NEW YORK, NY.- 1stdibs, the leading global destination for designers and collectors of beautiful things, revealed the results of its second annual Interior Designer Trends Survey, which focuses on interior styles that are expected to reign in 2019, those anticipated to decline in popularity, and industry insights. The survey, commissioned by 1stdibs and conducted by research firm Surveys & Forecasts, LLC, sampled the opinions of hundreds of top designers from around the world.
“It’s important that we listen to the design community—with particular focus on designers at the highest caliber—to learn how tastes and preferences may be evolving,” says Sarah Liebel, SVP and GM of Trade at 1stdibs. “From there, we can identify how to best respond to those developments and continue to be a leading resource for the industry.”
Among the most noteworthy findings: When sourcing furniture for client projects, the majority (61%) of designers make their purchases online. Most (54%) specify art for their projects, and close to half (45%) of the art selected is sourced online.
Biggest Style Trends for 2019
Asked about overall design statements, furniture styles, materials, colors and patterns, the designers say:
• Artisanal influence is growing: About half (49%) indicate that they will source artisanal and one-of-a-kind pieces in the future, up from 42% from last year.
• Customization of pieces is increasing: 58% say they customize their pieces in some way, up from 44% from last year.
• Modern styles remain strong: As in last year’s survey, modern styles (modern, Scandinavian modern, mid-century modern, Art Deco and American modern) are considered most likely to be used in 2019.
• Color marches on: Interior designers continue to note that clients are moving toward color, with warmer tones and brighter shades (for example, jewel tones) gaining in popularity. For 2019, the top emerging colors are expected to be emerald green, blue and gray.
• Eclectic reigns: No design period dominates. Rather, designers are sourcing a range of design periods approximately 85% of the time.
• Pattern plays: As in last year’s survey, abstract and large-scale patterns, geometric shapes and nature patterns/prints (for example, floral motifs) are anticipated to remain popular.
• Materials in vogue: Wood, metal, brass and other natural materials were mentioned the most for style predictions, as in last year’s survey.
Statements Anticipated to Be Less Popular in 2019
The surveyed designers’ responses also indicated that certain design statements are not likely to be incorporated into their styles in the New Year:
• Purple is losing its punch: This hue showed the largest decline, to 4% from 15% last year, in the percentage of designers predicting it as a trend. It was followed by white, which dropped to 7% from 12%.
• Industrial metals and reclaimed/recycled woods were the materials least likely to be on-trend. The percentage for industrial metals was the same as last year, at 1%, while reclaimed/recycled woods dropped to 1% from 3%.
• Old-world classic styles (for example, Baroque, Empire, Victorian) are least likely to be used, as in last year’s survey.
Industry Insights
Designers were asked more general questions as well, about interior design practices and preferences:
• Designers indicated that their favorite type of piece is an antique (42%), followed by an Arco floor lamp (14%), artwork (12%) and armoire (9%).
• The top categories of pieces in which designers said they would recommend investing were art (26%), sofas (18%), table/dining tables (13%) and chairs (9%).
• According to designers, their clients’ biggest mistake is not listening to their recommendations (46%), followed by buying poor-quality furniture (18%).
• Designers also noted that clients understand the price/quality relationship (92%), prefer to buy based on viewing items online (81%) and want to avoid shopping trips and retail stores (77%).
Methodology
Between November 9 and December 3, 2018, researchers with Surveys & Forecasts, LLC, a full-service strategic research consultancy based in South Norwalk, CT, conducted more than 707 online interviews with interior designers who are part of the 1stdibs Trade Program, which consists of 40,000 registered designers.
