Mar 8, 2016
Home (and housewares) is where the heart is

IMG_1175

This year’s International Home + Housewares Show hosted more than 2,100 exhibitors from around the world, including 400 first-time exhibitors. The show also featured new branding focusing on the “It’s smART” theme, which combines smart business decisions directly with the art used to design, create and market products. Show highlights included the New Exhibitor Preview on Saturday morning before the Show opened; the Hall of Global Innovation featuring special exhibits including Pantone ColorWatch, IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) and the IHA Student Design Competition; the Innovation Theater with 20 presentations exploring important issues including the Internet of Things, global shoppers and millennials; and the standing-room-only educational seminars led by IHA’s color expert Leatrice Eiseman and lifestyle guru Tom Mirabile.

-The theme of Eiseman’s Pantone seminar was all about new directions, and some of the most notable designs include maps. Both classic and modern will remain popular; grid-style, black and white imagery, and beyond.

Black and white will lead the way in fashion as well as home goods; but not just black and white, black and white with a splash of a bold, eye-catching color.

-Abstract prints with bold colors use unexpected or unusual color combinations and will be a power play among kitchen products and beyond.

-Pixelated and digitzed patterning is showing up in unexpected places.

-Many films for kids feature sophisticated colors that are bold – think Peanuts, Shrek and Inside Out.

-Pantone View Home + Interiors 2017 palettes include:

  • Native Instincts: Earth tones including a neutral tan, copper metallic, bright gold and warm brown combined with a smoky orchid and Carmine red, then juxtaposed against nature’s tones such as Malachite Green, Violet Quartz and a solid rock gray.
  • Florabundant: Rich floral hues are lavish in reds from Pink Yarrow and Chrysanthemum to Red Dahlia and Baton Rouge along with orange tints and deep purples. Varying shades of green complement the palette.
  • Acquired Taste: A combination of colors and textures that are uncommon. Think Orange Chiffon, Amberlight, Palge Good and Brandied Melon.
  • Day Dreaming: These colors evoke weightless thoughts and include Pantone 2016 colors of the year, Serenity Blue, Rose Quartz. Also a neutral creamy beige, Nile Green and Plein Air.
  • Forest Bathing: Inspired by the Japanese practice of “Shinrin-Yoku” or “Forest Bathing.” Willow Bough, Moss, and Hydro contrasted against Grape Kiss and tawny leaf shades with a highlighted Acid Lime.
  • Raw Materials: Dedication to the re-use and re-purposing of materials from nature and industrial resources. Gray tones with a mustard Oil Yellow, Faded Denim and green Guacamole.
  • Graphic Imprints: Black and white that contour geometric shapes with a pop of vibrant color; Blazing Yellow, Dazzling Blue, Prism Pink and Fandango Pink, for example.
  • Reminiscence: Nostalgia-evoking colors include Maritime Blue, Sepia Tint, Dusty Blue, Rattan and Parchment. Modern updates include Martini Olive and Valiant Poppy.
  • At Ease: Tonalities in classic neutrals blended with muted tones; Sea Fog, Orchid Haze and Twilight Mauve.
Pantone
Geometric shapes with pops of color, mismatched patterns, pixelated images and maps are among some of the biggest housewares trends for the upcoming year.

The education seminar lineup also included How Millennials Make Themselves at Home with speakers Maureen Azzato and Warren Shoulberg; and Turning Food Shoppers into Housewares Buyers.

The Global Innovation Awards (gia) celebrate the leading products on the retail as well as the design side of the housewares industry. Initiated in 2011, the awards foster innovation and superiority among the 60 finalists. Winners in each of 12 categories were announced during the invitation-only gia dinner held Saturday, March 5. More than 500 entries were received and were judged by a panel of industry experts and news media. The finalists were on display in the New Product Showcases located in the Buyers Club in each Show building.

The gia winners for Product Design are:

Bath + Personal Care: simplehuman, spin cabinet

Cleaning: Kuhn Rikon, Stay Clean Scrubber

Cook + Bakeware: Alessi USA, Inc., Pulcina design Michele De Lucchi

Home Décor + Gifts: Eva Solo A/S, Window Birdfeeder

Home Organization + Storage: Stasher, Stasher

Household Electrics + Home Environment: Bruno SmartCan, Bruno SmartCan

Kitchen Electrics: Aquarius Brands, AquaBoy Pro II

Kitchen Hand Tools + Cutlery: Smith’s Consumer Products, Inc., Compact Digital Scale- Plastic

Kitchenware: Prepara, Adjustable Oil Pourer

Personal Care + Home Healthcare: Jobar International Inc., Color Changing Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor

Pet Products: Enchanted Home Pet, TheraCool – Pet Mat

Tabletop: Eva Solo A/S, My Flavor Carafe

The gia Global Honorees for Retail Excellence are:

Lakehouse – Canada

Illums Bolighus – Denmark

Kitchen Shop – Malaysia

K’OOK! – Netherlands

Lords – United Kingdom

On Monday, March 7, the Housewares Charity Foundation held its 19th Annual Housewares Charity Foundation Gala that honored the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Terry Lundgren, chairman and CEO of Macy’s received the Lifetime Humanitarian Award and Lester Gribetz, president of Lenox Corporation was honored with the Humanitarian of the Year Award at the event held at Navy Pier.

Other highlights

Gaia welcomed World of Mary Blair children’s dinnerware; Vapur partnered with Govina; Aervana celebrated its one-year anniversary; Polar Bottle showed us the colors of the rainbow; Le Creuset unveiled a line in its version of the Pantone Color of the Year, Hibiscus; and Kitchen Aid displayed every.mixer.ever.


Tags: ,


Social Connections


📣 Meet our speakers! 📣The Garden Center Show, presented by Lawn & Garden Retailer, is excited to announce our Keynote Speakers! 📣 Michelle Sherrier: Owner of MC Design Academy and host of The Retail Whore Podcast📣 Tim Quebedeaux: Owner of RetailKPI and Service Provider for The Garden Center GroupBe sure to check them out, along with our full, FREE conference schedule for The Garden Center Show, Aug. 6-7 in Rosemont, IL.🔗 Register for FREE: LGRMag.com/GCSRegister🌐 Learn more: www.gardencentershow.com🚌 Bus tour info: lgrmag.com/LGRBusTour#GCS24 #GardenCenterShow #GardenEvents #InPersonEvent #Networking #RetailStrategies #SpecialtyRetailers #GardenCenter #Conference #speaker #keynotespeaker ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Gift Shop Plus Winter 2024
Get one year of Gift Shop Plus in both print and digital editions for just $16.

Interested in reading the print edition of Gift Shop Plus?

Subscribe Today »

website development by deyo designs