Robin and I just got back from an exciting time at our annual trip to the Atlantasmart Gift Show in downtown Atlanta.  It’s always so exciting to see the newest trends, colors and styles.  What we found very interesting this year is how our expectations were really shaken up. Several  showrooms that usually have clever fun inspiring displays and lots of new product failed to show much new and  different and their displays were utilitarian and boring.  Other showrooms that are usually middle of the road came through this year with great new products and over the top displays.  Our orders certainly reflected this shake-up and other store owners we talked to shared the same observations.

1. CHALKBOARD.

It was everywhere.  In hundreds of showrooms and booths and interpreted in many different styles.  From clever furniture to signs to much much more.

2. MARQUEE LIGHTS.

Another huge trend shown in many showrooms and booths.  From letters and words to clever shapes and sizes.

3. LANTERNS

From large to small to rustic to shabby cottage, lanterns were huge at the market.  Candle lanterns, electric lanterns, lantern ornaments and on and on.

4. EDISON LIGHTS

Part of the industrial craze…we saw lots of Edison lighting in many of the showrooms.

5. SPOOLS

Vintage is still a huge look at the market and we saw lots and lots of spools, in many different incarnations, from the base of table top trees to part of ornaments.

These are the biggest trends we saw.  Burlap is still very popular, as is the neutral palette.  We saw a return to red and turquoise together for Christmas and also elves everywhere.  Owls are still popular but not nearly as huge as last year.  One of the biggest looks for Christmas was Cabin Christmas…carried over from 2014, but with a bit more glitter…a more glam cabin look but still with lots of deer.