and textures among your plants, and uplighting a favorite tree turns it into a feature that you can enjoy 24 hours a day. Concealed lights within the upper branches of a tree create a whole new effect, almost as though the tree itself is glowing. A blue gel or filter on your lights will give green foliage extra pop.

Lighting manmade features: Depth is important. If only the facade of a house is lit, for example, leaving the garden in darkness, you’re sacrificing an opportunity to showcase the entire property and leaving the house floating sadly in space. Use outdoor LED tape or a string of LEDs concealed under ledges, bench seating or planters to create a glowing effect. Lighting at an acute angle creates stronger shadows, which is worth considering when lighting a stone wall or any other with an interesting texture.

Lighting water features: Uplight running water or fountains for a dramatic effect that draws attention to the movement of the water and the textures surrounding it. Alternatively, use soft downlighting for a calmer, more Zen feel. Underwater lighting lets you transform any ponds on the property into quietly spectacular living works of art.

Introducing a mix of textures is essential to creating a space filled with detail and vitality. Strictly speaking, even the smoothest surface is still a texture but it’s three dimensional texture that tends to make a room pop. Think items that look like they would feel good — or at least very interesting — to touch. Textured objects contrast with and complement sleeker, more minimal furnishings, creating depth and visual interest without necessarily changing your color scheme.

Textured objects have more visual weight than smooth, so they tend to grab more attention. A rough surface reflects far less light than a flat one, so textures help create a cosier, warmer impression. If you feel your decor is missing something, try adding two or three different textures per room to create balance without any fear of going overboard.

Style edit

The Square Root and Chamca consoles bring the complex forms and textures of natural root systems into the home.

A thick area rug offers both the pleasure of wriggling your toes into the pile and an instant sense of greater warmth. If a shag rug isn’t quite your style, consider an area rug like the Canyon, with a rippling carved pile.

Faux fur, whether draped across a chair back in the form of a blanket or covering a plump cushion, is a simple and beautiful way to bring texture into your space. These throws and pillows are available in a range of colors, from fox to lamb.

On the subject of pillows, Dellarobbia’s Cashmere range is the ideal complement to a contemporary sofa or sectional.

Light fixtures and sconces are an often-overlooked source of fascinating textures, amplified by subtle interplays of light and shadow. The Fan Wall Sconce, the Muriel Sconce and the Meri 6 Chandelier present three completely different ways to change the feel of your room.

When people are decorating their homes, the ceilings are frequently treated as an afterthought, which is a sad waste of a space with enormous creative potential. The classic white ceiling is well and good – as everybody knows, it’s a simple way to make a room feel taller and airier. But when it comes to your ceilings, turning conventional wisdom on its head can produce effects that range from the subtly unexpected to absolutely show stopping.

Dark, moody walls are very chic, but consider a total reversal by pairing lighter walls with a dark ceiling. Surprisingly, this creates a warm yet elegant effect and causes your light fixtures to really pop. Trade in conventional matt finished ceiling for high gloss or metallic paint in a shade that complements or contrasts with the walls. Be aware that light colored gloss paint will tend to highlight any imperfections in the ceiling, so if the surface isn’t quite as smooth as you would like, go darker or brighter.

Another option, especially effective in sunrooms and enclosed porches, is to paint the ceiling a beautiful shade of sky blue. This look creates a wonderful sense of openness and has an amazing pedigree; in the old south, ‘haint blue’ ceilings were considered an effective protection against ghosts.

Take patterned wallpaper from the walls up to the ceiling for a look that’s completely over the top, or paint walls and ceilings (and wainscoting and trim, if you have them) for a 360 degree wash of color that, depending on the shade you choose, can be surprisingly relaxing. Can’t settle on one or the other? Try a striped ceiling paired with solid color walls in either a matching or a totally contrasting color — this fun style is especially suitable for nurseries and children’s playrooms.

Finally, if you’d rather stick with the white ceilings, at least for the most part, consider creating a three-dimensional effect with a cluster of tiles in your choice of color, texture or shape. Like a contemporary take on old-world ceiling medallions, the right tile pattern is sure to intrigue.

A home bar or bar cart takes your entertaining game to the next level. Rather than preparing drinks in the kitchen all night, a bar cart lets you stay where the party is and impress guests with your skill as a mixologist. Nor do bars have to be space-hungry. Compact home bars like the Nova, Churchill and Uptown pack a lot of storage into a small footprint, and look fabulous while doing it. If the mobile bar cart is more your style, Miss Marple by Reflex is a surefire hit. Finally, the Karim Rashid-designed Kart by Tonelli combines good looks with versatility.

Home bar essentials
When equipping a home bar, there are a few tools that are essential.

• Quality old-fashioned, highball, and martini glasses
• A bar spoon for stirring
• Cocktail shaker
• Cocktail strainer
• Jigger (for measuring spirits)
• Fruit knife and/or citrus peeler
• Mixing glass

Classic Old Fashioned recipe

• 12 parts American whiskey
• 1 part simple syrup
• 1-3 dashes Angostura bitters to each drink

In an old-fashioned glass, add bitters to simple syrup and stir. Add about 1 ounce of whiskey and stir again. Add two cubes of cracked, but not crushed, ice and top off with the rest of the whiskey. Twist lemon peel over the top and serve garnished with the lemon peel and a maraschino cherry.

Forget pink for girls and blue for boys; the contemporary child’s room can be based around any colors you desire, whether it’s a subtle neutral theme or riotously bright. Combine a dose of whimsy with grown-up sophistication for a bedroom or playroom that will grow with your child.

Seating
For the sake of both parents and children, comfortable seating is a must. The colorful and welcoming Cart Armchair by DiTre Italia is ideal for feedings or storytime. Contemporary updates on the classic rocking chair include the Guapa by Midj and the Comeback by Patricia Urquiola, both available in a range of gentle colors and sure to soothe fussy little ones. For seating that’s more readily moveable by the kids themselves, consider adding a scattering of poufs or ottomans to the playroom; Solar, Henry and Bon Bon all offer fun, colorful options, while Uno by American Leather has castors for easy moving and built-in storage under the seat.

Creative lighting
Add instant interest to your child’s bedroom or playroom with lighting that’s as individual as they are. Flamenca and Coral are two flamboyant options for bedside lamps. Aqua Creations are specialists in unique light fixtures; their Mimosa and Zooid ceiling lights are hand-sculpted statement pieces. Shaped to resemble a fluffy cloud, Nuvola looks charming alone or in a cluster.

Kid-proof tables
Depending on the age of the children in question, you may need to baby-proof by opting for tables with rounded corners. Consider a pair of curvy side tables like Oly’s Twin set or a completely circular piece like Tia. Even older children can benefit from durable furnishings that can be knocked around a little without showing damage. All Kartell products, including the Stone Side Table are made from colored or clear polycarbonate that will survive years of playdates.

Area rugs
Texture, color and fun patterns are yours for the asking with the right area rug. Molten and Plasma both seem to burst with movement and energy, and both are available in your choice of over 200 colors. As an added bonus, a busily patterned rug like Dellarobbia’s Vertigo or Rubix will effectively hide the evidence of many a spilled juicebox.

Shelving and storage
Toys and books need homes, too. Keep bedrooms and playrooms a little more organized with shelving that’s large and versatile enough to keep up with your child’s ever-evolving needs. Press floats a column of books on the wall as if by magic. Fifty is a modular shelving system that can be added to and re-oriented any way you please. Finally, wall-mounted Demi can be positioned horizontally or vertically, and mounted high enough to keep breakables out of reach of little hands.

The Milan Salone del Mobile 2017 (the biggest furniture fair in the world) kicked off on Tuesday April 4th in Milan with hundreds of Designers and Retailers (like Sklar Furnishings) lined up ready for the doors to open.

Visitors experience these massive line-ups not because they want to see or buy something before everyone else – it’s because you need every one of the ten hours a day the show is open! There is so much to see and for Sklar, it is the best time to connect with our manufacturing partners. And since we pride ourselves on our exclusive products, this is always a great venue to find these new products that no one else in the South Florida area has. Last year alone, we came home with five new exclusive vendors to list and showcase at Sklar Furnishings!

Each year trends start to emerge almost immediately, and this year was no different. As buyers, we use this opportunity to evaluate trends to help inspire our clients and customers. We’re on the lookout for color trends, materials, various finishes, shapes (chairs for instance), multi-use products and any unusual uses of products. We recall one year a few years ago where no one showed nightstands – they just used tables or small bookcases. These are the details that are so often missed, but are the foundation of our passion and really fuel our desire for inspiration from around the globe.

Here are our top ten trends from 2017

Colors
The buzz premarket was that green was the new color of the year and that we would see it everywhere – after all the Pantone color of the year is…you guessed it, green. We did see greens on display, but only from a very few vendors and when they used it, there was no standard. Tones ranged from a bright spring green to a very deep hunter green. To our eye blues were still very prominent. Some vendors continued to pair it with browns and caramels from 2016, but the majority had moved into the grey family tones. Outside of the show, we saw exactly the same in fashion store windows – some green but mostly blues and greys. We see green playing an accent color role in 2017.

Table Bunching
Bunching small and differing tables together to make a cocktail or end table has been a trend for about three years and it’s one we really love. The tables used are usually different shapes, heights, materials and sizes and create a wonderful visual right in the middle of the room. This is a simple way to express your tastes, but also allows you to augment the arrangement in minutes to adapt to different needs, or moods. This year we saw the addition of small fabric ottomans into the cluster, which was a beautiful way to add functionality to the mix as they are able to double as not only a table, but as seating.

Metallic Finishes
Another trend that is not brand new, but has evolved this year is the use of metallic finishes. We started a few years ago moving away from chrome and introducing finishes such as black chrome, gold and rose gold. Typically, this was just used on small portions of a piece, such as the feet of a sofa, the base of a table, or the handles on cases. This year as well as gold and bronze, we saw a lot of titanium and more importantly we saw whole pieces like buffets and cocktail tables done in metallics. Surprisingly, it is very neutral and not overpowering to the rest of the room.

Outdoor Furniture
Probably the most dramatic and surprising trend this year was the change in outdoor furniture, as we know it today. Gone was the mesh seating for the contemporary client, and wicker for the more traditional one. Now because of the evolution of performance fabrics, this outdoor furniture looks exactly like your indoor furniture. Leather – yes leather and wood products that are meant for full outdoors. We found ourselves saying “this can’t be for the outdoors” over and over and judging by the smile on the vendor’s face, we were not the only ones shocked. The pictures below will give you an idea, but you really need to see them to believe them.

Triangle Tables
This new shape emerged this year that proved to be very fresh, functional and popular. The traditional triangle became extended and much softer with rounded edges. It works exceptionally well in a group of bunching tables (see trend #2) but is also very nice as an end table. The stretching and softening of the sides gives a much larger space, which everyone loved.

Glass Marble
A fabulous new man-made product was in a few select booths and we are pretty sure we will see a lot more of this next year. Basically it is a process of stamping glass with a pattern taken directly from a sheet of marble. This does several things – it means that every table will be exactly the same. When our customers purchase a marble table now based on the display model in our design showroom, we have to tell them theirs will not look exactly like ours, and we run the risk of ordering a table they do not like. It also means we should have less damage – marble is very fragile and there is traditionally a high risk of breakage. The product has not been named officially but the few vendors we saw exhibiting it were calling it mar glass or glass marble. We’re calling it glass marble for now, and we’ll have more news to share on this amazing material soon.

Sahara Nero
Every year there is at least one product that is “everywhere” and this year proved to be no different. A new marble pattern called Sahara Nero was in almost every showroom we visited. It has a black background with random lines of white and caramel and we saw it in both polished and matt form. It was used on every surface you can imagine from the ordinary (table tops) to the unusual (fronts of buffets). We were very impressed how versatile it was – it worked well paired with black, brown, taupe and white soft goods. When grey was in the lighter end of the color spectrum the marble paired nicely with that color too.

Love Seats
A fun and efficient trend was the use of love seats around a dining or pub table. Usually it was on one side only, which gave a very nice look. We also saw a fair amount of banquet seating, which may be geared more to the European market because of their smaller homes.

The Occasional Chair
This was very much in the forefront of the show, and in some instances, vendors concentrated their R&D dollars on them. The chairs ranged from architectural to functional but all of them were comfortable and designed to compliment almost any style of decor you already have. This is a great way to freshen up your space without a large expense.

Lighting
Lighting this year was very dramatic and will definitely play a large roll in creating any look your design team is trying to achieve. Every other year the Euroluce lighting show is running at the same time as the furniture fair and this was the year for Euroluce. Very large chandeliers dominated the rooms, and many of them looked like pieces of. Several of the companies had fun and whimsical lighting including one of a full size mannequin swinging on the light. No doubt due to the proximity of the island of Murano, many vendors used this gorgeous glass in their products.

While the Italian and North American spring markets usually overlap, this year we have the luxury of a week before the High Point market starts. We can’t wait to see what they have in store and how the trends might be compared between the two markets. We’ll be sure to bring you all the latest. Stay tuned!